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Day 3 Wednesday
 
5pm  Jonathon Power bt Amr Shabana
11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (27m)
6pm David Palmer  bt Lee Beachill
5-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4 (64m)
7pm Thierry Lincou bt Anthony Ricketts
11-8, 8-11, 12-14, 15-13, 11-5 (71m)
8pm   James Willstrop bt Nick Matthew
10-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-10
(2-0) (47 mins)

Round-up
Lincou the only player to have won three matches tops the Fleet Group with Power on two wins runner-up.

In the more complicated situation in the Harrow Group Palmer came through to top the group his win putting Beachill in the runners-up slot.

Willstrop beats Matthew
In the final match of the evening, with the semi-final line-up already decided, England's James Willstrop ended an impressive debut appearance at the event with a 3-1 victory over compatriot Nick Matthew.

Willstrop completed his 10-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-10 (2-0) victory in 47 minutes to take third place in the Harrow Group.

Lincou top Fleet
It all seemed a bit bizarre but Nicol's replacement Ricketts did have a chance to go through if he won. In the end though it was a gripping encounter with Lincou facing off three matchballs in the fourth to finally take it 15-13 and then come through in the fifth with fine shots and touch. He wanted to win and was not saving himself.

"I knew I had to win to be sure I went through and I wanted to top the pool," he said. "I relaxed and tried to use his pace and power to play shots off and save energy. I tried to be precise."

"It was a good game and mentally important to win."

Palmer tops Group
with win over Beachill
It may have been prophetic that on Monday night after he had lost to James Willstrop and when his prospects did not look too good that David Palmer said, " the year I won it (2002) I lost on the first night."

With that loss and the 3/0 referee assisted win over Nick Matthew Palmer needed to beat Beachill to give himself a chance to make the semi-finals. He started slowly went 2/1 down but then strangely Beachill conceded the centre ground to him and the Australian's came onto his game with incisive volleys and kills as Beachill's committment wavered.

"I knew I probably needed a game to go through and I got that," said Beachill. "It's a fine balance. David had to win and he was prepared to go that bit further. I wasn't sharp enough. I relaxed mentally."

Palmer's 5-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4 win put him level with Beachill on matches won, and also level on the positive difference between  games won and lost, so he tops the group with the win under the head to head rule.

Willstrop who lost 3/0 to Beachill falls behind on game difference and even a 3/0 win will not put him through.

The Rules
The top two players in each group go through to the semi-finals. This is firstly decided on ties one, then on the positive difference between games won and lost and then on the players head to head.

Power Overwhelms Shabana
Perhaps it was all going to be  a bit predictable but Shabana was not going to go through and Jonathon Power the winner in 2003 still had a chance and he was motivated to go for the win with the Egyptian just managing four points a game.

Perhaps the most significant event of the match was on matchball when Power rolled an ankle. He was able to finish the match and it is to be seen whether it will affect his play.

“It was really bizarre,” said Power. “It was the last point of the match, I had it well it hand at 2/0, 10-4, and I rolled my ankle. It’s a little swollen but hopefully I’ll be better for the semis tomorrow so I’m happy to have qualified,” said Power.


Preview
Nicol Out
Peter Nicol is out of the Super Series Finals, under doctors orders not to play. The little finger he injured, bizarely, on Tuesday while diving against Jonathon Power, is swollen and he cannot hold a racket.

"I'm gutted," said Nicol. "I was playing and moving well and looking forward to playing. This was to be my last event before a good summer's training."

Under Super Series Finals rules the Australian Anthony Ricketts comes in as Nicol's replacement and will inherit his points. He faces Thierry Lincou. A win could give him a semi-final place.

Elsewhere all is still to play for. In the Harrow Group Palmer needs to beat Beachill to give himself a chance but that could set up a three way tie - between Palmer, Beachill and Willstrop - putting the Group into a countback situation if Willstrop beats Matthew.

In the Fleet Group, Shabana is out, Lincou is in a strong position to go through, with Ricketts the joker in the pack vying for a semi-final place with Power who is also in a must win situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lincou comes through marathon against Ricketts.


Lincou on winning against Ricketts
"
It was important to win. I lost to him in New York and I wanted revenge."

Beachill goes 2/1 up and then fades as Palmer comes through to top the group.


 

Power through over Shabana.


 

 

Cut finger following dive puts Nicol out. Ricketts comes in.

 

 

Power needs to beat Shabana to have a chance of going through.

Shabana on playing in London.

“I trained the last two weeks in Cairo and it was really hot, about 37 degrees Celsius, and last year I came here it was really hot so I thought I was going to come here and play comfortably. But it’s been a bit cold for me. I tried my best yesterday and the day before but today he was just fantastic, I couldn’t do much about it, but I’ll be here next year,” said Shabana.