Ricketts Looking Better Than Ever
Mar 17, 2005, by Martin Bronstein in London
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LIVE FROM CANARY WHARF, THURSDAY MARCH 17 2005 [complete draws and results]

Beachill Falls to On-Fire Aussie
The second semi-final was good tough squash but unfortunately for Lee Beachill he wasn’t as tough as Anthony Ricketts who took 3/0 decision in 33 minutes.

There will always be discussions that the players in this sort of invitational tournament are not as committed as they are when there are ranking points involved. Leaving that aspect aside, Ricketts can never be anything other than committed. Since having a mystery knee ailment early last year – it took a rubber-glove full of medics to find out what was wrong – this strong graduate of the Australian Institute of sport has been thankful that he could play again and is making the most of it.

Anthony Ricketts - in control, photo © 2005 Fritz Borchert

He goes on court with one aim in mind – to win and play well. Tonight he played very well, except for one small lapse in the second game committing five errors in a row when going short too soon. He had won the first comfortably and went to a 2-0 lead in the second when the lapse occurred. He recognized is error, he told me later, and said to himself: “Back to basics.” Which he did very well: he started to drive the ball to length and was soon back in the lead. It wasn’t all length as in the first semi-final. Both players tried the angles and Beachill has an unerring instinct for the volley drop. Ricketts too was judicious in his attempt at winners.

Beachill was left looking for most of the night, photo © 2005 Fritz Borchert

Although the match had started with Beachill controlling the T, it was now Ricketts who looked in complete control. He was fit, alert and focused – he went the entire match without talking to the referee or blowing his cool – which must be a first for Ricketts who has a doctorate in anger management from the University Of Los Tempas.

He won the second game 9-7 in 13 minutes and fought back from 5-2 down in the third, making the rallies last as long as possible –because he now says he is fitter than anybody and the longer a rally lasts, the more comfortable he feels. He won his seventh point after a rally that was pure Ricketts – fast, accurate, retrievals all over the court and always on his toes waiting to see what his opponent serves up next.

He won the game 9-6 and was hardly breathing heavily at the end. If he doesn’t beat John White in tomorrow’s final, I shall be very surprised.

ISS CANARY WHARF CLASSIC
SECOND SEMI-FINAL

Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt Lee Beachill (ENG) 9-3, 9-7, 9-6 (34 mins)

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