Simon Parke started out the match moving Peter Nicol up to the backhand front corner. Parke, however, couldn't sustain his momentum or offence this time as he appeared to tire emotionally as the match proceeded. (Photo Ron Beck © 1999)
-- Ron Beck reporting © 1999 SquashTalk.com
Peter Nicol behind terrific home-crowd support, avenged his loss last week in Boston with a win at the British Open today over Simon Parke. Over 900 spectators gathered on a cold, rainy, windswept Saturday afternoon to see Scottish hero Peter Nicol. Peter garnered exceptional press all week and curious Aberdeen locals came out to see what he could do against Britain's finest, Simon Parke.
Simon Parke came out strongly, riding the momentum of his great win in Boston last week and his play in the early rounds of the British Open.
Nicol seemed to falter a bit in the opening moments of todays match. But after that, the match was all Nicol's as he relentlessly moved Simon Parke around the court and wore him out emotionally.
Parke seemed just a little less accurate than a week ago in Boston and just a tiny bit slower. Too, Nicol wasn't going to get into the same trap of producing cross-court shots that Parke could parry for drops to Nicol's backhand. Parke rallied for several great points near the end of the match. But Nicol was too steady and too accurate today.
A great win for Peter Nicol to reach the British Open Final for the third year in succession
Julie Brinklow, World Piping Champions, started off the Peter Nicol and Simon Parke matche. (photo © 1999 SquashTalk)
Peter Nicol was anxious to avoid a repeat of last week's result in Boston. He kept the ball long and straight, and his cross courts were dying in the back corner. (photo © 1999 SquashTalk)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Send comments, ideas, contributions and feedback to the webmaster. © Copyright 1999, all rights reserved. | ||||||||