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[Power-Parke sequence © 2000 Debra Tessier]
YMG Capital Classic
Day One: Power and Barada Motor through. Will Evans show?
by Colin McQuillan © 2000 Squashtalk.com; photos Debra Tessier © 2000
.27 November BCE Center Toronto
Some Good
News
but
.!
The good news for the YMG Capital Classic 2000 tonight was the progress of
the seeded players through hard entertaining matches in the first session
of main draw matches. The strange news was the possibility of Australia's
Anthony Hill getting back into the main draw as a lucky loser after being
beaten 15-5 17-14 15-12 in Sunday's qualifying finals by England's Nick Taylor.
It was the usual shouting match, they say.
Today Jonathon Power beat Stewart Boswell 15-13 15-8 15-10 in the 67 minute opening match at the BCE Centre in Toronto, David Palmer beat Taylor 15-12 15-12 15-13 in 65 minutes, Ahmed Barada beat Del Harris 11-15 15-6 17-15 15-13 in 92 minutes and Paul Price beat Mark Cairns 15-12 10-15 15-12 13-15 17-14 in 101 minutes.
But David Evans, the new British Open Champion, has failed to show in Toronto so far. There are rumours that he is off the court with Achilles tendon problems, although John Nimmick, the tournament director hasn't heard about it. He has sent messages to the PSA in Cardiff, but no answer at the time of writing.
EVANS OR WHITE
OR HILL?
If Evans is not here 15 minutes before the start of play tomorrow a lucky
loser gets the place in the second session of first round matches. John White
is the first lucky loser, but the guys say he has gone to New York after losing
in straight games to Cairns in the qualifying finals. Hill is the next up
and, guess what, he is still around Toronto. He could walk straight into the
first round against Mark Chaloner.
There is a lot to celebrate about in this first major PSA tournament in Toronto since Peter Nicol beat Power 3-1 in the final of the Curzon's Open back in October 1995, and before that Gary Waite beat Willie Hosey in the North American Open in September 1991.
The last Mennon Cup was a decade ago, as was the last Canadian Open. Nimmick, the former PSA Executive Director who also runs the US Open in Boston and the Tournament of Champions in New York, has contrived another brilliant presentation down at the end of Bay Street and the local press is alive with the possibility of a home town win.
POWER ON FIRE
Jonathon Power, the world number two, set about making the YMG Classic his
own with a performance that, ably assisted by Stewart Boswell's willing attack,
had the packed audience under the sparkling gold and silver arched roof of
BCE Place, the indoor heart of the BCE Centre, applauding and whistling for
more right from the opening rally. He needed to work for the 23 minute opening
game, even striking a desperate forceful forehand drive on the turn that clinched
the game point by hitting Taylor in the back. In the 25 minute second game
Boswell, who had beaten Thierry Lincou of France in a hard five set qualifying
final 24 hours earlier, stepped in front of the second seeded home favourite
to guide forcing forehand vollies into the front nicks on his way from 2-9
to 6-10 and 8-11. But he could not make a breakthrough against the fast moving
Canadian.
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" I was pleased with my movement," Power said. "But I can feel the pressure here to win this for Toronto, and I guess a win like that could be very good for squash in North America." Power had his own chores the Xnight before, winning the final of the Jim Bentley Cup in hardball doubles squash at The Cambridge Club in company with the same Willie Hosey who reached the North American final back in 1991. Tonight on the Perspex showcourt amid the teak and satin steel of BCE Place, with the original Chamber of Commerce still in place just down the hall, he was in full singles flight, however.
The win takes him to David Palmer, the highest ranked Australian, who followed on tonight with 65 minute 15-12 15-12 15-13 over Taylor, whose precise and skilful attack had most of the Toronto crowd on his side..
In the top half of the draw Del Harris made a valiant 92 minute assault upon Ahmed Barada which, with a little more co-operation from the referee, might just have secured him the third or fourth game that might have put him into a quarterfinal against Australia's Paul Price. Price was on court until well after Midnight tonight beating Mark Cairns in a 101 minute five setter that typified the Englishman's declared ambition to stya around in the game long enough to frustrate a few people.
The crowd went off into the wintery night declaring the evening's play the best squash they had seen for years. Nimick looked satisfied with another well rewarded launch stating that he 'never expected a full house on the first night of a major presentation in a North American city.' Let us hope they are all just as pleased with tomorrow night's action.
YMG Capital Classic 2000 In Toronto, Canada First Round Results : Ahmed Barada (Egy) b t Del Harris (Eng) 11-15 15-6 17-15 15-13 Paul Price (Aus) bt Mark Cairns (Eng) 15-12 10-15 15-12 13-15 17-14 David Palmer (Aus) bt Nick Tayler (Eng) 15-12 15-12 15-13 Jonathon Power (Can) bt Stewart Boswell (Aust) 15-13 15-8 15-10
