Sun 14-Sep:
Quarter-Finals:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [Q] Graham Ryding (CAN)
13/15, 14/15, 15/8, 15/6, 15/8
[5] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [4] Jonathon Power (CAN)
11/15, 6/15, 15/14, 15/9, 15/10
Power injured by ball in the eye
during the 4th,
match suspended and resumed at end of session
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt
[Q] Nick Matthew (ENG)
15/8, 15/11, 15/8
[6] Anthony Ricketts (AUS)
bt [3] John White (SCO)
17/16, 15/11, 15/5
Nicol pulls out the stops as
Power and White crash out
Colleen Turner reports from Boston
While world number one and two Peter Nicol and David Palmer continued their
progress towards the US Open final, third and fourth seeds John White and
Jonathon Power crashed out in the quarter-finals in the Symphony Hall.
The first two games of the first match, between Peter Nicol and
Canadian qualifier Graham Ryding, lasted close to one hour, and saw Nicol
missing what appeared to be easy points and hitting way too much tin. But
the number one squash player showed his mettle when he took Ryding in the
next three straight in under 25 minutes. "Graham was up two games going into
the third and when he relaxed just a bit, I knew that was my opening," Nicol
said post game.
He also lamented his own performance in the first two
games, citing his lack of length and speed. But Nicol took control from the
start of game three, building a 10-7 lead, then firing off a quick five
points with only one answer from Ryding, An unanswered eight points in game
four gave Nicol the win and appeared to be the key to breaking Ryding's
rhythm. Yet the solid playing Canadian came back from an 8-1 deficit in the
fifth and final game, but it was too little too late as Nicol went on to win
15-8 and move into tomorrow's semifinal action.
Thierry Lincou struggled in the first two games, never really hitting
his groove as the scores indicate. But it was a pivotal game three that set
an interesting tone for the match. Lincou stayed and even surpassed Power
for the first eight points, drawing considerable angst from the
ever-vociferous
Power. Couple this with several pivotal points that Lincou literally handed
to Jonathon and it looked like the game and match was the Canadian's as he
reached match-ball at 14-9.
Then a number of unfavorable lets brought the game to 14-all and Lincou
snuck in his first win of the match. In game four the drama really started
when Lincou, up 9-4, enjoyed a long delay due to an eye injury to Power.
Citing rules that allow participants one hour to deal with an injury and
still resume play, the day's action continued, with the match restarting
after the fonal two quarter-finals had completed.
The fourth game play resumed at 7:00 p.m. EST with Lincou
up 9-4. The approximate three-hour delay didn't appear to slow down
Theirry's play. The quiet Frenchman finished the fourth game in less than 12
minutes, bringing the match to two-all, and put the lights out on Jonathon
Power at this year's U.S. Open by taking the fifth and final game 15-10.
With the strapping David Palmer taking control of the front court,
qualifier Nick Matthew got a serious workout digging for any and all balls
deep into the corners. He came alive in game two for a total of 11 points,
but trying to take down the defending U.S. Open champ was no easy task.
Several very aggressive volleys, including a three-point run during Palmer's
match ball in the third, showed Matthew as the promising player he is, but
the rangy Aussie took him three-love and moves yet one step closer to
back-to-back titles.
Commenting post-game on his play, Palmer noted, "Nick's in
good form, but without trying to get ahead of myself, taking both matches to
date in just three is always a good thing."
In perhaps the most well matched event in the series, 6th ranked Anthony
Ricketts and 4th ranked White played point-for-point in games one and
two. The 61-minute match stretched both players' patience as they let their
frustrations get the better of them and contested a vast majority of the 38
calls. Game three saw both men settling down somewhat but, again, the
back-n-forth nature of the competition as a whole was a tough take for John
White. When Ricketts went up 9-3 about 10 minutes into the third game, it
was evident John's White-hot streak had come to an end.
Post-game, Anthony Ricketts agreed his patient play was a
deciding factor in the victory. He said, "I've lost a few matches because of
my lack of patience ... I'm glad to see my efforts paying off here at the
U.S. Open."
Draw & Results
