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2005 Event |
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Super Series Finals 2004
10-14 May, Broadgate Arena, London
Friday 14th, FINAL:
Thierry Lincou (Fra)
bt Joe Kneipp (Aus)
10/11 (0-2), 11/9, 11/2, 11/1 (58m)
Lincou Lifts his first
"Big One"
Tom
Maidment reports on the final
France's Thierry Lincou, the No.1 Seed, tonight won his first Brit
Insurance Super Series Finals title at London's Broadgate Arena after his
opponent, Australia's Joe Kneipp, broke all three of his rackets before
the end of the second game, forcing him to play out the remainder of the
match with two rackets borrowed from spectators.
Kneipp, who was making his debut at the Finals, broke his first string in
the opening game - which he won 2-0 in a tiebreak - and two more in the
second game, exhausting his own supply.
"I came with three rackets for the match and thought that would be
enough," said Kneipp who, at world No.12, was lowest ranked player in the
tournament. "Once I started having to use different rackets my confidence
just went. I was beginning to tire physically in the third game anyway and
a combination of that, the rackets and Thierry playing so well spelt the
end for me."
Kneipp broke his final string on game point of the second, which Lincou
took 11-9, and from then on the Frenchman took complete control, winning
the next two games 11-2, 11-1 with a near faultless display.
Lincou was thrilled to win his first major tournament after finishing
runner-up here in 2002 and taking third place last year. He said: "I feel
sorry for Joe. Even though it was a tough match he didn't deserve to
finish like that. He was getting angry with all his rackets breaking, but
that wasn't my fault!
"I'm really, really happy. It means a lot to me having lost so many
finals. This is my first win in a big tournament and to do it in front of
my parents and my coach is the best feeling. Having come so close in 2002
and finishing third last year, this tournament really means something to
me and I'm delighted to win it today."
After exhausting his supply of Klip rackets and then borrowing a Prince
and a Dunlop, a disappointed Kneipp joked: "I guess I'll be seeking
payment from three different racket sponsors!"
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FULL
SUPER SERIES FINALS COVERAGE
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Final:
Thierry Lincou (Fra)
bt Joe Kneipp (Aus)
10/11 (0-2), 11/9, 11/2, 11/1 (58m)
TOUT EN CONTRÔLE
Again, no translation needed, I hope …
I didn’t want to be here today, but when Thierry reached the finals, I had
the feeling that today could be the day, and that I had to come.
Thierry has been around for a few years now. In January, he became the
World Number 1, the first Frenchman to get to that pole position. But some
people didn’t take him THAT seriously because although he had won 9 PSA
titles he had never won a Super Series Event.
And that was a huge chip on his shoulder.
As I saw the 80 minute semi-final between the tall John White and the
charismatic Joe Kneipp, I thought that Joe was going to run out of steam
at some point, but I would have never thought that he would run out of
racquets!
The man had 3 racquets in his bag (a bit like me with my pens really,
isn’t it…), he broke the strings of them all, and then was forced to
borrow a Prince and ended up with a Dunlop instead of his usual KLIP.
“After losing the second game, I wasn’t worried about my fitness, but
about how I was going to be able to play the final of the Super Series
with someone else's racquet!” a serene Joe told me after his defeat. “And
by the way, I’m sticking to Klip, no contest.”
I have to say that in the first game, I thought "that's it, he has finally lost it, the poor
man," when I saw him slooooooooooowing down every shot, lobbing every ball
that he was playing. “What is he doing?” I asked Mr McKenzie sitting near
me. And it’s only when I saw him going off court to change his racquet
that the penny dropped.
Oh, come on, French, blond, AND a woman? What do you expect????
During a very close first game, Thierry was perfectly in control, every
shot was played with precision, with length, but also with caution,
caution that may well have cost him the game as Joe dug in deep to win
the 24 minute game 2/0 in the tie-break.
In the second, Thierry went up 4/1, then 8/2, and Joe knew that he needed
to win quickly, as his fitness was probably not going to last a long
match.
3/8, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8. Joe was accumulating the points, and I was
blowing into my hands to dry the dampness, not that I was nervous or
anything.
“I knew that I couldn’t afford to lose the second,” said Thierry. “I had
to take a mental ascendancy, I saw in him that he was getting tired. I
also knew that I couldn’t relax, and I was still wary of him”.
Joe was playing a “le tout pour le tout”, “win or lose” kind of game,
placing three beautiful returns of serve that Lincou could only watch from
afar, wrong footing his opponent with a perfect length drive and also a
short cross court. But Thierry’s length was too good, too precise, and as
he started to relax, his game became more and more varied. The Frenchman
finally won the second in 14 minutes.
And the rest was a formality, 11/2, 11/1.
In 58 minutes, Thierry Lincou won his first Super Series Event (making it
his 10th PSA victory).
“In three appearances here, I've finished 2nd, 3rd and now 1st. This
tournament agrees with me I think,” Thierry told me after the final.
“And it makes up for the 4 or 5 finals that I lost over the last year.”
Daniel and Céline were ecstatic; I wasn’t that unhappy about the whole
thing myself, and I must admit that I couldn’t stop the tears rolling down
my face.
“I’m not going to tell you how emotional we are right now, his mum and I!”
said Daniel, Thierry's father. “And it’s a good consolation prize after
his defeat in the semis of the PSA Masters in Qatar against Peter Nicol.
And now that he has been world number one, I just hope that he will win
some more big events once in a while, without having the pressure of the
rankings”.
What you don’t know (and I wasn’t going to tell you, was I…), is that,
right after Rennes, Thierry got very ill, and spent the 10 days between
the European Team Championships and the Super Series Finals in bed. When
he arrived, he had lost quite a few pounds, was very weak, and I didn’t
give much for his chances in this tournament. And as is often the case,
it’s when you don’t expect it that the best comes…
“I came here extremely relaxed, with no expectations at all, I didn’t have
any pressure whatsoever. The presence of one of my 2 coaches, Franck
Carlino, who has been my coach since I’m 14, calmed me and reassured me. I
knew that Joe was going to get tired, but I didn’t expect him to let me
win the last two games so easily. This is a beautiful day for me,
especially to win in front of my parents and my coach.
Yes, it was a beautiful day for Thierry Lincou, for his family, his
support group….
And for me.
Merci mon Thierry. |
Framboise reports on
Thierry Lincou's first
major title ...
“I’m very happy about my week” smiled a disappointed
Joe Kneipp. “I’ve played very well, I realised that my fitness was
really strong, as I could see the others guys getting tired before I
did. Yes, I did lose in the final, a combination of tiredness of the
week, lack of racquet, and Thierry Lincou playing very well
indeed. But overall, I’m over the moon.” |
Framboise & Céline
Céline, Thierry &
Daniel Lincou
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Framboise rounds up a week
watching "Squash in the City"
What a beautiful event that was ... as usual.
So many people made this event possible, the “unsung heroes”, as Mr
Philip Wolsky calls them. “I was quite surprised by the fact that
being involved in squash offered so little financial reward”, said simply
Mr Brit Insurance Marketing Director, when he realised the number
of people that were benevolent on the event.
And in all events in general…
But having read my article “I’m pen doomed”, he provided me with a stock
of pens that will last me at least until the British Open 2004, and, like
Kingfisher, offered all the people involved numerous beautiful tokens of
their appreciation.
Thanks Sirs….
The sponsorship of Kingfisher has been very popular as well,
although the squash players and officials are famous for being healthy
people that never have a drink (please stop laughing that loudly,
otherwise we’ll have to charge you to read this article)….
I also love the “Player of the Day” idea, although I’m a bit surprised
that the finalist and winner, Thierry Lincou, never won it. Surprise,
surprise….
Could we have some “Twinings” sponsorship next year, please, as I don’t
drink alcohol, but gallons of tea….
Let’s not forget the WSM people, Tom Maidment, Press
Officer, whose charm, professionalism and calm have been, once again, very
appreciated; Nick Addecott, who has been taking care of us as well,
but who, I’m afraid to say, doesn’t always hold his promises (he promised
us the striptease, but nothing so far…); Ken Narain, the gentleman
who comes every year to stay around the court (clean it at the interval,
pick up the ball when the players send it out, etc); a professional
masseur who helps a lot of pros around here.
Baj, event promoter, always there when needed; Linda Davie,
tournament referee, whose diligence, expertise and kindness bright our
days; Steve Cubbins, the Master in “Webmastering”, here to enjoy a
bit of squash, and make sure that all is well on Squash Player site….
And to Joe Kneipp to have had the grace to lose against my French friend.
You know, when people ask me why do I cover these sorts of events, my
answer is the same as the Tournament Referee Linda Davie:
“Because I’m lucky to be part of it…”
See you next year…. |
Framboise reflects ...
The Presentations -
Players, Sponsors, Organisers
 
Tom & Nick sort out
the Press Office
Another great week from Baj
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