Parke, Heath and Johnson fall in early play Thursday

10.12.00 Birmingham, SquashTalk News by M Bronstein

[also: current day two men's womens]

THE BRITISH OPEN AT THE NATIONAL INDOOR ARENA IN BIRMINGHAM. 6:30 hrs PM GMT

SHOCKS APLENTY IN SECOND ROUND: PARKE, HEATH AND JOHNSON ARE OUT.
Joe Kneipp, the world number 23 form Australia, claimed the second biggest scalp of his career when he made a sensation comeback from 0/2 to beat world number 6 Martin Heath, the Scot who might have been thinking he had a real chance at the British Open title after the withdrawal of fellow Scot Peter Nicol.

Back in February this year Kneipp, an articulate, laid, back 27 year old from Brisbane, had a shock win over Jonathon Power, knocking him out of the Esso Open. "I went in to Antwerp feeling confident after a couple of good wins before that tournament, but just because I was playing well in February and March doesn't mean I will be playing well in October," Kneipp told Squashtalk immediately after knocking out Martin Heath.

TIRED AFTER THREE RALLIES.
He admitted that he was far more nervous yesterday when he played Anthony Hill. "I knew Hilly wasn't in good shape, so the match was mine to lose and I was very nervous because of that. I was glad to get that over with and so today I went on against Heath very relaxed. But after three points I felt tired and no professional should feel tired that quickly. I felt a needed a rest for a few points. But the first two games were nothing. Martin was playing very well but he didn't have anyone to play. I was tired, played it loose and he killed me," Kneipp recalled explaining the 15-4, 15-3 scoreline.

Before the third game pride took over and Kneipp was adamant that it would not be a repeat of the first two. "When I got tired I hadn't pushed through, but in the third I was determined to give it everything or die trying. Once I'd gone through some long rallies I felt better, but by the end of the fourth I was really tired and didn't think I could win the fifth. I didn't think I would win until I was 12-8 up in the last game. I think Martin got frustrated when I straightened up my game." Kneipp's determination paid off and he took the last three games 15-9, 15-13, 15-8.

KNEIPP FOR THE TITLE?
Did he fancy his chances for the title with Nicol and Heath gone? "Yes, any professional must fancy his chances in this position. I've beaten Power and Heath, but never beaten Barada or Parke. Parke is tough, very tough, but if I'm playing my best, I can beat him," Kneipp said, not knowing that an hour later Parke would have gone through the same exit door as Heath.

WHAT PRICE PARKE? NIX
This was surely Simon Parke's best ever chance at the British Open title but nobody thought about Paul Price, the Australian who got up into the top and then slid down due to a leg injury. But Price is back, and how! They met in the second round on the scintillating new glass court, and Price rose to the occasion magnificently.

He strode the court like he owned the world and from the word go, started slotting in the winners, especially his unerring forehand straight nick. He went four up when Parke realised that unless he started volleying, Price would pick him off like a fly, taking the loose balls and just burying them.

The point is, Parke was not playing badly, but Price was- in the words of Joe Kneipps who will meet him in the quarter-finals - 'awesome, absolutely awesome' and for once that overused adjective was deserved. Parke was far from outplayed - the score was a consistent 15-11 for all three games - he was simply not fast enough to pick every Price drop and failed to read Price's backhand cross court smash. And in each of the three games when Price took a three point lead around the 10 point stage, Parke lost his confidence. Parke admitted later that he was outplayed at the front of the court and could do nothing to change the pattern of play.

CHALONER IS BACK
Mark Chaloner has a history in common with Paul Price: a charge up the rankings into the top ten three years ago and then two knee operations knocked him all the way down. He too is on his way back and was seeded 16 for this tournament. He knocked out the sixth seed Paul Johnson in a one hour 48 minute match, which means his knee is mended and Chaloner can look confidently forward to a return to the top ten. Although he lost the first two games, with the advice of his coach John Milton, he kept mixing up the pace,which Johnson, who can rally all day, doesn't like. And to tip the scales, Chaloner has just a couple of kill shots more than Johnson. His win makes him the last England player left in the tournament, an unexpected turn of events.

RESULTS WOMEN SECOND ROUND RESULTS
Leilani Joyce (NZ) bt Cheryl Beaumont (Eng) 9-0, 9-3, 9-0.
Carol Owens (Aus) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 9-3, 9-0, 9-4.
Linda Charman (Eng) bt Rachael Grinham (Aus) 9-1, 5-9, 9-7, 4-9, 9-3
. Suzanne Horner (Eng) bt Stephanie Brind ( (Eng) 9-2, 9-2, 6-9, 9-3.
Fiona Geaves (Eng) bt Pamela Nimmo (Sco) 9-5, 9-4, 9-2

MEN SECOND ROUND
Alex Gough (Wal) bt Omar El Borolossy (Egy)17-15, 17-15, 12-15, 17-14.
Mark Chaloner (Eng) bt Paul Johnson (Eng) 12-15, 11-15, 15-7, 15-13, 15-6.
Joseph Kneipp (Aus) bt Martin Heath (Sco) 4-15, 3-15, 15-9, 15-13, 15-8.
Paul Price (Aus) bt Simon Parke (Eng) 15-11, 15-11, 15-11.