HOT STUFF IN NEW YORK
Alan Thatcher reports
NICOL SUBDUES WILLSTROP
Beth Rasin reports from New York
"Brilliant" was world #1 Peter Nicol's response when asked how it felt to be
back in New York City for the Harrisdirect Tournament of Champions at Grand
Central Terminal. In the opening match of the day, England's Nicol looked to
be on track for a third consecutive finals showdown with defending champion
Jonathon Power as he handled World Junior Champion James Willstrop with ease
in their second round match.
The other men had to stay on court a bit longer to advance their cause in
the $72,500 event. Third-seeded David Palmer, challenged by the deft ball
movement of Australia's Joseph Kniepp, dropped the first game 7-15. Palmer
remained composed in the face of Kneipp's tenacity and earned a berth in the
quarterfinals. Qualifier Rodney Durbach of South Africa had an opportunity
to take a 2-1 lead against seventh seed Anthony Ricketts at 16-15 in the
third, but the Australian prevailed and went onto win the match.
In opening round play in the Arader & O'Rourke Women's Open, all the seeds
prevailed but for #6 Vanessa Atkinson of the Netherlands who was felled by
Englishwoman Jenny Tranfield and a case of food poisoning. In the absence of
defending champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald, who announced her retirement from the
WISPA tour just prior to the start of event, it is anybody's guess as to
which player will step up to fill the vacancy created by the departure of
the five-time world champion.
Each of the eight winners advanced to the second round in about the same
amount of time it takes to get to the Bronx from Grand Central - between 28
and 40 minutes. Tour veteran and #2 seed Carol Owens, who occupied #1 spot
briefly this fall, looked like a contender as she eliminated Egypt's Omneya
El Kawy with pace and intensity that kept the 17- year- old largely in the
back of the court. #2 seed Natalie Pohrer, originally of South Africa but
now playing for the US, displayed the athleticism that is her trademark as
England's Stephanie Brind could not find a way to keep Pohrer out of the
front of the court. Former World #1 Cassie Jackman, on the comeback trail
after undergoing a second back surgery in 2002, looked fit as a fiddle as
she easily eliminated Australia's Natalie Grinham.
Nicols beats Willstrop again ...
Men's Second Round (day one):
[1] Peter Nicol (Eng( bt James Willstrop (Eng) 15/7, 15/10, 15/8 (40m)
[7] Anthony Ricketts (Aus) bt Rodney Durbach (Rsa) 15/6, 9/15, 17/16, 15/7 (76m)
[3] David Palmer (Aus) bt Joe Kneipp (Aus) 7/15, 15/13, 15/12, 15/4 (78m)
[8] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt Ong Beng Hee (Mas) 15/9, 15/12, 15/11 (63m)Women's First Round:
[1] Carol Owens (Nzl) bt [Q] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 9/0, 9/4, 9/2 (28m)
Jenny Tranfield (Eng) bt [5] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) 9/2, 5/9, 9/3, 9/0 (30m)
[4] Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt [Q] Vicky Botwright (Eng) 9/6, 9/7, 9/3 (37m)
[6] Tania Bailey (Eng) bt [Q] Jenny Duncalf (Eng) 9/2, 9/5, 9/1 (28m)
[7] Cassie Jackman (Eng) bt Natalie Grinham (Aus) 9/1, 9/5, 9/1 (28m)
[3] Linda Charman (Eng) bt [Q] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) 10/8, 9/2, 9/3 (39m)
[8] Rebecca Macree (Eng) bt Fiona Geaves (Eng) 9/4, 9/6, 9/4 (30m)
[2] Natalie Pohrer (Usa) bt Stephanie Brind (Eng) 9/5, 9/3, 9/2 (36m)
HOT STUFF HERE IN NEW YORK
Alan Thatcher reports ...
The Big Apple is frozen to the core but the squash at Grand Central has been hot stuff so far. Crowds have been excellent, even for the early rounds, and the whole place has an amazing buzz as squash fans from all over the world enjoy the first PSA Major of the year.
Chris Walker and Simon Parke produced a stunning display of court coverage yesterday with Parke fighting back from two down for a sensational victory. Peter Nicol eased past Omar Elborolossy but Jonathon Power had to battle to get the result against fellow Canadian Graham Ryding.
James Willstrop was the opening day's hero with a tremendous win against Karim Darwish which led him into today's second round clash with world number one Peter Nicol.
Fittingly, it was the first match to be televised by the Tennis Channel, but Willstrop was clearly hampered by a back strain. He took a treatment break after the first game but still managed to display enough shot-making skill and deception to serve notice that his squash education is on a rapid learning curve.
David Palmer ground out a superb win against determined fellow Australian Joe Kneipp, but Rodney Durbach could not repeat his first round giant killing act and surrendered to Anthony Ricketts.
In between watching some sensational squash in this amazing setting, your Grapevine correspondent almost contracted hypothermia while interviewing first Jonathon Power, then John White and Thierry Lincou, in sub-zero temperatures in the middle of Times Square.
Producer Jean De Lierre has planned an amazing series of programmes for broadcast by the Tennis Channel. It will all help to progress the development of boom over here in the States.
