|
|
 19-Jul-05,
Finals:
NICOLS' DAY
[2] Nicol David (Mas) bt [1] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
9/4, 10/8, 9/1 (36m)
[2] Peter Nicol (Gbr) bt [1] Thierry Lincou (Fra)
9/3, 9/0, 9/4 (59m)
Peter Nicol of Great Britain and
Nicol David of Malaysia triumphed in today's squash finals at
the World Games in Mülheim an der Ruhr in Germany, the Malaysian
despatching Australia's world number one Rachael Grinham and
the British Nicol crushing Frenchman Thierry Lincou, also
world number one in the men's game.
The plate finals were won by
Samantha Teran and Mark Krajcsak ...
Howard Harding reports from Duisburg ... |
Draws:
MEN
WOMEN
Plates
|
 |
Big Five-Oh for Nicol
[2] Peter Nicol (Gbr) bt [1] Thierry Lincou (Fra)
9/3, 9/0, 9/4 (59m)
Peter Nicol had said throughout the tournament that he was
unsure of how well he would fare as the event has come midway
through his summer training schedule.
But the performance he displayed against Thierry Lincou, the
player who has topped the world rankings throughout this year,
firmly indicated that the 32-year-old has rediscovered his appetite
and enthusiasm for the game.
 The
Englishman forged a 3-1 lead in the opening game and Lincou fought
back to 3-3. But those two points became the last he scored for a
long time, as Nicol reeled off six unanswered points to take the
first, completed a 9-0 whitewash in the second, and went 6-0 in the
third game,
A tired shot into the tin finally gave the Frenchman his first point
on the scoreboard for more than half an hour - an achievement the
crowd greeted by a cheer normally reserved for winners!
Nicol was in devastating form, retrieving almost every shot that
Lincou could put his way.
From 1-7 down in the third game, Lincou recovered to 4-7 as the
Briton seemed visibly tired, but once Nicol won back the serve, he
immediately regained the upper hand and, at match ball, cracked a
low winner to the back of the court that gave him the title, his
50th.
 "The
key thing is Peter's stamina, his extra endurance - and in
these conditions that really makes a difference."
"He is playing better - he's much stronger at the back of the
court, and quicker and more accurate down the walls. It's
really hard to create an attacking position against him.
"It shows what a great athlete he is that he can put in a
performance like that. It's clear that he's been training hard
- his motivation is amazing.
"But this event has been really good for me in my preparation
for the Pakistan Open. I needed some stressful situations."
Thierry Lincou |
|
 "I
felt early in the first game that Thierry didn't believe he
could beat me tonight. I think he struggles with me."
"Winning my 50th title is a big landmark for me - and I'm
really happy. I didn't quite realise what a big event this was
before I got here, but I'm delighted I came and even more
delighted that I won."
"I seem to be in good shape - I was surprised at just how
good! Mentally I'm focussed and wanted to play - even though
it's in the middle of my summer training period. But I'm
looking forward to getting fitter, stronger and better!"
Peter Nicol |
 |
 |
David grabs Gold
for Malaysia
[2] Nicol David (Mas) bt [1] Rachael Grinham (Aus)
9/4, 10/8, 9/1 (36m)
Nicol David, the world number three, looked in
sparkling form as she took to the new all-glass court in front of a
packed crowd at the Sport-Treff-Punkt centre.
Rachael Grinham, the 28-year-old top seed from Queensland,
opened up a 4-2 lead in the opening game, but David bounced back to
race up to game ball at 8-4. The Australian resisted her first
attempt, then succumbed as the Malaysian took the first game 9-4.
 The
favourite looked a different player in the second, forcing her way
through to a 4-0 lead, but again Nicol reclaimed the upper hand and
clawed back the points to move ahead 7-5. But Grinham was still in
the game and took the next three points to reach game ball at 8-7.
However, the Malaysian, looking more focussed throughout the match,
saved the point and soon had her own game-ball at 9-8, which she
duly converted as the Grinham reply hit the tin.
The 21-year-old former world junior champion from Penang led
throughout the third game and, after 36 minutes, clinched her 9-4
10-8 9-1 world title victory - and the first World Games squash gold
medal for Malaysia. |
 "I
wanted to enjoy myself here - but to become the champion is an
honour, it's a huge thing."
"Playing Rachael is always a big game. But I felt good and
played well - I had to make sure she didn't get into her game,
and had to really step it up to do that.
"I don't think she was at her best as it's the first
tournament of the season - but it was a good build up event
for me to prepare for what's to come."
Nicol David |
 "Nicol's
been playing really well lately - she was always strong as a
junior and always gets everything back. And now her attacking
game is getting stronger too. She returned simply every ball.
She has always been very quick.
"It's always disappointing to lose in a final, but it has been
a great week, a great experience and a great atmosphere here.
"I thought I had a pretty good chance in the second game, but
in the third she seemed to pick up the pace - she was getting
better while I wasn't prepared enough to deal with it."
Rachael Grinham |
|
 |
PLATE FINALS:
Men's Plate Final:
Mark Krajcsak (Hun) bt Eric Galvez (Mex)
9-5, 8-9, 5-9, 9-0, 9-5
Women's Plate Final:
Samantha Teran (Mex) bt Pamela Pancis (Aut)
9-5, 9-4, 1-9, 9-5
 |
 |
18-Jul-05,
Semi-Finals
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [4] Nick Matthew (Gbr)
3/9, 10/9, 9/3, 9/2 (73m)
[2] Peter Nicol (Gbr) bt [3] James Willstrop (Gbr)
9/2, 9/4, 10/8 (59m)
[1] Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt [4] Omneya Abdel Kawy
9/4, 9/5, 3/9, 9/6 (49m)
[2] Nicol David (Mas) bt [3] Linda Elriani (Gbr)
9/6, 10/8, 9/6 (49m)
|
Draws:
MEN
WOMEN
Plates
|
Nicol Nears his 50th
[2] Peter Nicol (Gbr) bt [3] James Willstrop (Gbr)
9/2, 9/4, 10/8 (59m)
 Peter Nicol
is one match away from recording his 50th major
international squash title after beating British team-mate James
Willstrop in straight games in today's semi-finals.
Competing in this IOC-backed multi-sport event for the first time,
second seed Nicol defeated Willstrop, the third seed,
in one minute short of an hour to put himself in line for Britain's
first ever squash gold medal at the Games.
Nicol took the first two games, but Willstrop rallied and led 5-1 in
the third game, then had a game ball at 8-7. But the former world
number one fought back to clinch the match, a place in the final,
and a guaranteed silver medal at least.
 "That's the most competitive
we've ever played. I knew I could give it everything, but he's
just too good. He rarely hit a loose ball and got everything
into the corners.
"I
pushed him all the way in the third - but it's been a great
tournament and good preparation for next week's Pakistan Open where
I am the defending champion. I'm very glad I came."
James Willstrop |
|
 "I
played really well, my length was superb. I came here really relaxed - it's all going much
better than I could have hoped.
"In the first two games I really controlled him, though his length
got better in the third and I had to work harder.
"Yesterday's match was the hardest I've had for a long time, and I
woke up this morning feeling really tired. After a pretty poor
practice session, I went back to bed for an hour - then got up
feeling great."
"It was no problem playing a fellow countryman, not in the slightest. He desperately wanted to win, of
course - but then so did I!"
Peter Nicol |
 |
 |
Lincou fights back to reach final
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [4] Nick Matthew (Gbr)
3/9, 10/9, 9/3, 9/2 (73m)
After taking the first game, and after only two changes of serve in
the second, Nick Matthew stood at 8-0 and was poised to go
two games up against world champion Thierry Lincou.
 But
Lincou is not a man to give up easily - and the Frenchman battled
courageously to foil two further game-balls against him before
securing his own game-ball at 9-8.
But the 24-year-old Englishman from Sheffield struck back - and
reached his fourth game-ball at 9-9. Again Lincou retaliated and
soon he had levelled the match.
A dispirited Matthew was unable to regain the initiative again as
Lincou went on to take the final two games 9-3 9-2.
Lincou, the 29-year-old from Marseille conceded that he would have
been unlikely to have made up the second game deficit had the
scoring been 'point-a-rally', instead of the traditional
'hand-in-hand-out' style being used in this World Squash
Federation-backed event.
 |
 "When
I was 8-0 down I was just thinking about winning. I thought to
myself 'I'm not really tired, I must keep in here' - I didn't
want to just throw it, but treat it as a match I could use as
an experience for later."
"I had great support, for the first time, from the bosses from
the French national delegation who were here - and that was
great. They really enjoyed it.
"I'm very happy to be in the final - but the conditions here
are really tough."
Thierry Lincou |
 "I'm
disappointed to lose since I was outplaying him for two games
- but he came back. I guess that shows why he's world number
one.
"I was playing so well, but when he fought back I just didn't
have another level to go to. I probably thought I had the game
won before I did."
Nick Matthew |
|
David downs Elriani
[2] Nicol David (Mas) bt [3] Linda Elriani (Gbr)
9/6, 10/8, 9/6 (49m)
 Malaysia's
Nicol David became the first player to reach the finals after
posting a punishing straight games victory over Britain's Linda
Elriani in the opening women's semi-final.
Both players have achieved world number three rankings, but whereas
21-year-old David boasts this position today, the 33-year-old
Englishwoman - the oldest player in the world's top ten - achieved
her top three status more than four years ago.
Mindful of letting Elriani gain a two-game advantage in their
meeting in last month's Dutch Open, David was determined to prevent
such a gain by her opponent this time.
But third seed Elriani led in each of the games, failing to convert
any of seven game balls in the second, before the pint-sized
Malaysian fought back to recover the deficits and, after 49 minutes,
record her straight games victory.
 "I
was really determined not to let her get into her game. I had to put
her under pressure and keep the rallies going as I knew she'd want
to finish it off quickly - which meant that she made errors.
"I just hope I continue to play as well as this in the final.
Being with Malaysia's ten-pin bowling team earlier today helped to
inspire me for my match."
Nicol David |
|
 "I'm
really annoyed that I didn't convert any of the leads I had - I knew
just what to do, but didn't do it.
"These sweltering conditions don't suit me, but Nicol is used to
them. Her greatest asset is her speed - she keeps going and going.
"She's playing very well, but I still think it was a pretty tight
match overall."
Linda Elriani |
|
World Games 2005
Duisburg, Germany, 16-19 July,
MEN'S DRAW |
Round
One
July 16 |
Quarters
July 17 |
Semis
July 18 |
Final
July 19 |
[1]
Thierry Lincou (Fra)
9/3, 9/2, 9/2 (36m)
Stefan Liefels (Ger) |
Thierry Lincou
9/2, 9/0, 9/3 (25m)
Hansi
Seestaller |
Thierry Lincou
3/9, 10/9, 9/3, 9/2 (73m)
Nick Matthew |
Thierry Lincou
18.00
Peter Nicol |
Hansi
Seestaller (Ger)
9/3, 9/3, 9/4 (35m)
Andreas Fuchs (Aut) |
[6] Joe
Kneipp (Aus)
9/10, 9/1, 9/1, 9/0 (41m)
Christian Drakenberg (Swe) |
Joe Kneipp
9/6, 9/6, 9/3
Nick Matthew |
[4] Nick Matthew (Gbr)
7/9, 9/7, 9/0, 9/4 (48m)
Mark Krajcsak (Hun) |
Patrick Gaessler (Ger)
9/3, 9/4, 9/6 (44m)
[3] James Willstrop (Gbr) |
James Willstrop
10/8, 2/9, 9/1, 9/4 (64m)
Ong Beng Hee |
James Willstrop
9-2, 9-4, 10-8 (59m)
Peter Nicol |
Rodney
Durbach (Rsa)
6/9, 9/4, 9/4, 9/3 (70m)
[7] Ong Beng Hee (Mas) |
Eric Galvez (Mex)
9/2, 9/3, 9/2 (40m)
[5] Karim Darwish (Egy) |
Karim Darwish
9/5, 9/6, 9/3 (71m)
Peter Nicol |
Matthew
Giuffre (Can)
9/1, 9/1, 9/3 (31m)
[2] Peter Nicol (Gbr) |
World Games 2005
Duisburg, Germany, 16-19 July,
WOMEN'S DRAW |
Round
One
July 16 |
Quarters
July 17 |
Semis
July 18 |
Final
July 19 |
[1]
Rachael Grinham (Aus)
9/1, 9/1, 9/2 (25m)
Sonia Pasteris (Ita) |
Rachael Grinham
9/2, 9/0, 9/5
Jenny Tranfield |
Rachael Grinham
9/4, 9/5, 3/9, 9/6 (56m)
Omneya Abdel Kawy |
Rachael Grinham
16.30
Nicol David |
[5]
Jenny Tranfield (Gbr)
9/4, 9/5, 9/7 (38m)
Pamela Pancis (Aut) |
[8] Runa
Reta (Can)
3/9, 9/7, 6/9, 10/9, 9/1 (80m)
Karen Berière (Ger) |
Runa
Reta
9/7, 9/4, 9/2 (28m)
Omneya Abdel Kawy |
[4] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy)
9/1, 9/4, 9/4 (25m)
Daniela Schumann (Ger) |
Samantha
Teran (Mex)
9/2, 9/2, 9/4 (30m)
[3] Linda Elriani (Gbr) |
Linda Elriani
9/4, 9/6, 9/0 (37m)
Isabelle Stoehr |
Linda Elriani
9/6, 10/8, 9/6 (49m)
Nicol David |
Katharina Witt (Ger)
9/0, 9/1, 9/3 (22m)
[5] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) |
Ellen Petersen (Den)
9/7, 9/4, 9/3 (36m)
[7] Latasha Khan (Usa) |
Latasha Khan
9/6, 9/6, 9/4 (33m)
Nicol David |
Tenille
Swartz (Rsa)
9/5, 9/3, 9/0 (25m)
[2] Nicol David (Mas) |
|
Stefan Leifels (GER) bye |
Stefan Leifels
9-2, 9-7, 9-0
Mark Krajcsak |
Mark Krajcsak
9/5, 8/9, 5/9, 9/0, 9/5
Eric Galvez |
Christian Drakenberg (SWE)
9-0, 9-1, 9-2
Mark Krajcsak (HUN) |
|
Patrick Gaessler (GER) bye |
Patrick Gaessler
9-1, 9-5, 9-1
Eric Galvez |
Eric Galvez (MEX)
9-5, 9-6, 9-1
Matthew Giuffre (CAN) |
|
WOMEN's PLATE |
|
Quarters, 17-Jul |
Semis 18-Jul |
Final 19-Jul |
Sonia Pasteris (ITA)
6-9, 9-1, 9-6, 9-3
Pamela Pancis (AUT) |
Pamela Pancis
9-6, 9-4, 9-7
Daniela Schumann |
Pamela Pancis
95, 94, 19, 95
Samantha Teran |
|
Daniela Schumann (GER) bye |
Samantha Teran (MEX)
9-5, 10-9, 6-9, 9-2
Katharina Witt (GER) |
Samantha Teran
9-1, 9-2, 6-9, 9-5
Ellen Petersen |
Ellen Petersen (DEN)
4-9, 9-7, 9-4, 10-8
Tenille Swartz (RSA) |
 |
|
|
World
no. ones Head World Games Draws
World number ones Thierry Lincou and Rachael Grinham
head world class draws in the Squash events in the 2005 World
Games, the multi-sport event which is being staged in July in
Germany under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee
(IOC).
The 2005 World Games will feature 3,500 athletes from 100 nations,
competing at 27 venues in 40 sports ranging from Sumo to Squash. The
squash action will be staged in Mülheim an der Ruhr, near Duisburg,
from 16-19 July.
 In
the men's event France's world champion Thierry Lincou, the top
seed, faces the hosts' Stefan Liefels in the first round, and is
scheduled to face Peter Nicol - representing Great Britain, an
unusual entry in squash draws - in the final.
Great Britain also provides the 3/4 seeds in Nick Matthew and James
Willstrop, with Matthew seeded to face Lincou in the semis and
Willstrop slated for a showdown with England team-mate Nicol.
In the women's draw Australia's Rachael Grinham tops the seedings,
with Malaysia's Nicol David seeded two, and Omneya Abdel Kawy and
Linda Elriani of Egypt and France respectively filling the 3/4 seed
positions.
Denmark's Ellen Petersen will be the only player making her
second appearance in the event after taking part in the 1997 Games
in Lahti.
Players from 20 countries across the five continents will compete
for the squash titles won in Finland in 1997 by Australia's Sarah
Fitz-Gerald and Egyptian Ahmed Barada.
Squash coverage from
the official Games site |
 "The
World Games provide an invaluable opportunity for athletes
from a variety of sports not currently on the programme of the
Games of the Olympiad, to compete in their own elite
multi-sport event and represent their countries as members of
a delegation, with National Olympic Committee involvement and
support in an increasing number of cases.
"The World Games, for this very reason, play an important role
in the sports framework of the Olympic Movement."
Jacques Rogge
IOC President |
 "The
World Squash Federation has been collaborating with the
International World Games Association (IWGA) to make sure the
2005 Squash event is the best ever.
"The World Games provide a special opportunity for Squash to
be showcased on the global sports arena.
"Squash is delighted to be represented by world number ones
Thierry Lincou and Rachael Grinham, alongside a very deep
field of top Squash athletes from all continents."
Christian Leighton
WSF Chief Exec |
|
|
Australia's
world No1 Rachael Grinham set up a final clash with Nicol
David, beating Egypt's fourth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy on the
all-glass court at the Sport-Treff-Punkt centre. 
"It
wasn't a very good match for either of us. Omneya played out
of her skull in Hurghada, as she usually does in Egypt, but it
was quite different here.
