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20-Jan: ROUND ONE,
Day Two
Friday saw the completion of the first round with all
the top seeds safely navigating their opening encounters
ready for an enticing last sixteen lineup on Saturday
...
[11] Karim Darwish (Egy)
bt [Q] Davide Bianchetti (Ita)
11/4, 11/1, 11/3 (24m)
[9] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt
Stewart Boswell (Aus)
11/6, 9/11, 11/1, 11/7 (60m)
[14] Azlan Iskandar (Mas)
bt
[Q] Gavin Jones (Wal)
9/11, 11/7, 11/6, 7/11, 11/4
(65m)
[13] Olli Tuominen (Fin) bt [Q] Dan Jenson (Aus)
11/8, 11/7, 8/11, 11/10(2-0)
(57m)
[8] John White (Sco) bt [Q] Ben
Garner (Eng)
11/9, 11/6, 11/7 (29m)
[3] Anthony Ricketts (Aus)
bt
Wael El Hindi (Egy)
6/11, 11/10(4-2), 11/8, 11/5
(62m)
[16] Alex Gough (Wal) bt [Q]
Simon Parke (Eng)
6/11, 11/9, 11/8, 11/3 (70m)
[12] Graham Ryding (Can)
bt
Joe Kneipp (Aus)
11/8, 11/4, 11/7 (32m)
Kim Tunney
reports
from Chicago |
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DRAW &
RESULTS
EN FRANÇAIS
PREVIEW
from Malcolm Willstrop
the court in Cathedral Hall
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[11]
Karim Darwish (Egy) bt
[Q] Davide Bianchetti (Ita) 11/4, 11/1, 11/3 (24m) |
Darwish in control
The first match of the evening match was short, but not
very sweet. Egypt's Karim Darwish was totally in control
from start to finish, with Davide Bianchetti never
settling and was never happy.
Bianchetti's control started to ebb away as Darwish moved
inexorably to a win, and on the final point the Italian
hit the glass and cracked his racket which he proceeded to
snap in half ... |
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[9]
Nick Matthew (Eng) bt
Stewart Boswell (Aus)
11/6, 9/11, 11/1, 11/7 (60m) |
Matthew back in business
In what was billed as the ‘battle of the backs’ with both
players getting over back injuries. Nick Mathew's back held
out better and he came away with the win in four.
 After
the match, Bos admitted that he had played a bit scrappy.
With self-effacing Aussie humour he said, “Only a few times
did I actually hit the ball”
“In the third Nick got in front of me and controlled the “T”
better and I was not hitting great length.”
Note to Bos: Never ever, ever volley a cross court loose to
an opponent waiting at for it at the “T”. This cost him in
the final shot of the fourth game and the chance to take it
to five.
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"After losing the second
game I tried to keep it simple and slow it down. I tried
to break up his rhythm a bit and held my shot more.
Stewart is one of the best players out there.
"I'm glad to be back playing after the long holiday
break, I think the fatigue in my legs has washed out
now."
Nick Matthew |
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[14]
Azlan Iskandar (Mas) bt
[Q] Gavin Jones (Wal)
9/11, 11/7, 11/6, 7/11, 11/4 (65m)
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Tough one for Azlan
 Those
who predicted that this would be a close match with Azlan
Iskandar eventually winning where correct, as Welshman
Gavin Jones won the first and fourth games to give
the Malaysian a tough battle.
Both players showed determination with many let calls being
requested throughout the match.
Iskandar has recently surged up the rankings to a current
position of 13, and was coached throughout the match by
compatriot Ong Beng Hee, now out of the tournament.
Beng Hee described the match described as a “brutal haul.”
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 "It
feels good to get back into the swing of things on
court, and I'm looking forward to facing Thierry Lincou
tomorrow."
Azlan Iskandar |
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[13]
Olli Tuominen (Fin) bt [Q] Dan Jenson (Aus)
11/8, 11/7, 8/11, 11/10(2-0)
(57m) |
Olli on his
'A' game
When Dan Jenson plays it’s 50/50% on-the-day which
game he’ll bring to play. With Olli Tuominen the
percentage range drops to 95/5%. 95% of the time, you know
he’ll bring his “A” game.
A fit and trim Jenson entered the court looking like he
had his “A” game with him. But he trailed in the first
game, playing catch up squash all the way before losing it
8-11.
Olli kept the game pace fast again in the second game and
down 5-8, Jensen hit a misguided boast into the tin. He
grimaced in frustration snarling his face and clenching
his fists. Olli worked Jenson back and forth on the
forehand side of the court to good effect winning the
second game 11-7.
Jenson successfully slowed the pace down in the third by
hitting higher on the front wall. Off to a quick lead, the
Aussie ran the score up 5-1. Ollie impatiently looked to
quickly finish rallies with boasts that kept hitting the
tin. Ollie tried to fake a backhand long cross-court drive
off a backhand drop ... failed twice and eventually
stopped doing it.
Jenson, now up 6-3, became distracted by two fifth graders
from the new Metro Squash program (located in the Hyde
Park neighbourhood of Chicago, near the University of
Chicago) wearing white shirts who squirreled around behind
the front wall. Jenson called let on service and asked the
ref to have them sit down.
“Sit Down” came the call from referee Graham Waters. They
finally did. Possibly feeling guilty about his request,
Jensen lost the next three points.
The score was now tied at 6-6. Then it was Jensen’s turn
to start attacking with Olli’s good length evaporating. He
took the third 11/8.
In the fourth and final game, Ollie’s confidence returned
and he brought the pace back up to the quick tempo of the
first and second.
"I decided to up the pace in the fourth," said the Finn
who has been as high as 14 on the pro circuit. Seeded 14,
he takes on 10th seed Nick Matthew tomorrow. |
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[8]
John White (Sco) bt
[Q] Ben Garner (Eng)
11/9, 11/6, 11/7 (29m) |
Great White on course
Defending champion John White wasted no time in his
opening match, demonstrating his array of attacking
weaponry as he despatched English qualifier Ben Garner
in a little under half an hour. |
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 "I
wasn't getting good length after he attacked.
"When I found him mid-court and attacking, I couldn't
get good length since his attacking ball never comes
back.
"I needed to get it tighter and deeper to advance."
Ben Garner |
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[3]
Anthony Ricketts (Aus)
bt
Wael El Hindi (Egy)
6/11, 11/10(4-2), 11/8, 11/5 (62m)
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Ricketts Battles Through
Patrons may have been
confused watching tonight's match. Was this Aussie rules
football or a squash match?
World number 19 Wael El Hindi and third seed
Anthony Ricketts tossed around their combined
estimated weight of 375 pounds on the court with rough,
aggressive, nick-filled squash.
The refs had their hands full cutting off let discussions,
assuring "all pick-ups were good'" and pleas to "play on".
In the end Ricketts won the right to advance from a
gracious and talented El Hindi.
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 "It
was a tough match. I played well in the first. And in
the second when I was up 10/9 I started thinking 'What
if I win. I'd be World #3,' which you shouldn't do in
the middle of a match.
"It isn't the best way to think. Ricketts is a tough,
strong player and hard to beat. So good for him. I need
to keep trying and training."
Wael El Hindi |
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"I didn't feel on song. Everything was a real effort and
this was a crucial match to get.
"Maybe it was the long flight, but I was a bit flat. He
played smart squash. He hit tight in the second and his
volley was dropping in nicely.
"Hopefully, I'll pick up the pace for tomorrow.""
Anthony Ricketts |
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[16]
Alex Gough (Wal) bt [Q]
Simon Parke (Eng)
6/11, 11/9, 11/8, 11/3 (70m)
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Gough knows
the Game
17th seed Alex Gough just edged out long time best
friend and qualifier Simon Parke, winning in four.
Billed as the “Battle of the Old Men” by the tournament
announcer, with a combined age of 64 he might have been
correct.
It certainly was the longest match of the day running 70
minutes.
Parke won the first game 11/6. But fate switched its nod
with Gough taking the remaining three. These well-matched
pros created long, hard rallies with each knowing well
each other’s games. Both play with a similar style and
produced loads of tight deep drives.
At one point in the cantakerous third game, Parke
encouraged the crowd to applaud for a let. Then the
34-year old Parke asked for a change of ball stating it
was dead to no avail as Gough took both the third and
fourth 11-8 then 11-3.
Gough now faces the task of attempting a win over Palmer
on Saturday.
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"It was really painful to
play him. We know each other’s games so well that we are
always second guessing each other ... we even went
shopping together earlier today!
"It was a tough win. Very painful."
Alex Gough |
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[12]
Graham Ryding (Can) bt
Joe Kneipp (Aus) 11/8, 11/4, 11/7 (32m) |
Ryding feels at home
There may be two opponents on court when Joe Kneipp plays
squash; the visible one and some alter ego he keeps a
running conversation with. Occasionally, snippets of this
conversation spill out to dampen any flicker of progress
and this evening included these reflective queries, “How
about playing a rally?” and “How about playing a point or
two?”
 Finding
himself on the wrong side of several calls, his best quip
with the referee was “How was that a winner?” delivered in
the best Rodney Martinesque-manner. “That might be for you
but not for me.” Then gesturing into the court with his
racquet he continued, “I’m in with this lot.”
The 32-year old Kneipp showed sparks of brilliance with
crosscourt volley drops but never caught fire in the
three-game loss. Frequently anticipating the wrong
direction, Ryding caught Kneipp several times wrong footed
and exposed a weakness in retrieving to the forehand front
corner.
Ryding, who stuck to the basics, was not troubled by jet
leg or tired legs.
Travelling from the other side of the world, Kneipp and
fellow Aussies Jenson, Pilley and Palmer have all been
complaining about jet lag, though with the upcoming three
PSA events in Dayton, Virginia and New York, all hope to
mount a better attack in the next month.
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"There were plenty of
weaknesses in my game tonight. I need to be more willing
to stay on court. My fitness was not there. I tried to
win quickly; instead I lost quickly."
Joe Kneipp |
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 "It
didn’t feel like he tested me at all. I felt fresh
because I didn’t go to Australia (to play doubles). I’m
not feeling tired in my legs. Joe really didn’t stick in
there."
Graham Ryding |
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19-Jan: ROUND ONE,
Day One
In a split first round (mixed, rather than the usual
top/bottom half), seeds one and two, Thierry Lincou
and James Willstrop, made it safely through to
the last 16 while seeds 15 and 16, Ong Beng Hee
and Shahid Zaman, fell ...
[4] David Palmer (Aus) bt Jonathan Kemp (Eng)
11/7, 11/8, 11/2 (38m)
Mohammed Abbas (Egy) bt
[15] Ong Beng Hee (Mas)
11/5, 8/11, 11/9, 11/9 (64m)
[7] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt
Cameron Pilley (Aus)
8/11, 11/3, 11/8, 11/9 (39m)
Adrian Grant (Eng) bt [16] Shahid Zaman (Pak)
11/9, 11/6, 11/8 (26m)
[10] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt
[Q] Borja Golan (Esp)
11/4, 3/11, 3/11, 11/8, 11/0 (61m)
[6] Jonathon Power (Can) bt
[Q]
Liam Kenny (Irl)
11/4, 11/4, 11/6 (40m)
[2] James Willstrop (Eng) bt LJ Anjema (Ned)
11/8, 11/10(2-0), 11/4 (40m)
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt
[Q] Mark Chaloner (Eng)
11/5, 11/6, 11/9 (45m)
No luggage? No problem!
Kim Tunney
reports
from Chicago |
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DRAW &
RESULTS
EN FRANÇAIS
PREVIEW
from Malcolm Willstrop
the court in Cathedral Hall
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[4]
David Palmer (Aus)
bt Jonathan Kemp (Eng)
11/7, 11/8, 11/2 |
Easy Opener for Palmer
In the first match of the day, David Palmer made
light work of Jonathan Kemp with a strategy
designed to slow play down through good length. Kemp
appeared tired on court, being forced frequently to
retrieve from the back.
Palmer was glad to have the first match of the day. Nearly
over his jet lag, he travelled to Chicago from Sydney
where he spent the holidays with his wife and relatives.
“I feel good but sluggish,” admitted the fourth seed who
appeared on court wearing an ankle brace. “I twisted it in
Saudi when I lost to Darwish. And it bothered me a little
at the Australian Open in Melbourne,” continued the
Aussie. “So I’m being careful until I can see my physio in
Belgium.” |
Palmer plays the
winner of Simon Parke v Alex Gough and hopes for an
all-Aussie final against Ricketts; should Ricketts
get through Lincou.
 "It’s
really difficult to say. There are 10 guys hoping to
win with no one dominating now.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if Lincou comes through,
though, as he has nothing to lose. The pressure’s
not on him. And I’m sure he’s keen to get back in
and win."
David Palmer |
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Mohammed Abbas (Egy) bt
[15] Ong Beng Hee (Mas)
11/5, 8/11, 11/9, 11/9 (64m) |
50/50 to Mo
Earlier in the day David Palmer commented that this match
between Ong Beng Hee (seeded 15) and Mohammed
Abbas (seeded 21) could go 50/50.
Although seeded above “Bas’, Ong looked timid entering
Cathedral Hall. A match this strong doesn’t usually appear
in the first round. Especially in Chicago.
Abbas plays the most conservative game of the four
Egyptians here and won the first 11/5. Ong came back to
win the second 8/11.
The third game ended with an exchange of eight counter
backhand drops with Ong finally hitting the tin.
The small crowd, many here on an extended lunch break,
broke the silence of the medieval, stained glass windowed
Cathedral Hall with a round of applause, and Abbas went on
to take the third 11/9.
Abbas stepped up the pace in the fourth and in the first
upset of the seeding took the game 11/9, and the match. |
 "I
had a bad start in both the third and fourth games
and didn’t play well. I played catch up squash, but
Mohammed played really well."
Ong Beng Hee |
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[7]
Amr Shabana (Egy)
bt
Cameron Pilley (Aus) 8/11, 11/3, 11/8, 11/9 (39m)
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Better than last time for Pilley
Amr Shabana’s
wife, Najla, sat in the front row as Cameron Pilley
ran the score of the first game up to 5-1. The tall,
red-headed Aussie employed his formidable forehand to
continue the run and the world champion's wife witnessed
Pilley taking only his second-ever game off Shabana.
Shabana, who is coming off a win last weekend in Toronto
and is favoured to do well here, recovered strongly to
take the next three games.
Pilley, whose original game plan was to keep the rallies
long, going short only when he was balanced, for some
reason changed his tack, but it didn't work as the 6'3"
Aussie who hails from Yamba in New South Wales saw the
match turn around in Shabana's favour.
 "I
wasn’t seeing his shots. He has a good forehand
which he used to effect in the first, but I
took care of his shots in the second.
"I'm happy to win. It was a tough win. He played
well in the first, so I’m happy to move through."
Amr Shabana |
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 "I
played him last year here and he smacked me. It was
a real spanking. This time I played him better.
"Amr seemed a bit off the pace in the first, and I
tried not to give him anything at shoulder height -
“You pay for that as well. Because he’s so good in
the air”.
“I’m not sure what
happened after that. You can only put a strong
short shot in against him because he punishes you
if you’re off."
Cameron
Pilley
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Adrian Grant (Eng)
bt
[16] Shahid Zaman (Pak) 11/9, 11/6, 11/8 (26m) |
Adrian's Turn in
Chicago
The second,
almost expected, upset of the day came when England's
Adrian Grant defeated sixteenth seed Shahid Zaman.
The pair have met many times, and frequently pass each
other as they move up and down the 15-20 region of the
world rankings, and tonight it was Adrian's turn ...
 "My
game plan was to go in with good length. He’s so
good with his racquet that it’s dangerous if you
don’t.
"I had to stay patient because the court is so dead
which suits his game. He plays really well in
Pakistan, almost double the player there.
"I tried to keep it basic. Keep it straight and look
for opportunities to force errors. He put in 9 or 10
errors which is a game really."
Adrian Grant |
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[10]
Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt
[Q] Borja Golan (Esp)
11/4, 3/11, 3/11, 11/8, 11/0 (61m)
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Greg avoids Golan trap
In the only
five game match this evening, Gregory Gaultier
played a tough and determined Borja Golan from
Spain, winning, but was not entirely happy about his
performance.
The resident of Aix-en-Provence usually plays an up
tempo game, but Golan drove the ball long as a counter
strategy.
After a good start the Frenchman quickly lost the second and third games.
Gaultier, with Frenchman Renan Lavigne coaching him
through the rough patch, managed to pick up his game
again, taking the fourth and cruising through the fifth
to set up second meeting with Power within a week.
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"I had no feeling in my
legs. I was flat. I couldn’t move. My normal game is
more quick and I like to counter drop."
"But I told myself to just forget about it, I decided I was not going to give up, I remembered what happened to me in Toronto
[where
he lost to Power].
Gregory Gaultier |
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[6]
Jonathon Power (Can)
bt
[Q] Liam Kenny (Irl)
11/4, 11/4, 11/6 (40m) |
Power Advances
...
Ordinarily, Jonathon Power would be expected to
easily win a first round match against a qualifier. But
not after his performance in Toronto last week; and not
with the strength of this tournament draw. Ireland’s (by
way of Australia) Liam Kenny said he was up to
the challenge prior to the match.
“I plan on keeping the ball very straight and tight; and
hit with good pace and length,” said Kenny the
28-year-old now living in Dublin. Kenny hoped to punish
Jonathon by attacking anything loose.
Power, prior to the match, said his back had “not been
tested.” “We’ll see how it goes,”
the Montreal-based Power explained, “I’ve been working
with a physio all week (at home).”
Things seemed to work out well for him despite the
injury, winning 11/4, 11/4, 11/6.
After the match Liam explained, “I couldn’t keep the
pressure on him. The rest over Christmas (which all the
pros are complaining about) slowed me down.”
Liam heads next to Virginia and Jonathon advances to
play Gaultier on Saturday.
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[2]
James Willstrop (Eng)
bt
Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned)
11/8, 11/10(2-0), 11/4 (40m) |
Rusty Willstrop Wins Through
Laurens Jan Anjema and James Willstrop
represent the next generation of squash players. LJ’s
swing is compact with his follow through rarely rising
above his waist and never beyond his shoulder. He pulls
great strength from his core and moves elastically and
measured back and forth off the “T”.
Willstrop’s many strengths include his height advantage
that allows him to put a steep angle on the ball and
pace on the ball using the strength in his legs. And
despite his size he still manages to get low onto the
ball as well when needed.
In the first game, it looked as if LJ might pull the
same upset he did last year against Peter Nicol, a
fellow left-hander who he beat in three. LJ forced three
tins from Willstrop in the first four points.
The first game was played with blistering speed with
each trying to twist the other off of the “T”.
Willstrop, who weights 14 stone and stands 6’ 4”
struggled initially to retrieve backwards off the “T” on
the crosscourt. LJ’s forehand length was razor tight to
the sidewall. Both continued to keep the pace fast with
LJ only able to garner eight points.
The second game went to a tie breaker. One realizes when
watching this calibre of play that the game, like other
battles, is won in inches. For the first seven points of
the game, other then the serve, the ball never went
higher then 12 inches off the height of the lowered 17”
tin. Then the two decided to take the fight into the
back of the court. Now the shots came off the front wall
6 inches lower than the service line.
At 9-10, LJ inched as close to the “T” as he could while
awaiting service from Willstrop. The next three points
did not go his way, losing 11/10 (2-0).
LJ returned to court for the third game deflated,
shouting “no!” after every let ball. Willstrop continued
to retrieve well and hit good length when needed and
took the third 11-4.
Second seed Willstrop will most likely face 11th seed
Karim Darwish on Saturday.
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 "I
was really encouraged by that.
"It was a bit weird after Christmas with no events and
it’s been a month for me without a proper match.
"People don’t realize that training, even hard, is not a
substitute for a match.
"And I knew that LJ had at least played in Toronto since
Christmas."
James Willstrop |
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 "The
break really hurt my game though it’s not an excuse.
"I felt well in the first but was disappointed with the
second game.
"I tried to twist him but there was no exposing his
movement or his reach ... He was on every volley."
LJ Anjema |
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[1]
Thierry Lincou (Fra)
bt
[Q] Mark Chaloner (Eng) 11/5, 11/6, 11/9 (45m) |
Last up ... Lincou
In the last match of the evening, Mark Chaloner
started a bit “snippy” in the first game against #1 seed
Thierry Lincou.
“I did everything I could,” is what he told his wife Carolyn
in frustration who was by his side. But he still came up
short, losing in three after having to qualify last night.
If Willstrop represents England’s ‘new school’ player than
Chaloner may represent the ‘old school’ with his backhand
back swing reaching all the way past his shoulder (Think
‘thumb to ear’), generating power through his arm.
This match was a clash of wills and certainly wasn’t a
cakewalk for Marseille-based Lincou who admitted, “I was a
little tired and lost focus. I couldn’t really see the ball
at first.”
Lincou felt “he played better in the third, though.” The
ever-cautious Lincou said, “It was good to get that over
with.”
Friday is a rest day and Lincou plans to catch up on his
sleep.
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No Luggage ? No Problem !
 Despite
losing his luggage en route to
Chicago, Thierry managed to travel 28 miles north of the city with Tecnifibre representative Paul Zalatoris, to work with 40
junior and adult squash enthusiasts at Lake Forest Squash, the
nation’s only public squash program, which is open to all, this
afternoon.
Thankfully, Paul produced Tecnifibre shorts and shirt for Thierry to
change into. But just as Thierry took his street shoes off, he
realized he didn’t have any sport sox!
Luckily, one of the members had an extra pair in his car and donated
them to the cause. The show would go on.
 Thierry
demonstrated his warm up routine and ghosted a variety of
shots which highlighted the superior and efficient way he
moves around the court.
He displayed amazing racquet ability with Figure-of-Eight and 360°
Figure-of-Eights that brought a roaring cheer from the watching
crowd. |
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