Nicol Gets Tough US Open Draw
Twelve of the top thirteen players in the world will compete in the first round of the 2003 US Open Squash Championships, according to the draw which was released today by the PSA.
England's Peter Nicol is seeded to win his fourth title since 1994 in the event which will take place at the Boston Symphony Hall - twelve months after the 2002 US Open became the first-ever sporting event to be staged at the world-famous 101-year-old concert hall.
Sponsored by FleetBoston Financial and Marsh from 13-16 September, the 2003 US Open offers a prize fund of $52,500 and will once again be staged on an all-glass squash court which will be built inside the concert hall with seating configured to accommodate more than 1,500 spectators.
World No1 Nicol, beaten in the 2002 semi-finals by Australia's world No2 David Palmer, who went on to lift the trophy for the first time, faces a tough draw in Boston.
After meeting fellow Englishman and world No10 Lee
Beachill in a repeat of last year's first round, the favourite is seeded
to face seventh seed Karim Darwish, the Egyptian who beat him in a
major upset in June's Spanish Open.
Victory over Darwish could take Nicol into a battle with his long-time rival
Jonathon Power, the world No4 from Canada who was US Open champion in
1997 and 2000.
Defending champion Palmer is drawn against a qualifier in the opening round
and is scheduled to face Malaysia's eighth seed Ong Beng Hee in the
quarter-finals. His predicted semi-final opponent would be Scotland's
John White, the third seed who was the most recent PSA Tour Super Series
winner at the PSA Masters in Qatar in May.
Four of the first round matches will be played on Saturday (13 September) at
the new $5.5million SquashBusters Clubhouse in Boston on the campus of the
Northeastern University - which boasts eight ASB courts, classrooms,
computers and other facilities for the inner city youth enrichment program
directed by Greg Zaff.
"The Official Opening ceremony of the Clubhouse will take place the day
before - when Peter Nicol has generously agreed to serve as an ambassador
for world squash at the ceremony and is expected to play with university
dignitaries and local media," said US Open promoter John Nimick.
Nicol & Palmer top seeds
1st round draw:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) v Lee Beachill (ENG)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Qualifier
[4] Jonathon Power (CAN) v Joseph Kneipp (AUS)
[5] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Amr Shabana (EGY)
[6] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) v Martin Heath (SCO)
[3] John White (SCO) v Qualifier
[8] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Qualifier
[2] David Palmer (AUS) v Qualifier
1st round draw:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) v Lee Beachill (ENG)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Qualifier
[4] Jonathon Power (CAN) v Joseph Kneipp (AUS)
[5] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Amr Shabana (EGY)
[6] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) v Martin Heath (SCO)
[3] John White (SCO) v Qualifier
[8] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Qualifier
[2] David Palmer (AUS) v Qualifier