Nicol, Power join qualifiers

Ricketts and Boswell in semifinals.

1.9.00. FROM COLIN McQUILLAN IN HONG KONG

ONE SWOLLEN TONGUE
Hong Kong Talking 1.9.00. Canada's Jonathon Power survived a torrid 66 minute 15-10 11-15 10-15 15-8 15-12 quarter-final challenge from John White of Scotland today in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Squash Championship, and left the court for hospital treatment on a hugely swollen left thumb that he he feared was broken or at least dislocated.

"This tournament is driving me crazy," he said as he left the Hong Kong Squash Centre for treatment. "It is my favourite tournament in the world and I am having nothing but problems getting to play in it."

The Toronto 26-year-old strained a knee in the Al Ahram semi-finals and feared that would stop him from starting in the Hong Kong event….in the event it cleared up and he has moved confidently on it since day one here. The thumb was hurt when he fell on it scrambling to retrieve a JohnWhite drive when 6-8 down in the fourth game of their quarter-final.

TACTICAL FOCUS
"I banged my free hand on the floor as I was trying to turn to strike the ball with my racket hand," he explained. "It hurt so much it made me concentrate on a match that was actually out of my control. The thumb was too painful to allow me to touch John when trying for lets, so I had to concentrate on keeping the rallies going until I could kill the ball or get an error out of John…Just what I should have been doing all along."

Latest report tonight was that it was a strain that should not keep him from playing the semi-final tomorrow….so no surprise there then.

PARKE AND JOHNSON OUSTED
But surprises everywhere else on quarter-finals day in Hong Kong. For the first time in the history of the PSA World Tour two qualifiers, both of them Australian and room-mates at that, have broken into the main draw of a major event to reach the semi-finals.

Stewart Boswell, a 22-year-old from Canberra ranked 26 in the world, defeated the sixth seed, Paul Johnson of England, 15-10 15-13 15-8 in a 56 minute quarter-final, while Anthony Ricketts, a 21-year-old from Sydney ranked 44, defeated Simon Parke, the England number one and fourth seed, 15-11 15-11 15-9 in 40 minutes.

MARTIN'S PROTEGES
The victories take the Australian tyros, who were coached between games by former world champion Rodney Martin, to semi-finals against the two top players in the professional game; Boswell against world champion Peter Nicol and Ricketts against Power. On a cool ball-hugging court which suited adventurous winner-takes-all play, neither of the top seeds advanced with the same comfort as the record-breaking qualifiers.

Nicol needed 76 minutes to shake off a determined early challenge from Mark Chaloner 16-17 17-15 15-10 15-11, while Power was in danger from John White until the last few rallies of their quarter-final and Ricketts simply blew Parke away. "I have been telling people for two years that these guys were coming," said Rodney Martin with evident delight. "Now it has finally come. On a court that needed to be treated with controlled aggression, these young players have pushed the ranked players of the day aside."

continued next column ---->

• Second round Report 7-31 (Squashtalk)
• Power looks strong 7-31 (SCMP)
• First Round II Report 7-30 (Squashtalk)
• First round, first half 7-30 (Squashtalk)
• Nicol confident 7-29 (SCMP)
• Barada relaxed, ready 7-29 (SCMP)
• Power confirms Cathay entry 7-28
• Power and Barada at loggerheads 7-25

Power and Hill in Action (© 2000 Squashtalk file photo, Vaughn Winchell)

The last single qualifier to reach a major semi-final was the same Australian born England based and Scotland registered John White who, as the 13th seed in this event, gave Power so much angst. He won the 1998 Flanders Open from the preliminary rounds, and here he was another player to realise that the Hong Kong showcourt is merciless to old-fashioned ralliers of the ball but wonderfully rewarding to the willing risk-taker. Perhaps the biggest hitter in the modern game, the tall fearless former Queenslander was able to kill the ball short on his hardest drives and back it with a pattern of movement that amazed even Power. Leading 12-11 in the fifth game, White was unlucky in getting only a let-call from the referee, India's Yogendra Singh, when hovering behind Power in the top right corner of the court with the ball hidden in a dropshot behind his unmoving opponent. "That could have turned the screw," White said. "I will never be closer without winning." Power admitted he just could not get his usual control of the match. "I was chasing his shots all over the place and I couldn't find a place on the court he could not reach." Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Squash Championship

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Squash Championship

Quarter-final Results:
Peter Nicol (Scot) bt Mark Chaloner (Eng) 16-17 17-15 15-10 15-11
Stewart Boswell (Aus) bt Paul Johnson (Eng) 15-10 15-13 15-8
Anthony Ricketts (Aus) bt Simon Parke (Eng) 15-11 15-11 15-9
Jonathon Power (Can) bt John White (Scot) 15-10 11-15 10-15 15-8 15-12

Second Round Results:
Peter Nicol (Scot) bt Alex Gough (Wal) 15-6 12-15 15-8 15-7
Mark Chaloner (Eng) bt Martin Heath (Scot) 15-9 11-15 17-15 15-5
Stewart Boswell (Aus) bt Ahmed Barada (Egy) 15-9 15-5 7-1 ret.sick
Paul Johnson (Eng) bt Ong Beng Hee (Mal) 15-12 14-17 15-12 15-14
Anthony Ricketts (Aus) bt Del Harris (Eng) 5-15 6-15 15-11 15-4 15-7
Simon Parke (Eng) bt Peter Marshall (Eng) 15-8 17-15 15-8
John White (Scot) bt Anthony Hill (Aus) 15-9 15-5 15-9
Jonathon Power (Can)bt David Palmer (Aus) 15-12 15-4 15-3

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Squash Championship First Round Results -second half
Anthony Ricketts (Aus) bt David Evans (Wal) 15-10 15-5 15-5
Del Harris (Eng) bt Amjad Khan (Pak) 15-9 15-11 15-10
Peter Marshall (Eng) bt Nick taylor (Eng) 7-15 15-12 17-14 15-10
Simon Parke (Eng) bt Dan Jenson (Aus) 15-8 15-8 15-12
John White (Sco) bt Rodney Eyles (Aus) 5-15 15-7 15-9 15-9
Anthony Hill (Aus) bt Derek Ryan (Ire) 17-16 15-11 15-10
David Palmer (Aus) bt Billy Hadddrell (Aus) 15-5 15-9 15-8
Jonathon Power (Can) bt Faheem Khan (HK) 15-1 15-11 15-6

First Round Results - first half
Peter Nicol (Scot) bt Joe Kneipp (Aus) 12-15 15-6 15-7 15-5
Alex Gough (Wal) bt Amr Shabana (Egy) 17-14 15-11 15-8
Martin Heath (Scot) bt Omar El Borolossy (Egy) 15-9 15-10 15-10
Mark Chaloner (Eng) bt Shamsul Islam Khan (Pak) 15-10 15-10 15-4
Ahmed Barada (Egy) bt Stefan Casteleyn (Bel) 15-9 15-11 13-15 15-10
Stewart Boswell (Aus) bt Graham Ryding (Can) 17-14 12-15 15-17 15-3 15-3
Paul Johnson (Eng) bt John Williams (Aus) 15-11 15-4 15-8
Ong Beng Hee (Mal) bt Thierry Lincou (Fra) 7-15 15-9 7-15 15-11 15-7

• Golestan Radwan: Egypt
• Tomas Barva, Czech Republic
• David Blick, Alaska USA
• Kim Tunney: Midwest USA
• Andre Maur: Atlanta USA
• Paul Ansdell: Massachusetts USA
  

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