Simon Parke Scores Big Upset
Aug 14, 2004, By Martin Bronstein at the
Crucible Theatre in Sheffield England.; SquashTalk Independent News Service © 2004

[draw]

PARKE MARCHES ON

Simon Parke Scored His First Win over Peter Nicol since the 1999 US Open. photo ©2004 Fritz Borchert

Simon Parke demonstrated today the value of some hard training when he not only beat world number one Peter Nicol 3/1 in their semi-final, he actually overwhelmed him in the last three games.

Indeed without being unkind to Nicol, once the first game had finished – which he won 15-10 -the match was virtually over.

Nor do I want to detract from Parke’s fine performance, but in the last three games Nicol failed to compete to his best level; there were many pointS where he didn’t even attempt to run to the ball. He said later that he his stamina was Ok and the motivation was there; I find that hard to believe. When he beat Jonathon Power in the British Open last year, Nicol was totally exhausted for the last three games yet once the rally had started he busted a gut to get to the ball. Today his gut remained in one piece and Simon Parke became a totally unexpected finalist.

You wouldn’t have guessed that in the first game; Nicol was all business and Parke started slowly enough to suggest he was feeling the effects of yesterday’s quarter final. There were long, long rallies and Nicol was dictating the game in his usual fashion. When he led 11-4 things looked dire but Parke managed to shake off that initial uncertainty to stage a mini comeback to get to 8-11. Nicol weathered that and pressed ahead to win 15-10 after 24 minutes.

THE SIGNS WERE IN THE AIR…

The English Open Venue at the Crucible. photo ©2004 Fritz Borchert

There were signs; Very little friendliness between the two players, a lot of contact – unusual when Nicol plays – and Nicol uttering silent curses when he lost a point. He also – uncharacteristically – questioned a penalty stroke when the referee had clearly made the right decision.

The second game was a surprise from the word go: Parke in charge and giving absolutely nothing away, which might have been the beginning of the end for Nicol. Park led 4-1 and then Nicol made four needless errors in a row – he was under no pressure – and then Parke, to rub salt in, served an ace which nicked at the back wall. The score was now 9-2 and when it reached 12-3 Nicol had failed to make an attempt on two fairly simply Parke shots. This is a rare sight from one of the sport’s most competitive players, one who hates to give even half a point away.

Parke made an error on a backhand boast, which gave Nicol a window and he hauled himself up to hit four winners to get to 8-12. Parke hit another backhand boast into the tin (the worst shot in squash!!) to give Nicol another point , but that was all. Parke ran out a 15-9 winner after only 13 minutes.

If we had questions as to what was happening, the answer was there in the third and fourth games. Parke played tough and Nicol had no appetite for the fight. He looked dispirited and tired and when he did go forward to the ball he was hitting simple shots into the tin. Parke, wise old bird, could see what was happening and kept popping in unexpected boasts, realizing that his opponent didn’t like the trip to the front. He won the third game 15-6 and the fourth was virtually a walk through 15-3 in ll minutes.

There were concerns for Nicol’s health but he said there was nothing wrong with his health.

“My stamina and motivation were ok but I was slow in going forward. I was slow yesterday but I managed to win pushing from the back. But Simon was going forward and getting everything and I was unable to compete with him. The first few rallies of the games were hard but he was winning them and then I’d make a couple of mistakes and he’d hit a couple of winners and it was 8-1 and I couldn’t come back. In the next few weeks before Hong Kong I’ve got to practise short sharp movement from the T,” he said, but the usual sparkle was absent from his eye and there will be questions about his preparation for the new season.

Simon Parke said he knew would win when Nicol came out for the third game and was unwilling to compete. He will be happy that he only had to spend an hour on court and will be in prime condition for the tomorrow’s All-Yorkshire final final.

A SORT OF FAMILY AFFAIR
It was bound to an all Yorkshire affair because the other two semi-finalists were also native sons. Not only that, Lee Beachill and James Willstrop both had Malcolm Willstrop as coach and mentor, they also train with each other so it was almost a family affair with Beachill playing the indulgent elder brother to James’ youngster.

They played some nice squash but somehow the match, like the one before, lacked any real excitement. They know each other’s game very well, so there were few surprises. Willstrop was still suffering from the mammoth effort of the quarters when be brought off that stunning win against John White, so that while he gave a good account of himself in the first 21 minute game, which he lost 11-15 and then took the second game 15-12 in 19 minutes, his tank was rapidly emptying.

The third game found him without his usual verve and his legs beginning to fade as he succumbed 15-3 in just 9 minutes. (We should remember that he is still the world junior champion and will remain so until next weekend when his successor will be crowned in Pakistan.)

He made a huge effort in the fourth game and even made a valiant comeback from 11-6 down to get within striking distance at 10-12, but it was obvious that Beachill felt comfortably in charge and stopped the run to take his last three points for the game and the 72 minute match.

Not a great evening nor one that set the pulse racing, but this is, after all, the start of the season. There will be rusty bodies and minds and upsets. But for the final tomorrow Beachill will have to think hard about his elder opponent’s newfound fitness and two decades of experience.

Results, Semi Finals, English Open, Aug 14 2004
SIMON PARKE (ENG) bt PETER NICOL (ENG) 10-15, 15-9, 15-6, 15-3. (69 MINS)
LEE BEACHILL (ENG) bt JAMES WILLSTROP (ENG) 15-11, 12-15, 15-3, 15-10 (72 MINS)

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