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THE CLOUDS HAVE CLEARED
London April 7 2002 © 2002 SquashTalk.
File photos: © 2002 Debra Tessier for SquashTalk

Jonathon Power ... riding high

What appeared to be a very dire situation for the legendary British Open just two months ago has turned into a very positive outlook. Despite the half-size prize money, the tournament has attracted full entries for the Men’s, Women’s and Age Groups draws. Preliminary rounds will be played at Lambs Club in central London, the flagship club in Mike Corby’s fitness empire which comprises 14 clubs, mostly in London. It is Corby who saved the day when no sponsor could be found, and he rewarded himself by being the chosen one to play Hashim Khan in the first round of the Over 60 draw. As usual it is the questions before the event starts that must be considered.

CAN POWER MAINTAIN FORM AND FOCUS?
Talk of the Commonwealth Games, and we hear a theory that Cannuck Jonathon Power has come back to full strength because he wants that Gold Medal and this is his last chance. He lost out to Peter Nicol four years ago and it is the one trinket that has eluded his elegant racquet. Power has turned the tables on the popular conception held at the beginning of this year: that Power was on the wane while Nicol was getting stronger all the time. Power forced Nicol to five games in the final of YMG in Toronto, failed miserably in the US Open in Boston because of a bad back and took Nicol apart in New York in the Tournament of Champions, and then did it again in the final of the Pakistan Open. With Nicol making hard work of his opponents in the early rounds we must seriously consider the thought that he is the player on the wane, or that a leg injury in New York has not healed properly and his movement – and confidence – have been hampered. Despite being seeded third, Power must be favourite to take the Open again. He will surely want to win it ‘properly’ this time, taking the title in 1999 in Aberdeen on mischance when Nicol withdrew from the final with severe dehydration from food poisoning.

CAN PALMER CONTROL HIS TEMPER?
The reigning Open champion, Australia’s David Palmer has lost his equilibrium since last year and has allowed his temper to flare again. His route to the quarters is blocked by sixth seed John White, who, on the right day, can destroy any player in the top ten with his incredible array of winners. Belgium’s Stefan Casteleyn would also have been a threat but has had to pull out due to a leg injury, giving Simon Parke of England direct entry into eh main draw. Parka is still trying to recover his form after ankle surgery but has the skill and experience to cause an upset. England’s tough Mark Chaloner has slipped down the rankings and is not seeded: he meets a challenger in the first round and would face either White or Parke but only has a slight chance of beating them.

WILL BEACHILL RISE TO THE OCCASION AGAIN?
Power has a difficult quarter: Paul Price, Ong Beng Hee, and Lee Beachill are all there waiting to take a chunk out of the Canadian, but I think Power will fear Beachill, the fluent Englishman, the most. Beachill rises to the occasion and if they both reach the quarters, they will be playing in Manchester in front of a crowd that will be lusting for Power’s downfall. Beachill loves the big occasion and has beaten Nicol twice, once in the British Open and once in the British Nationals. I forecast this will be one of the great matches of this tournament.

WALKER THE AGING HERO: CAN HE DO IT AGAIN?

Chris Walker... can the Green Magic take him through?

Last year’s hero, Chris Walker will probably meet the 2000 Open champion David Evans in the second round. If Evan’s has finally got over his ankle problems, this should be a good fight, but Evans is a confidence player; if he cannot summon up that match play confidence, Walker’s greater experience will see him through to the quarters and facing Nicol. The fourth quarter is the most interesting: Thierry Lincou, the fourth seed, has to contain the brilliance of young Egyptian Karim Darwish; Anthony Ricketts, who is firing on all sixteen cylinders this year, will almost certainly beat Omar Elborolossy; Stewart Boswell, seeded five, will have an all-Australian tussle with the brilliant Joe Kneipp and Martin Heath will get the better of Graham Ryding. It’s the second round that will produce some great matches in this quarter: when they have sorted themselves out the winner will have to take on Peter Nicol. I really can’t make a forecast here, but if I had to bet, I would put my money on the cool-headed Boswell to make the quarter-finals. And the winner of the who shebang? My fellow Canadian, Jonathon Power.

FOR RICHER, FOR POHRER?
Natalie Pohrer (she will always be Natalie Grainger to me) is going to cause sleepless nights for all the top women. Having watched her stupendous run in the two Egyptian tournaments, where she beat them all at least once, they will take to the court with new respect. Up till now, they knew she would self-implode, through trying to many winners simply because her fitness did not allow her to play each rally to the full length, to the point where the right opportunity arrives to go for the winner. After Egypt, even Sarah Fitz-Gerald will be just a little worried: she has been out for month, so lacking match sharpness and perhaps worrying about her calf injury, she may be just enough off her game for Pohrer to continue her streak, should they both reach the semis.

BREAKTHROUGH FOR BRIND?

Can this be a big fortnight for Stephanie Brind?

Omneya Abdel Kawy, the brilliant 16 year old Egyptian could well beat Rebecca Macree in the first round, but simply hasn’t the strength or experience to present a real challenge to Fitz-Gerald in the second round. There are only two possible surprises in the top half: Stephanie Brind of England and Dutch champion Vanessa Atkinson. Brind, seeded sixth, is progressing slowly but surely and is one of those tough northern players who earns unspectacular success. She has to get past Atkinson to get to Fitz-Gerald and that is more than possible. Atkinson, like Pohrer was a player whose skills outstripped her fitness. If she can bring a real measure of fitness into this tournament, she can create a little mayhem.

GOOD DAY OR BAD DAY FOR OWENS?
The lower half of the draw is lead by Carol Owens, hopefully the chip on her shoulder over her treatment by the Aussie squash authorities (as well as feeling that she was a poor second to Fitz-Gerald) is abating now that she is a full-blow new Zealander with citizenship and sports grant. I can’t see her being fully pushed by anybody in her quarter : Pamela Nimmo, the Scots champion who is still regaining match sharpness,; Nicol David, world junior champion who is still just a little too immature for the big girls’ game: Linda Charman-Smith can never quite get it all together despite having everything needed to take a top title, and Tania Bailey, who will one day carve her name in the top four.

Owens is still a good day/ bad day player when it comes to the big matches and is still, on occasion, capable of loss of focus and concentration. She will need a good day to beat Cassie Campion, the number three seed from England, who has the simplest quarter of the draw and should make the semis without dropping a game. Campion has made steady progress since her back surgery and, at the age of 29, must feel the sands of time running rapidly southwards. With total confidence and minus any pressure – which robbed her of the title in Aberdeen – Campion is one of the three contenders for this year’s Open title. But based on recent performance, the odds must be on Fitz-Gerald to retain the title.

As I write the pre-qualifying events are taking place at Lambs, allowing club players a chance to play in the open. Qualifying proper starts tomorrow (Monday) and the first rounds for both Men and Women are on Wednesday 10th of April Next Friday is moving day as the whole circus relocates to Manchester for the quarter-finals onwards. The finals are on Monday April 15 and I shall be sending daily reports from tomorrow on all the action to keep Squashtalk fans informed.