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Power gets Passionate Win over Palmer
Ricketts falls short against John White
By Martin Bronstein © 2003; all rights of reproduction reserved.
August 15, 2003 

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Power managed Palmer today (photo © 2003 Fritz Borchert)

ONE IN THE EYE FOR PALMER
The last time Jonathon Power and David Palmer played, Power left the court with a potentially dangerous eye injury caused by Palmer's racket. It was an accident of course, but it put the Canadian out in the semis and he lost valuable ranking points - part of his descent down to number four in the rankings.
That was eight months ago and tonight there were scores to be settled - in the nicest possible way of course. Neither of them had been very active on the court recently: Palmer has played one tournament in five months and Power has not played for at least three months. So there were no form indicators to the probable outcome, although both had looked good in preceding rounds.

Power started in his usual confident style, dominating play with his drops and changes of pace. At 10-5 it looked as though this would be a walk-through but Palmer settled down to pull back from 13-6 to 13-9. Power stopped this run with a 31ft backhand drop, the sort of shot that takes the heart out of an opponent. The next point was decided with both players on the floor: Power had played a fine forehand drop and Palmer charged to the front taking Power with him in some truly unnecessary pushing. The result was they both ended up horizontal with Palmer appealing for a let. This was quite rightly denied and Power had the first game 15-9 after 21 minutes.

SCREAMS OF FRUSTRATION

Palmer fell short against the highly focused Power (photo © 2003 Fritz Borchert)

The second game started with the referee warning Palmer about unnecessary contact. The game produced some fine all-over rallies, each player testing the other with tight drops and soaring lobs. Palmer took the upper hand to lead 7-4 when Power produced a series of scintillating shots for a five point run to lead 8-7. It was Palmer's turn to break the streak and they went point for point right up to 14-all.
Power showed an intensity that is rarely seen; not just his exchanges with the referee, but his screams of frustration at himself when missing a shot or making an error. It was in these small moment that he revealed just how much he wanted this victory.
Power got to 14 first, Palmer pulled level with a tight ball on the left wall and once more Power called no set. Palmer hit a forehand cross- court when Power was expecting something else. He managed to dive to his left but the width was too good and Palmer had the game 15-14 and the match was tied.

BAD START, GREAT FINISH
Power started the third listlessly and was soon 3-0 down but then got into a rhythm that Palmer could not break and the shortest game of the match 14 minutes was soon Power's 15-6.
At 2/1 down Palmer knew he had to crank up his game and although he trailed most of the game, he kept pushing as was evident by the increasing number of contacts and appeals. At 10-6 Power seemed all set for a victory but Palmer managed to take control and there were an increasing number of Power dives to get to Palmer's well placed shots. Palmer gradually pulled up to trail by just one point 11-12 and was then penalised a stroke to take the pressure of Power. They both produced fine backhand drops to put Power at match point. Power - who seems not to have a nerve in his body - then caressed a drop to the right front corner and it was simply too good for Palmer who failed to pick it up. Power was through after 93 minutes of very hard graft, which, he said, he enjoyed.
"He's stronger than me, but I like a physical war. I like drama, in case you hadn't noticed, " he quipped
after admitting he wanted the victory badly. He also explained why he has so many territorial problems when he plays Palmer:
"He doesn't let me go to the front, he moves in my line and doesn't allow me to take my positions at the front, which is an important part of my game. It is there that I either drop or drive to the back," he explained.

WHITE WINS DESPITE HIS GOOD NATURE

Ricketts stalks White (photo © 2003 Fritz Borchert)

Anthony Ricketts found John White quite a different challenge from peter Nicol. Whether it was because he was still suffering from his marathon match yesterday or whether he could only play as well as White allowed him, is a debatable point. By his body language and the set of his shoulders, Ricketts was not the same player as yesterday. He was not as determined; my guess is that all his energy was focussed on getting his first-ever victory over Nicol and today was too much of an anti-climax for his to summon up all his mental reserves. Throughout the match the frustration head-clutching showed that he did not have the same control over his emotions as he did yesterday.
But let us not detract from the pure golden talent that lies in White's right hand. Despite having seen him play dozens of times, I still find my jaw dropping at his cracking straight nicks and muttering 'Damn me!' to myself as he stop volleys yet another ball with quite incredible accuracy. Faced with this sort of skill and attack, there is not a great deal his opponents can do. Slowing him down is one ploy and keeping it tight is another. But when you are under the sort of pressure that White can whip up, those two options are much easier said than done.
The Bronstein Watershed Moment in this first game came early: rather than at 10-all; it was 8-8 and then it was all White to win 15-9 in just under 20 minutes.

LEG KNITTING
They started to entangle legs around the T in the second and after one particularly bad one which left Ricketts on the floor, White stood quite still in pain; this was worrying as he has had problems with those long spindly legs of his before. But he recovered and fromd 7-all moved away from Ricketts with the straight nicks on both sides of the court leaving his opponent helpless. White's deception is also very good and sometimes a ball goes flying with seemingly to swing at all, just a solid flick of the wrist. He won the game 15-12, but this was not gripping squash.

RACKETS REPLACE REFEREES
The third game got scrappy - a kind adjective - as the appeals increased. Ricketts does not call for a let, he calls "STROKE" and as he saw the inevitable outcome of this match looming he became more agitated. It is always a shame to see two fine players embroiled in lets, appeals and repartee and the referee must take some blame for not putting a stop to the larking about early on. With Ricketts leading 7-6, there was discussion that seemed endless. White spun his racket , looked at the heel and said: "It's a let."
They were tied at 11-all - Ricketts catching up with the help of three White errors. And then at game and match ball at 41-13 he hit a wonderful straight nick. Ricketts immediately said the ball was down. More long discussion and Ricketts was so insistent that White called it down, virtually giving his opponent the point and making the score 14-all. And then lost the game with a forehand boast into the tin. Nice guys finish last? Well not this time and White was confident enough to make that gesture and he demonstrated this by running away in the four to win 15-8, the final point found Ricketts on his knees after trying to pick up yet another wonderful White backhand drop. Very symbolic.

A White/Power final will never be dull. Roll on Sunday afternoon.

PRINCE ENGLISH OPEN
Semi-finals:
[3] John White (SCO)bt [5]Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 15-9, 15-12.14-15, 15-8. (82 mins)
[4]Jonathon Power (CAN) bt David Palmer (AUS) 15-9, 14-15, 15-6, 15-12 (93mins)

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