Explosive Finish to '03 ... Mens' pros at the outset of New Year... Global Gallery, January 1 2004 Martin Bronstein, the most respected Squash Journalist today, reviews a new book on American Squash. © 2004 All rights reserved. photos © 2004, Suashtalk, D. Tessier,

BORING START ---EXPLOSIVE FINISH

A very happy 2004 to all Squashtalk readers. It will be an interesting year, one of changes brought about by the events of the last month of 2003.

Last year started as a big yawn and continued that way because the men's circuit lacked tournaments and so the rankings stayed virtually the same months after month, while the WISPA scene, somewhat reduced by the retirement of Sarah Fitz-Gerald, lacked excitement, all the players seemingly beset by nerves.

A MEMORABLE WORLD OPEN IN LAHORE
You have all read by now that incredible series of upsets that occurred in the men's world open in Lahore. I cannot remember a tournament with so many eruptions, so many shock upsets and where the semi-finals were played without a top four player present. While we were all surprised by the events in Lahore, there were indications throughout the year. Perhaps we should have an end-of-year report on the players.

THIERRY LINCOU - NEW WORLD NUMBER ONE
If you read the results throughout the year, it would not have been hard to predict this Frenchman's rise up to the top of the heap. Lincou is probably the most prepared player on the circuit, with two trainers advising him on ever aspect of his game. Carefully picking his tournaments, Lincou reached the final or semi-final of almost every one. This made him the most consistent player from the top ten. Lincou has always said that he didn't look for spectacular jumps up the rankings and that his whole PSA career has been one steady upward curve. The only hiccup was a couple of years ago when he broke his hand in a freak gym accident. If this very likeable and personable Dad ( his girl friend gave birth in 2003) can maintain his consistency in 2004, there is no reason why he cannot maintain his number one spot. We can only hope that his success will give French squash a real boost and encourage the bosses to stage some major tournaments.

AMR SHABANA - NEW WORLD CHAMPION
Let's be honest, nobody in their right mind would have bet on this fiery, hugely talented little Egyptian becoming world champion. He gave indications of his ability to last a whole tournament when he won in Seville early last year, but this witty (he is the Egyptian Jonathon Power) Cairo native admits that he can rarely make himself train seriously ("I only party twice a week now") for two weeks in a row. When he did, it produced wonderful results, but then in the US Open he lost badly in the first round and he went into a mental tailspin, that saw him bobble around in the 11-18 rankings.

What happened in Lahore? Luck of the draw was part of it and the similarity in climate to his own country may have been a factor. But by his own words, Shabana 'played fantastic squash.' He knocked out the tough Englishman Bradley Ball in the first round, did the same to Peter Genever in the second round and then brought off one of the shocks of the tournament when he defeated the reigning world champion David Palmer in the third round. True Palmer had a thigh injury but the match went to five and Shabana kept focussed to outlast his ailing opponent.
His victory over Anthony Rickets, the fifth seed, in the quarters was even better. Ricketts was the real comer in 2003 and was carving his way through everybody. He even led the fifth game 14-10, but Shabana can hit wicked winners and he saved five match balls before burying a Ricketts serve into the nick at 16-all to win. Now that's chutzpah. Shabana defeated countryman Karim Darwish in the semis and then - once again against all expectations - beat Lincou in the final. (again taking the final point by smacking a serve into the nick). His victory jumped him up to world number five in the new rankings as well as making him the Egyptian number one. Hey, ho, back to the Pyramids ! (?)

LEE BEACHILL - NEW WORLD NUMBER FOUR.
This somewhat enigmatic lanky Englishman is now where we all though he should have been a year ago. But he always seemed to have some sort of bug or injury. A defeat by Gregory Gaultier in the World Team Champs did his confidence no good at all and there were predictions that he would not recover from England's shock defeat by France. But recover he did in Qatar where he beat Nicol in three and the beat White in the final He lost to Joe Kneipp in the quarters in Lahore, but his late-year streak of form has elevated him to the top four.

PETER NICOL: END OF A DISTINUISHED ERA?
All year Peter Nicol has not only looked vulnerable, but his results have indicated that his body has had enough. He lost to John White in Qatar, Karem Darwish in Seville, Anthony Ricketts in the first round of his own English Open, David Palmer in the British Open, Omar Elborolossy in Toronto, Lee Beachill in Qatar and Davide Bianchetti in Lahore. There were ankle problems, viruses and stomach bugs contributing to his defeats, but after well over 120 tournaments in 12 years, his body has had enough. However, never count Peter out. He has huge reserves of guts and determination. And if he regains his number one spot, don't be surprised.

JOE KNEIPP - NEW WORLD TOP TENNER.
Joe had some lousy results this year: he told me he was not enjoying his squash and that his brother Dan, who has been acting as his manager, mentor and slave-driver, was returning to Australia to continue his university studies. (His reports for Squashtalk suggest that he could well become Australia's first travelling squash writer).

There were all the signs that Joe, now 30, was about to depart squash for new pursuits. What did he eat in Lahore? He knocked out Liam Kenny, Alex Gough and then provided on the of major shocks of the tournament when he beat world number two John White in straight games. Yes! straight games! Kneipp followed this up by beating the on-form Lee Beachill in the quarters before bowing out to Lincou in the semis. But it was a dazzling run that put Kneipp into the top ten for the first time ever. Has he found a new seam of excitement in squash? I hope so.

NICK MATTHEW - THE DARKEST OF DARK HORSES
This time last year, Matthew was ranked 28 in the world. He starts 2004 in 11th spot, pretty good progress by anybody's standards. While England looked up to Lee Beachill and James Willstrop for future hopes, Matthew was almost forgotten. But 2003 saw him lose his image as a hacker and in beating Joe Kneipp in the US Open, showed a mature squash brain and a potent mixture of offence and defence. One to keep an eye on.

JAMES WILLSTROP -FUTURE DOMINATOR
If there is one player with number one/world champion written all over him, it has to be the new world number 18. Willstrop's rapid progress was predictable: two years ago he was ranked 85. Last January he up to 42 (not bad for the new world junior champion) and now he's in the top 20 and ready to start knocking on the door of the top ten. He gets stronger by the minute and is afraid of no-one. If he gets the luck of the draws and keeps his level-headedness, I expect to see this affable Englishman in the top six at this point next year.

DAVIDE BIANCHETTI - NEW ITALIAN STALLION
Absolutely maddening, this tall Brescia native. A fabulous player with strokes, movement, anticipation. Each time I see him play I ask the same question - why isn't he in the top ten? Sometime his brain goes walkabout: was considered the master of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. But now I hear he is being trained by Hesham El Attar, Ahmed Barada's former coach, who has chosen Milan as his base for the last decade. Obviously Hesham is getting Bianchetti on the right track. His victory over Nicol in Lahore will stand as the highlight of his career. But it was third round victory over the tough Frenchman Gregory Gaultier that showed what Bianchetti is capable of; A solid five game win over a healthy player ranked 25 places above him. Now he is at his highest-ever ranking at 27, the point where, with a few drop outs, he won't have to go through qualifying.

….AND NOW THE DOWNWARDLY MOBILE.

JONATHON POWER capped a miserable year (two eye injuries) with a broken hand that put him out of both Qatar and Lahore, two of the biggest tournaments of the year. He has dropped to seventh place and will need to put in a month of solid training once the cast comes off his left arm. As he always says, if his body is in good shape, he wins. We shall have to wait for the Tournament of Champions in late February to see if he still has the desire.

ONG BENG HEE has dropped out of the top ten (13) and after two fairly miserable years, has left the Neil Harvey training camp to move 80 miles west to Reading which the Aussies have made their England base for 20 years. Some observers have said that Harvey's approach toughened the young Malaysian, but it took away his flair. Now he will be training with the likes of Ricketts and Dan Jenson, we shall be watching him closely to see if that smile comes back on his face.

MARTIN HEATH has dropped from 12th to 24th. Unlike Lincou, Heath has always looked inwards for guidance and has never been associated with a coach. He has a degree in sports sciences and has always felt he knew what was best for him. He is also more interested in exploring the world than being totally focussed on the little black ball in the white room.

SIMON PARKE, one of the finest players produced by England in the last 20 years starts 2004 at number 30. He has lasted well considering he has played top class squash for at least 18 years. He has given wonderful service to England as both junior and senior. I am sad that I won't be able to see him in the top tournaments as much as before.

( ALSO READ MY WISPA END-OF-YEAR REPORT ....)