SquashTalk > British Open 2002 Squash Website > 2002 British Open Quarters, Final Report

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VANESSA GETS BIG BREAKTHROUGH
Manchester April 13 2002 © 2002 SquashTalk.
Photos special to SquashTalk by Fritz Borchert, © 2002

Dutch Courage Prevails

Fiona Geaves was left at the mercy of Vanessa's ups and downs. (photo Fritz Borchert © 2002)

Aanvalle Vanessa! (photo Fritz Borchert © 2002)

The evening session opened with Vanessa Atkinson trying to continue her run after her important victory over Natalie Pohrer in the second round.

This time she faced the England veteran 34-year-old Fiona Geaves who has been enjoying a resurgance of late and is back up to number seven in the rankings. And she acted like it by taking the first game 9-2 in six minutes from a very nervous Atkinson.

Once into the second game the Dutch champion settled down very well indeed matching length with length and boast with boast — both players used the boast superbly to earn valuable points — and from 4-4 controlled the game to win 9-4.

She kept the impetus going to take the third 9-3 in just eight minutes. Atkinson looked all set to reach her first ever British Open semi-final but then she started thinking too hard.

“In the fourth game I just kept thinking of reaching the semis and what it would mean. I was trying to end the rallies early,” she told SquashTalk later.

The result was predictable as Geaves fought point for until 7-7 when they had a great, long rally that covered the court a dozen time. Geaves won it and then added insult to injury by taking game point by hitting the ball in the nick.

So it was tied 2-2 but the young legs soon showed the advantage of youth, and training under Liz Irving, and Atkinson was slotting in the winners at just the right time. She reached 8-1 in very short order, Geaves gave a last gasp effort to produce a rally of wonderful gets and court coverage to save match ball, but then Atkinson made sure on the second match ball to make history for herself. After comforting her weepy grandmother, Atkinson said she thought her game was scrappy and she didn’t feel comfortable at all; probably nerves.

LINCOU SHOWS HIS STRENGTH
The second match had world number four Thierry Lincou facing Martin Heath, the Scot who had knocked out Stewart Boswell — certainly his best win this year. Heath had been saying he was in the sort of form that could win the title, but in the final analysis, he simply did not have the legs to stand the pace of the very well trained Frenchman, who has two coaches as well as a nutritionist.

Thierry Lincou Repulsed Heath's Challenge ( © 2002 Fritz Borchert)

It was probably the best match of the day in the sense that it gripped the spectator because the players were well matched. The first game was close and even though Lincou won it 15-13, it gave no indication of superiority

But when Lincou suddenly showered Heath with gifts in the form of eight errors in the second game, it appeared that the occasion had gotten to him. Heath cleaned up to win 15-11 to tie the match but any positive thoughts were soon dashed by Lincou in the third as the Man from Marseilles (where he studies) cleaned up his act and simply dominated Heath with his pressure, precision and court coverage. 15-7 to Lincou in nine minutes.

Heath staged a comeback in the fourth to lead 9-6 but it was Lincou who had the last laugh taking eight points in a row as Heath began to look more and more ragged. He saved a couple of match balls but it was always going to be Lincou who would fight another day.

“ I was very, very happy with my game. I knew he would try to move me around and I was ready for that. But I think I was more dangerous at the front. He worked me in the second and I was getting lazy trying to finish the rallies too quickly,” said Lincou who must now gird himself for the semi-final against the man he beat in the first round in Hong Kong, Peter Nicol.

ALL-ENGLAND DERBY

No Magic Left for Chris Walker against #1 Peter Nicol (photo Fritz Borchert © 2002)

Nicol and the veteran Chris Walker are both believers in a herbal potion called Green Magic. Indeed Nicol has green flashes on his kit and the words Green magic on his shirt.

Walker said he would swallow twice as much as Nicol before the match. It didn’t work.

Nicol was taking the ball early, and rarely let the ball hit the back wall. Walker, last year’s surprise finalist, could not match the world champion, although he did keep him on court for 45 minutes before Nicol w0n 15-8, 15-11, 15-8.

The final match was another non-surprise as Sarah Fitz-Gerald despatched Jenny Tranfield in 23 minutes for the loss of seven points. Fitz started nervously to go 0-4 down but soon hit her stride to win 9-5 and then dominate for the next 12 minutes to win 9-1 9-1. Tranfield was happier with her performance than the last time they met in the World Open in Edinburgh, when she got cut to pieces.

“This time I could stand the pace and I was in the rallies more. I just have to raise my fitness standard which I am doing by more training periods, rather than playing in tournaments.”

RESULTS, Quarterfinals 2002 British Open

Men's [view men's draw]

Evening:
[1] Peter Nicol (Eng) beat [8] Chris Walker (Eng) 15-8, 15-11, 15-8 45m
[4] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt Martin Heath (Sco) 15-13, 11-15, 15-7, 15-10 60m

Day:
[3] Jonathon Power (Can) bt Lee Beachill (Eng) 15-8, 15-10, 15-10 65m
[6] John White (Sco) bt Alex Gough (Wal) 15-13, 15-8, 15-9 70m

Women's [view women's draw]

Evening:
[1] Sarah Fitz-Gerald (Aus) bt Jenny Tranfield (Eng) 9-5, 9-1, 9-1 27m
[9] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) bt [4] Fiona Geaves (Eng) 2-9, 9-4, 9-3, 7-9, 9-1 45m

Day:
[15] Tania Bailey (Eng) bt [2] Carol Owens (Nzl) 9-2, 9-7, 9-2 33m
[3] Cassie Campion (Eng) bt [7] Rachael Grinham (Aus) 9-4, 10-8, 9-4 49m