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Cathay Pacific 2001

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...Howard Harding Press Briefs....

BAD DAY FOR NICOLS & SCOTS IN HONG KONG
The opening day of first round matches in the 2001 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Squash Open - the biggest ever presentation of the event, featuring the world's top men and women players - produced a flurry of upsets, led by the shock exit of England's world champion Peter Nicol, playing in his first event since reclaiming the world No. 1 slot at the beginning of the month.

Nicol, who switched allegiance from Scotland to England earlier this year and is winner of the Hong Kong title for the past two years, was beaten 15-12 5-15 15-12 15-8 in 65 minutes by unseeded Frenchman Thierry Lincou. The world No. 20 from Marseilles will now face another left-hander in Wednesday's second round after England's 14th seed Chris Walker, surprise runner-up in the British Open in June, defeated Dutch qualifier Tommy Berden 14-15 15-10 15-14 15-11 in 58 minutes.

JOHN WHITE FALLS
Sixth seed John White, the former Australian who took up Scottish nationality almost three years ago, also suffered a shock first round defeat. Perhaps still smarting from news of the Commonwealth Games authority's ban on his representing his new country in the 2002 Games in Manchester, White went down 15-13 15-9 15-10 to Finnish qualifier Olli Tuominen in 51 minutes.

White's eighth-seeded compatriot Martin Heath narrowly survived his opening encounter, beating unseeded Canadian Graham Ryding 15-3 12-15 7-15 15-13 15-14 in 72 minutes. There was another Nicol demise in the women's event when Malaysia's twice world junior champion Nicol David tested Australia's senior world champion Carol Owens over 30 minutes, but ultimately yielded 9-5 9-2 9-7 to the No2 seed. England's 15th seed Vicky Botwright, perhaps now better internationally known for her British Open 'thong ban' than for her squash, failed to survive the first round hurdle when she was beaten 9-7 9-6 4-9 10-9 in 48 minutes by 'veteran' Australian Liz Irving, a qualifier.

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