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 World Games:
REPORTS |
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)
Three Continents in World
Finals
The finals in Duisburg will feature the top seeds in both men's and
women's competitions and, fittingly for the World Games, players
from three continents.
Nicol David, Asian champion, was first into the finals as she
defeated Great Britain's Linda Elriani. Her opponent will be
world number one Rachael Grinham, who is aiming to retain the
women's title for Australia.
Former world champion Peter Nicol moved one step away from
his 50th major international title, in his first tournament under
the Great Britain flag, as he beat England team-mate James
Willstrop. The final match of the day saw France's top seed
Thierry Lincou recover from his customary slow start to beat
fourth seed Nick Matthew.
Howard Harding reports from Duisburg ... |
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 |
 |
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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 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 |
|
17-Jul-05,
Quarter-finals:
MEN:
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt Hansi Seestaller (Ger)
9/2, 9/0, 9/3 (25m)
[4] Nick Matthew (Gbr) bt [6] Joe Kneipp (Aus)
9/6, 9/6, 9/3 (63m)
[3] James Willstrop (Gbr) bt Ong Beng Hee (Mas)
10/8, 2/9, 9/1, 9/4 (64m)
[2] Peter Nicol (Gbr) bt Karim Darwish (Egy)
9/5, 9/6, 9/3 (71m)
WOMEN:
[1] Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt [5] Jenny Tranfield (Gbr)
9/2, 9/0, 9/5 (34m)
[4] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) bt [8] Runa Reta (Can)
9/7, 9/4, 9/2 (28m)
[3] Linda
Elriani (Gbr) bt Isabelle Stoehr (Fra)
9/4, 9/6, 9/0 (37m)
[2] Nicol David (Mas) bt Latasha Khan (Usa)
9/6, 9/6, 9/4 (33m)
Four semi-finalists for GB
The first session of quarter-final play in Duisburg saw Great
Britain claim three semi-final places, as Linda Elriani,
James Willstrop and Peter Nicol continued their winning
ways in their first outing under Great Britain colours, and Nicol
David continuing her rich vein of form.
In the second evening session top seeds Thierry Lincou and
Rachael Grinham both moved easily into the semi-finals, where
they will meet fourth seeds Nick Matthew and Omneya Abdel
Kawy respectively, all four players completing straight-game
victories.
Howard Harding reports from Duisburg ... |
Draws:
MEN
WOMEN
Plates
PORTRAITS
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Nicol Ends Egypt's World
Games Defence Dreams
[2] Peter Nicol (Gbr) bt Karim Darwish (Egy)
9/5, 9/6, 9/3 (71m)
Great Britain's Peter Nicol beat Karim Darwish in a
long and hard-fought squash quarter-final to end Egypt's hopes of
retaining the men's title won by Ahmed Barada in Finland.
It was a new slim-line Nicol, the second seed, that battled for 71
minutes to defeat the fifth seed from Cairo 9-5 9-6 9-3 on a hot
all-glass court in the packed Sport-Treff-Punkt centre to ensure
that Britain wins at least a silver medal in the IOC-backed
multi-sport event in Germany.
Nicol reached game-ball at 8-2 in the second game, but three times
Darwish staved off defeat, eventually getting back to 6-8 before the
32-year-old left-hander clinched the game, going on to clinch the
third and the match.
 "I
was happy with my game too, but Peter played well, was very
fast around the court and his shots were very tight - and he
only made four errors in the whole match, which shows how well
he was playing.
"I'm disappointed, but it's my first hard match for more than
two months, so it's good practice for me before I go to
Karachi for the Pakistan Open later this month."
Karim Darwish |
|
 "I
felt I was in control for most of the match, but the
traditional hand-in, hand-out, scoring system we are using
here makes it more difficult to end the games - and the really
hot conditions didn't help either.
"I'm really pleased to be into the semi-finals here - and I must admit
that I'm feeling better than I thought I would after coming
here midway through my summer training.
"There's more work to be done - so it'll be interesting to see
how far I can go here."
Peter Nicol |
 |
Willstrop guarantees Britain
at least a silver ...
[3] James Willstrop (Gbr) bt Ong Beng Hee (Mas)
10/8, 2/9, 9/1, 9/4 (64m)
Nicol's opponent in the last four will be England team-mate James
Willstrop, which will ensure that at least one Briton reaches
the final, so at least a silver medal is guaranteed.
Willstrop, the third seed from Yorkshire, earlier overcame
Malaysia's No7 seed Ong Beng Hee - now a training mate at his
club in Pontefract - winning a close first game before the Malaysian
levelled, then taking the final two games to secure a semi-final
spot.
The event seems to represents a watershed in the Malaysian's
illustrious career - after dropping out of the top twenty in the
middle of last year he seems to be on his way back, and is currently
at number 16 in the world.
 |
 "I
felt we both played some really high quality squash today.
Beng Hee was tough, he made very few errors - in fact it's the
best he's ever played against me.
"We have a really relaxed set-up in Pontefract, and he seems
to be thriving on it."
James Willstrop |
 "I
haven't really enjoyed my squash for the past two years, but
after a two-week break, then seven weeks of intense technical
and physical work, I feel I'm now starting to play the game I
want to play - and it seems to be paying dividends.
"I was a little bit disappointed at letting my 8-5 lead slip
away in the first game - but today was not about winning or
losing, it was more about me enjoying competing again. I feel
I've taken a step up over the past few months - and if I can
challenge James the way I did today, I can challenge anyone in
the top ten."
Ong Beng Hee |
|
Lincou ends hosts' interest
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt Hansi Seestaller (Ger)
9/2, 9/0, 9/3 (25m)
France's world No1 Thierry Lincou swept into the last four
after ending the hosts' interest in the squash event when he
despatched unseeded German Hansi Seestaller in straight games
in under half an hour's play.
Seestaller, a late entry to the event following the last-minute
withdrawal of a seed, claimed an unexpected place in the last eight
when he beat fellow non-seed Andreas Fuchs, from Austria, in
Saturday's first round.
Lincou clearly benefited from a relatively easy draw, but had to
contend with a packed and partisan crowd supporting his opponent,
who was playing in such a setting for the first time in his life,
100% of the way.
 "I
was pretty lucky to get the draw I did, but I was prepared for
a hard match and didn't underestimate my opponent. I was
really focussed and made sure I found my length."
Thierry Lincou |
|
 "No,
this was not the best moment of my life, the best is when you
win, but the occasion was very special.
"The game was just too fast for me, there was just no chance
that I could beat him - he was so fit and has amazing speed. I
can live with him for about two or three rallies, but that's
it!
"But being part of the Games has been a great experience, and
meeting many athletes from other sports has been fantastic.
And I guess I must be proud to have reached the quarter-finals
of the World Games."
Hansi Seestaller |
 |
Matthew makes it Three
[4] Nick Matthew (Gbr) bt
[6] Joe Kneipp (Aus) 9/6, 9/6, 9/3 (63m)
A third Briton reached the men's semi-finals after fourth seed
Nick Matthew survived a punishing late night match against
sixth-seeded Australian Joseph Kneipp.
The Englishman prevailed in 63 minutes to set up a meeting with
Lincou, but admitted afterwards that his second game win was
crucial. |
 "It
was 6-3 to him for about ten minutes in the second game, and
there were a number of really long rallies.
"But if I hadn't come back to take that game, and it had been
one-all going into the third, it would have been anybody's
match."
Nick Matthew |
|
 Elriani
first into
the semis
[3] Linda
Elriani (Gbr) bt Isabelle Stoehr (Fra)
9/4, 9/6, 9/0 (37m)
Britain's Linda Elriani was the first player to claim a place
in the women's semi-finals after beating France's Isabelle Stoehr
in straight games on the all-glass court at the 15-court centre.
The British champion from Eastbourne in Sussex brushed aside her
sixth-seeded opponent in 37 minutes to set up a semi-final clash
with Nicol David. |
"Isabelle
was on fire when she came out, but that's how she usually is,
so I was expecting it."
"But you just have to weather the storm - and I managed to do
that, and she made a few mistakes.
"I had to make sure I didn't do anything stupid, and by the
third I had got myself a good length and soon wrapped up my
victory."
Linda Elriani |
|
 |
Nicol at home in
Mulheim
[2] Nicol David (Mas) bt Latasha Khan (Usa)
9/6, 9/6, 9/4 (33m)
Nicol David, the No2 seed, beat USA's seventh seed Latasha
Khan - who is also her room-mate in Mulheim - in 33 minutes.
The world number three from Penang is the in-form player in the
women's game at present.
 "I
think I was more comfortable on the glass court than she was
as I'd played on it yesterday, whereas she was on another
court."
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow's match with Linda - we met
in the final of the Dutch Open in June, and although I won,
she took the first two games, so I'll have to make sure I get
a better start here."
Nicol David |
|
Aussies bank on Grinham
[1] Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt
[5] Jenny Tranfield (Gbr)
9/2, 9/0, 9/5 (34m)
Australia's top seed Rachael Grinham, the world number one
from Queensland, is on course to retain the title won by fellow
Australian Sarah Fitz-Gerald in Finland after beating Britain's
Jenny Tranfield, the fifth seed in 34 minutes. |
 "Jenny
wasn't playing as aggressively as she usually does, but the
ball was so bouncy that it was difficult for either of us to
get winners."
"It would be great to win this title and keep it in Australia,
but it'll be a tough match against Omneya - who almost beat me
the last time we met in Egypt."
Rachael Grinham |
|
Kawy
cruises past Reta
[4] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) bt
[8] Runa Reta (Can) 9/7, 9/4, 9/2 (28m)
In the shortest match of the day, Omneya Abdel Kawy defeated
eighth seed Runa Reta, the Canadian who saved six match-balls
in the first round before beating German favourite Karin Beriere in
an 80-minute five-game marathon.
"I thought that match would
have had an effect on her today, but she played really well."
"I started really well in the first two games, but she came
back from 2-7 down to level the first game, then from 0-5 to
4-5 in the next. I just lost concentration."
Omneya Abdel Kawy |
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World Games:
REPORTS
|
WORLD GAMES MAIN PAGE
|
16-Jul-05, Round One:
Seeds safely through in Duisburg
The first round of the World Games
Squash produced no surprises, as all the seeded players won through
to the quarter-finals.
Howard Harding reports from
Duisburg ...
|
Reta Rallies
In the most dramatic first round match of the opening day, Canada's
eighth seed Runa Reta saved six match balls to foil a major
upset by German champion Karin Beriere.
Unseeded Beriere, ranked more than 80 places below her opponent in
the world, took the first and third games, then reached match ball
at 8-5 in the fourth. Reta refused to give up and, after one of the
longest rallies in the match, won back the serve to keep her hopes
alive.
 "I
am not too unhappy. I'm sad that I didn't take my chances, but
I think I played well, which is the important thing.
"But playing in the World Games comes at the top of my career
- it's my Olympic Games! I feel very proud to have been able
to take part in this big event in my home country."
Karen
Beriere |
After forcing the score up to 8-8, the
Canadian again lost the serve and local favourite Beriere clinched
the next point to earn match ball for the fifth time. But Reta, the
24-year-old world No33 from Ottawa, maintained her focus to take the
game - and then the match 3-9 9-7 6-9 10-9 9-1 after 80 minutes!
Reta drew encouragement in the later stages of the fourth game from
last year's Canadian Nationals' final against Alana Miller in
Toronto.
 "There
were even more match balls in the fourth game of that match, which I
eventually lost - but Alana told me later that if she'd lost that
game, she certainly wouldn't have won the match.
"And I was thinking of that tonight, hoping that if I did win it,
Karin simply wouldn't have enough left in her to finish it off.
"Whilst I was completely drained at the end of that game, by the
time I was in the fifth, I felt I could have gone on for another
five!" claimed Reta. |
Lincou lashes Leifels
Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the top seed who has held the world
number one ranking throughout this year, defeated Stefan Leifels,
the German No1, 9-3 9-2 9-2 in 36 minutes.
"That
was a good match to get the tournament started for me," said the
29-year-old from Marseille. "It was very hot out there, but that
suits my game. And I really love this all-glass court - it's the
same one that I won the Super Series Finals title on last year in
London, so I guess it's one of my favourite courts." |
Hansi claims German quarter
The hosts had much to celebrate later on when unseeded Hansi
Seestaller, a late addition to the field after the last-minute
withdrawal of Pakistan's Shahid Zaman, claimed the only German place
in the quarter-finals when he beat Austria's Andreas Fuchs
9-3 9-4 9-4 in 35 minutes.
"It
feels so good to be in the next round," said the beaming 22-year-old
from Rosenheim afterwards. "As I didn't know I was playing in this
event until less than a week ago, I didn't have the chance to
prepare properly - this is really in the middle of my summer break,"
explained Seestaller.
The local favourite's win reversed the result of his last meeting
with the Austrian: "But I knew I could do it. I felt good during the
match whereas Andreas seemed nervous - perhaps the pressure was on
him. When it's important, as today's match was, I usually play
well," said Seestaller.
"But I'm really looking forward to my game against Thierry Lincou
tomorrow - it will be a real pleasure to have the chance to play the
world's number one squash player. |
Darwish aims for Egyptian
repeat
Fellow Mexican Eric Galvez also suffered the same first round
fate, beaten 9-2 9-3 9-2 in 40 minutes by Egypt's fifth seed
Karim Darwish.
"Eric
is one of the fittest players on the Tour," said Darwish, the world
No11 from Cairo, who recently announced his engagement to fellow
Egyptian squash player Engy Kheirallah. "I've just had a long break
from the game, so I was pleased with my first serious match for a
few months.
"It would be good to keep the title for Egypt after Ahmed Barada won
it eight years ago in Finland," added Darwish.
 Galvez
commented: "It's been a fantastic experience, playing in the World
Games. It's great to play alongside so many of the world's top
players - and I am determined to do this more in the future,"
explained the world No54. "I am now going to enter as many of the
top tournaments as I can - something I've never done before." |
Elriani's British Debut
Mexico's Samantha Teran, playing in her first ever 'world
title' event, put up a brave fight against Britain's third seed
Linda Elriani. But after Teran opened up a two-point lead in the
first game, the experienced world No6 from Eastbourne took control
and ultimately claimed a 9-2 9-2 9-4 victory in 30 minutes.
"I've not had much rest this year as the tournament schedule has
been so busy, so I was glad to get that match behind me - especially
as you have to be really precise on that court, with it being so
hot," said the British champion.
 "It's
so exciting to play in an event like this, and I was happy
with the way I played - I wasn't nervous."
"But I need to play more players like Linda - she is only the
fourth world top ten player I have ever played. I don't get
the chance to play women of my standard in Mexico - only men,
and that's not quite the same. I want to come to Europe to get
the chance to play league squash,"
Samantha
Teran |
"I feel really proud to be representing
Great Britain for the first time - it's such a special feeling being
part of a much bigger team of athletes, but it's sad that our venue
is some way from most of the other action, so we're unlikely to get
the chance to follow our compatriots' successes.
"I
was really impressed with the way Samantha played - she's really
improved since the last time I played her. I like her attitude -
she's really feisty, she digs in and doesn't give up. It's really
great seeing players from new countries like Mexico coming through -
hopefully she'll be able to encourage other players in her part of
the world to join the WISPA circuit," added Elriani.
Teran, the 24-year-old Pan American champion from Mexico City,
who is making a comeback after a serious knee injury which ruled her
out for a year, was playing for only the third time in her life on
an all-glass court. |
Nicol looking good
Former world number one Peter Nicol cruised to a 9-1 9-1 9-3
win over Canada's Matthew Giuffre to set up a quarter-final
clash with Darwish.
"I've lost a lot of weight over the past months or so, and am
feeling really trim and lean," said Nicol, the second seed. "It's
what I've been concentrating on over the summer break and I really
feel in good shape."
|
|
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. 
