Qualifying round one:
Adrian Grant (Eng) bt Damian Walker (Usa)
12-15, 15-8, 15-7, 15-9
Shahier Razik (Can) bt Alex Gough (Wal)
10-15, 15-8, 15-7, 15-5
Mark Chaloner (Eng) bt Julian Illingworth (Usa)
15-6, 15-9, 15-3
Ollie Tuominen (Fin) bt Nick Taylor (Eng)
11-15, 15-8, 15-11, 12-15, 15-3
Graham Ryding (Can) bt Stefan Casteleyn (Bel)
11-15, 15-4, 15-11, 15-11
Paul Price (Aus) bt Rodney Durbach (Rsa)
15-12, 12-15, 14-17, 15-18, 15-13
Nick Matthew (Eng) bt Jamie Crombie (USA)
15-7, 15-5, 15-7
Simon Parke (Eng) bt Lucky Odeh (USA)
15-5, 15-3, 15-4
The British Are Coming
Colleen Turner reports ...
It was a good night for the Brits in Boston, as four Englishmen advanced to the qualifying finals, while all four USA 'locals' lost out.
USA's own Damian Walker started out strong against Adrian
Grant, but Grant's game was razor sharp and he was able to get on the ball
very quickly taking the match in four. Hot off his recent Pan Am gold
finish, Canada's Shahier Razik moved one step closer to his Symphony Hall
debut. Gough rallied at the start of the match, but Razik's smooth play wore
him down and ensured his advancement.
Not surprisingly, 14th ranked Mark Chaloner made quick work of USA's Julian
Illingworth, taking the match in just 35 minutes. That said, squash
aficionados should keep their eye on this young player ... only a freshman
and playing for Yale, Illingworth put up a valiant effort in the second game
of the match and will likely be a future seed in competitions. He works hard
for his money ... Ollie Tuominen, that is.
In a competitive, see-saw of a match that lasted a
whopping 1 hour and 25 minutes, Ollie and England's Nick Taylor took it to
five before the young Fin literally finished Taylor. Taylor showed flashes
of brilliance, but Tuominen was just too strong for the Brit.
Stefan Casteleyn started strong, but the relentless style and strength of
Graham Ryding added another Canadian to the advancement roster. As the score
indicates, Ryding may have won as expected, but make no mistake, he worked
for it. The Price/Durbach match on the other hand was long (1 hour 42
minutes); full of calls (heck, they're two big guys, so there was a fair
amount of jostling); and exhibited some great strategy (both staying back,
but exercising an advantage whenever possible).
But in the fifth game, fortune appeared to smile on the
handsome Price as he consistently fought back for every point Durbach tried
to match and ultimately took the game.
Maybe it was the talent - maybe it was the hour, but Brits Nick Matthew and
Simon Parke easily defeated their competition. Both USA players showed a lot
of spirit and legs, but the high-ranking English lads ruled the evening and
will face off tomorrow for the fourth and final qualifying spot.
Today's qualifying matches took place at the Boston Racquet Club in Boston
and Harvard University's Barnaby Courts, Harvard Murr Center, in Cambridge,
Mass. Tomorrow's second qualifying rounds will take place at these same
locations as noted.
Palmer
targets
US Open History
David Palmer is back in Boston, fit and confident of
retaining his US Open title ...
Qualifying finals
(Fri 12th):
Grant v Razik
Chaloner v Tuominen
Ryding v Price
Parke v Matthew
starting at 17.00 local
(22.00 UK)
Palmer
targets
US Open History
David Palmer is back in Boston, fit and confident of
retaining his US Open title ...