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Sun 21st, FINALS:
[1]
Jenny Duncalf (Eng) bt [2] Vicky Botwright (Eng)
1/9, 9/3, 9/2, 8/10, 9/5 (75m)
[3] Peter Nicol (Eng) bt [5] Nick Matthew (Eng)
11/8, 11/9, 11/3 (53m)
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An Eventis Title
at last for Nicol
 Peter Nicol finally laid his hands on one of his own
trophies tonight in the Crucible, as he beat local favourite Nick
Matthew in straight games in just short of an hour.
Nicol looked in control from the start, and although Matthew pushed him
close in the first two games, the tiredness from his previous exertions in
the tournament was bound to tell.
Nicol eased away in the third, to continue a remarkable return to form for
the player who dominated the top of the world rankings for the past
decade.
The women's title went to Yorkshire, as Jenny Duncalf overcame
Vicky Botwright in five games.
Quick reports from Steve Cubbins,
plus impressions from Framboise |
[3] Peter Nicol (Eng) bt [5] Nick
Matthew (Eng)
11/8, 11/9, 11/3 (53m)
A step too far for Nick ..
Nicol wins his own trophy
Nick Matthew had already exceeded expectations by reaching the
final after three tremendous performances against Stewart Boswell, Lee
Beachill and James Willstrop.
Peter Nicol, looking fresh, fast, and motivated, had eased into
the final without dropping a game.
 Logic
dictated that Nicol would be too fresh for Matthew, would wear the
Sheffield man down, emptying what depleted reserves he had left. And
for once, logic prevailed.
The first game was a long 20 minutes. Both players were willing to
play extended rallies waiting for the opening. Matthew was just a
little more eager to attack given the opportunity, Nicol more patient.
And after an even opening which took them to 8-all Nicol closed out
the game, Matthew too eager and tinning on game ball.
The second was similar, even to start with, Nicol several times
declining winning opportunities to make his opponent retrieve one more
ball ... and one more ... and one more.
Matthew pulled back from 5-8 to level, but two errors gave Nicol game
ball which he took on the second attempt. 17 minutes.
 The third took just 11 minutes. Now Nicol was prepared to take the
winning opportunities that a tired Matthew was offering, and the end
was inevitable.
So after two under-achievements in Sheffield Nicol finally wins the
trophy that he himself donated. And with his new-found motivation, and
talk of going on for more years, who would bet against him retaining
it next year ... no doubt Malcolm will come up with a price shortly
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"What Nick has achieved in the
tournament is absolutely incredible…"
Malcolm Willstrop |
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Video interview with Malcolm
 "I'm just
so pleased to have won this at last .. it was beginning to get to
me that I'd underperformed in all the tournaments I've helped
organise.
"I've got to thank all the other guys Nick played, he's had a
fantastic run to get to the final but it had to take its toll, and
I could tell from quite early on that he wasn't quite as fast or
sharp as he'd been in previous rounds. He had a brutal draw, the
hardest by far, and I was lucky to play a couple of tired guys in
the semi and final.
"But I was pleased that I did the job. It was a good solid
performance, I moved well and played well, it proves to me that I
can still do it and that's really important."
Peter Nicol
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 "I
felt as good today as I did all week, I woke up this morning fine,
I had a bit of practice, the body felt good…
And I think I played
all right in the first two games... But it was another story to
come back from 2/0 down… If I had taken one of the first two
games, it would have been a different story, but Peter was always
1 or 2 points ahead, and I just couldn’t get a lead…
"The correct word to describe Peter this week is “ruthless”, he
has been amazing all week, he is playing the best squash he has
been playing for a long time, and I look forward to play against
him…
"You can only learn when you play against the top people, and
especially against Peter, who is one of the greatest players of
all times….
"No, I can’t say I’m disappointed really, well maybe to have been
beaten 3/0, but today, I played as well as I did all week, I gave
it my best, I never gave up, even in the last rally when I was
10/2 down, I kept on running… So I can’t be disappointed with
that…
Nick Matthew |
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[1] Jenny
Duncalf (Eng) bt [2] Vicky Botwright (Eng)
1/9, 9/3, 9/2, 8/10, 9/5
(75m)
Women's title for Duncalf
Jenny
Duncalf made it a good start for Yorkshire as she claimed the
inaugural Eventis Women's English Open title with a hard-fought win
over England team-mate Vicky Botwright.
 Botwright
started the stronger, with Duncalf looking edgy and error-prone as the
first game went to the Lancastrian.
A couple of points down in the second, Duncalf started to play
tighter, and it was Botwright now forced into the corners.
Now Duncalf was in control, and the second and third games were taken
relatively quickly.
Duncalf maintained the advantage into the fourth, getting the better
of Botwright in many long exchanges, leading 4-0 and 7-4.
But Botwright battled back, levelling, reaching game ball, and finally
taking it 10-8, which saw Duncalf's racket flying out of court ...
The Yorkshire girl was back focused for the fifth though, in control
again, and quickly moved to 6-1. A spirited fightback from Botwright
wasn't quite enough as the Yorkshire crowd applauded home victory. |
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 "I
think that I was playing the wrong style of game, I was playing
too short too early, and you can’t do that with Jenny, you can’t
give her short balls at the front, she is too good with that.
"Also, I find the court a bit slippery, and I was not confident
about my footing…
"In the fourth, I went a bit longer, and that obviously confused
Jenny a bit, because she didn’t know where the ball was going to
go…
"It’s really good to have a competitive match just before a WISPA
event, with Seattle coming up, that allows us to have a bit of a
fitness check up before the start of the season…"
Vicky Botwright |
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 "To
start with, Vicky was playing at quite a good pace, and I don’t
think I was mentally in the match…
"In the second game, I found a better length, and held the ball
better. Vicky is a good runner, but sometimes, you can really put
her under pressure if you hold the ball…
"In the fourth, I went up quite quickly to 7/3, and I sort of
stepped off. Vicky is a great competitor and often plays better
when she is behind, she stepped in front, and I let her do that…
"I’m really happy to win the first event of the year, and I’m
looking forward to the new season…"
Jenny Duncalf |
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MY IMPRESSIONS
 On
the circuit, you’ve got a few players you never know which performance
you’re going to see… Shabana is one of them, Jenny Duncalf is
another. Sometimes awesome, sometimes, brain disconnected, goodnight…
But in the case of Jenny, fitness was probably a key factor: as she
would get a bit tired, she would start making basic errors, and lose
her concentration.
According to her coach David Pearson, she followed a very heavy
training regime, and “hard work paid off”. I must say David was
extremely proud of his step daughter, you could hear it in his voice,
the pride and respect that was coming through the conversation… And
that must be a source of great delight for young Jenny…
Vicky was fighting as ever. That girl has got oxygen enriched blood,
it seems! She runs, she fights, she never gives up, and when you think
she’s going to step down and accept defeat, she still fights, she
stills runs…
Today she was playing hoping that Jenny would end up tiring and start
making errors. Her compatriot didn’t. And she realised it too late…
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 "Jenny
has been working very hard for the past four months, physically,
and that’s something that she can be not too keen on… So she’s
worked very hard on the conditioning and the strengthening. Now
she moves a lot better, she is much stronger…
"I do feel that she made a stride this summer, and that she is now
at the level of the top 5, and that she is now ready to take on
the top girls like Natalie Grainger, or Linda Elriani or Natalie
Grinham…
"This is going to be an exciting year for Jenny. The hard work has
paid off…"
David Pearson |
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