YMG Capital Classic: Saturday Qualifying

Focus on Razik

by Martin Bronstein, Toronto, 18 Nov 2001
All content © 2001 Squashtalk

RAZIK GETTING SHARPER
Canadian fans cannot be complaining with three players out of 16 in the main draw here in my wonderful ex-home town of Toronto. Shahier Razik must be hungry to share some of the limelight with Canadian hero Jonathon Power because he pulled off an upset by beating the on-form Wael El Hindi of Egypt in a four game marathon.

CONFESSION TIME
I have to make a confession here: I'm a Razik fan. It started at when I first saw

Shahier Razik (SquashCanada Photo)

him playing for Canada in the World junior champs in Cairo in 1996. He had a wonderful touch and his volley drops were the deadest in the game. He, along with Ong Beng Hee, were two of eight highly idiosyncratic quarter-finalists, the sort of variety that makes the games so interesting. I must also admit that he has not made the progress that I forecast for him, having risen to 41 in the world this year while Ong Beng Hee is in the top ten. But to every man, his own moment and I will stick by my forecast that Razik will make the world top ten list.

THE POWER TO BEAT POWER?
He could make a good start on this on Monday when he meets fellow Canadian and number two seed Jonathon Power, but in previous meetings, even though they have trained together in Toronto, Razik has never come close to deposing the King of Canada. Should Power win that all-Canadian duel, there is a chance that he could meet yet another Canadian in the quarters, Graham Ryding who first has to beat world number 11 Paul Price. Now by all accounts Price should win, but you never know what some vociferous hometown support could do for Ryding who has dropped to 22 in the world after some bad recent results.

NIX TO THE POWER OF TWO
The all-Power match, Jonathon and Ian, never came to be as Ian was put out after very creditable fight against Rodney Durbach. As it turned out, the winner was drawn to meet Ong Beng Hee, Anthony Ricketts beat England's Nick Matthew and will have to face Peter Nicol. It's just the luck of the draw, but unless there is a massive upset, David Palmer will cruise to the final in the top half of the draw while in the lower half will probably be Ong Beng Hee, Nicol, Price and Power . And that is tough, very tough. Whoever gets through to the final to play Palmer will almost certainly be more fatigued than Palmer.

FINAL QUALIFYING ROUND.         [view main draw]
Rodney Durbach (RSA) bt Ian Power Can) 15-12, 15-11, 13-15, 15-3.
Shahier Razik (Can) bt Wael El Hindi (Egy) 15-11,13-15, 15-13, 15-10.
Stephen Meads (Eng) bt Doug Parent (Can) 15-6, 15-10, 15-5.
Anthony Ricketts (Aus) bt Nick Matthew (Eng) 15-7, 12-15, 15-9, 15-5.