Peter Nicol was presented with a parting gift from the Tournament of Champions this evening after his semifinal.. photo © 2006 Debra Tessier. more photos

This week may have been his last appearance in Grand Central as a player. In vintage Nicol fashion, appropriately, he went out in a long closely fought contest with upcoming star Gregory Gaultier of France. 

The defeat of former champions Peter Nicol and Jonathon Power – winners of seven titles between them since 1996 - in the quarter-finals of the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions marked the end of an era at Grand Central Terminal in New York when Englishman Nicol announced that his 12th successive appearance in the event since 1993 would be his last.

Fittingly, it was an exquisite display of squash at its best that turned out to be the three-time champion's swan song at the established USA PSA Tour event as he bowed out in five games to rising young Frenchman Gregory Gaultier in the evening’s second quarter-final match.

Feeling fitter and stronger than he has in the past couple of years, Nicol took the first and third games of the match.  Both players were moving well and taking the ball to all corners of the court with precision, depth and width.  Although he lost the second game, there was a point midway through that was vintage Nicol – reaching seemingly irretrievable balls just before they touched down for a second bounce and using the lob to get out of trouble and re-set the point.  When the 32-year-old seventh seed from London finally hit a nick winner, the crowd roared with appreciation and offered a standing ovation for several minutes.

Peter Nicol and Gregory Gaultier were on the best of terms during their tough semifinal match. photo © 2006 Debra Tessier. more photos

“He is crazy the way he gets all those balls,” said a jubilant Gaultier after his 7-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6 victory in 90 minutes.  “He is a great player and I had to play my best, play through the pain of those long points, to win the match,” added the 23-year-old 11th seed.

Both players offered the same post-match assessment:  a great match in which the margin of victory was minute.  “At the end, I knew I had to push the pace,” said Nicol.  “But Gregory was ready for it and hit a couple of great winners that won the match for him.”

Another standing ovation ensued when Tournament Director John Nimick brought Nicol back on court to acknowledge that the match with Gaultier was the Englishman's very last appearance in the championship.  “I will continue to play through the rest of the year,” said the winner of more than 50 major international titles.  "But this is indeed the last time I will be playing in New York City.”  In the 13 years that he has competed in Tournament of Champions, Nicol has won it three times and been runner-up once.

Gaultier’s semi-final opponent will be 25-year-old Nick Matthew, who ousted Canada's four-time title-holder Jonathon Power in another five-game drama in the evening’s third match.  “Even though I didn’t win the first two games, they were so close that I knew I was still in the match,” said the Englishman referring to the tiebreak conclusion to the match’s opening games.

Peter Nicol and Gregory Gaultier engaged in some marathon points. photo © 2006 Debra Tessier. more photos

“I knew that if I could wear away at his confidence bit by bit, that I would have a good chance, and I could sense that was starting to pay off in the fourth game,” said ninth seed Matthew after his 10-11 (0-2), 10-11 (0-2), 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 victory over the second seed.

PERRY ADVANCES

Ireland’s Madeline Perry contributed to the evening’s drama when she fought her way into the women's semi-finals with a 3/2 win over England's Vicky Botwright.  Perry played focused and attacking squash against the second seed.  Her opponent in the last four will be Natalie Grainger, the third seed from the USA who started her match a bit scattered, but then regained her composure to win the next three games.

The top half of the women’s draw will feature a semi-final that pits the 2005 finalists against each other.  England's Linda Elriani, at 34 the senior stateswoman of the women’s tour, proved that experience counts as she dismissed 20-year-old Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy in four games.  Her opponent will be defending champion Vanessa Atkinson, the top seed from the Netherlands who eliminated the new British National champion Tania Bailey 9-7, 10-8, 9-3 in 46 minutes.  [Women's Afternoon Session Coverage]

[Men's Draw] [Womens Draw]   

Tourmanent of Champions, PSA Draw
Grand Central Terminal New York
Quarterfinal results:
WEDNESDAY SESSION:
[11] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) def [7]Peter Nicol (Eng) 7-11 11-4 8-11 11-5 11-6
[9] Nick Matthew (Eng) def [2] Jonathon Power (Can) 10-11(0-2) 10-11(1-3) 11-9 11-9 11-8

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [6] Tania Bailey (ENG)           9-7, 10-8, 9-3 (46m)
[4] Linda Elriani (ENG) bt [5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)        10-8, 2-9, 9-6, 9-4 (55m)
[3] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG)     5-9, 10-8, 9-3, 9-0 (35m)
[8] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [2] Vicky Botwright (ENG)        3-9, 9-4, 9-3, 2-9, 9-4 (42m)

Madeline Perry opened the evening's drama when she fought her way into the women's semi-finals with a 3/2 win over England's Vicky Botwright. photo © 2006 Debra Tessier. more women's quarter photos