PALMER AND NICOL LEAVE BROADGATE WINLESS  [Draw/Results]

Anthony Ricketts charged into the Superseries Finals semis with a victory over James Willstrop. (photo © 2006 Fritz Borchert.)

FINAL POOL MATCHES, OR, THE ART OF MATHEMATICAL CAPITULATION.

Ricketts advanced at the expense of Willstrop. (photo © 2006 Fritz Borchert.)

While yesterday's matches were all hard fought battles going over the 60 minute mark, today at the Broadgate Arena you could almost hear the click of calculators as the ifs and buts of winning, losing and margins were calculated.

When the evening had come to a close it was obvious that the losers were those players who had competed in both Liverpool and this tournament. David Palmer had played seven matches in as many days before tonight. His battles were at the highest level with a stress factor to match and he suffered for it, as did Nick Matthew. Liverpool winner Thierry Lincou has done well, but he suffered his first loss ever to Amr Shabana on Monday night. Shabana had given Liverpool a miss and his performance in all three matches showed that it was a wise decision.

The evening started with David Palmer and Lincou playing each other, with Sunday's defeat still fresh in Palmer's mind. He led the first game 6-5 but went on to lose 11-6 and then virtually throw the second game away 11-2 in under seven minutes. Some of the decisions were inexplicable and this served to rile him. But the reality was that he had lost both of his pool matches and was eliminated except for a small mathematical chance. As soon as he lost that first game that mathematical lifeline was eliminated and he was out. Why the hell should he bust a gut to win?

Lincou outpointed a tired Palmer. (photo © 2006 Fritz Borchert.)

Strangely, he won the third game despite throwing points around the halfway mark. He seemed to waiver between wanting to put up a fight and wanting to get the next plane home to Australia. When he won the third after a tie-break, the thought occurred that he might like to do to Lincou what the Frenchman had done to him in Liverpool — come back from a two-game deficit and win.

But although he won the first two points of the fourth game, it was soon very apparent that he really, truly, deeply had no interest in contesting a dead match and so points were decided in three-shot rallies — all in favour of Lincou who won the game 11-2 in four minutes and 27 seconds. You can?t really blame Palmer; if there is blame it should stand on the shoulders of the PSA who allowed this butting up of tournaments to occur.

Next up was Lee Beachill, who had played in Liverpool but went out in the semis so he at least had a day's rest. His match with Peter Nicol was another non-event because Nicol had lost both of his matches and had no chance of reaching the knockout stage.

Psychologically Nicol was flat broke; he had spent it all and maxed out his mental plastic in the Commonwealth Games. He had built his training for a year and put everything he had on winning that Gold medal. When that mission had been accomplished, I believe everything else become of no importance.

Beachill had too much in the tank for Nicol. (photo © 2006 Fritz Borchert.)

It was fairly interesting in the first game, especially when Nicol hit three winners to go 7-4 , but then a few errors crept in and Beachill, who seemed to be enjoying a hit with a mate down the squash club, took control to win the game 11-7 in nine minutes.

But then strangely Nicol got off to a good start in the second game and ran away with it 11-3, with Beachill not looking too bothered and from about 3-7 deciding not to chase it, knowing he had things under control. A more cynical reporter might say that the second game was a charitable act by Beachill or that he felt the packed gallery should get their money's worth. Anyway, Nicol won the game in just over five minutes.

The third and fourth game had some wonderful rallies with Nicol showing flashes of his surprising racket work but there was no suspense, we all knew Beachill would win and his smiling demeanour and less than serious discussions with the referee helped to make this and the fourth game a warm send-off for Nicol.

After Beachill hit the winning shot to win the fourth 9-7. The audience stood and applauded for two solid minutes and we all recognized that this was for Peter Nicol, in recognition of his enormous contribution to the sport and that this was his final appearance in a Super Series Finals. Beachill was generous in his praise telling the audience that Nicol was admired not only for his on-court performances but the way he conducted himself on and off the court. And we all say 'Hear, Hear' to that.

Anthony Ricketts, who had not been in Liverpool then faced James Willstrop, another tired player, who although he could still summon up patches of his brilliant court strategy, trick shots and merciless attack, could not live with the power and determination of Ricketts — not to mention the fresh legs. This was, nevertheless great squash to watch and there were some explosive exchanges all over the court. Ricketts led 7-4 when Willstrop hit a purple patch: a volley drop an inch above the tin, a backhand drive, a tight forehand drive and then an even tighter forehand drive to lead 8-7. Not flashy shots, but shots so good that even someone of Ricketts stature could not rad them or get them back. Then followed a long rally with both players straining every sinew to get to every ball. That Ricketts won it was significant. He got to game ball on a Willstrop error and then got the game point with another Willstrop backhand drop into the tin.

Shabana was a whirlwind again against Matthew. (photo © 2006 Fritz Borchert.)

Willstrop came out for the second having injected his racket with magic. Goodbye Mr. Ricketts! He ran off eight points in a row in a streak that demonstrated quite clearly why Willstrop will one day very soon be the indisputed world number one. Indeed Ricketts' first point came through a Willstrop error. He only got two more points as Willstrop scythed his way through to victory, 11-3 in just over seven minutes. Wow!

Ricketts won the first point of the third game and was never headed and Willstrop's waning energies were becoming obvious; he would no longer follow a boast to the front and he looked tired. Ricketts was his usual focused intense self and gave no quarter. He committed just two errors in this came and despite the fact he was ahead, he still cussed with annoyance. He won the game (was there ever any doubt?) 11-7 and then took the fourth 11-6 to end the 50 minute match.

It was good entertainment but there was never any doubt about the outcome.

And so to Shabana's destruction of Nick Matthew and Matthew's near destruction of his own reputation. According the mathematicians near me, if Matthew won 3/0, or 3/1, he would go through to the semis with Lincou. So there was something at stake. Had there been a bookmaker around, I would have bet my house on that not happening.

Matthew, like Palmer, Nicol and Willstrop, was tired and in need of a vacation or a convalescent home. Shabana, the married man with a child and responsibilities now, was in no mood for charity and hit a series of shots into the nick as though the nick was as big as the Grand Canyon. It really is quite strange, the way this man can find a nick while other players cannot. He was 5-0 up before Matthew knew what hit him and kindly hit four errors to help that nice Egyptian gentleman win 11-4 in seven minutes and 41 seconds.

The second game was longer and Matthew was a little more focused and although he was level at 5-5, he could do nothing but watch as Shabana hit long backhand drops for winners. This ability to hit winners and finish a rally is valuable and after watching Shabana, you think : 'Why doesn't everybody do this.'

Shabana's fire was too sharp for Matthew's response. (photo © 2006 Fritz Borchert.)

Shabana is fast and dives about without care for his knees or body. His drops are soft and he and Matthew had some eye-popping dropping duels, each drop shot softer than the one before and then Shabana would go 'Bang!' and slam the ball up the court to win the point. He did this to get to game ball 10-6 and when Matthew gave him the winning point on an error, Matthew threw his racket the length of the court in frustration. This earned him a penalty stroke and so he started the fourth game 0-1 without a ball being struck. He decided that he could only counter fire with fire, so he began hitting everything short from the beginning. And he had Shabana under pressure. Hitting outright winners is not the usual way to play Shabana but it was working and Matthew led 4-2. The game was on and it was starting to look serious until leading 5-4 Matthew hit an error, threw his racket in the air, meaning to catch it, but it fell six feet away and he was immediately docked another point. Shabana now led 6-5 and from then on Matthew was less than committed, allowing Shabana to take the game 11-6 and go through to a semi- final meeting with Anthony Ricketts.

Afterwards Matthew publicly berated himself for his lousy squash and his "unacceptable behaviour" but the truth was nobody was as upset with his behaviour as Matthew was and we all knew that he was at the end of his tether and needed a nice long break from the game.

Tomorrow Lee Beachill will take on Therry Lincou and my money is on Beachill to win. The Frenchman must get tired eventually, non? Then Ricketts takes on Shabana and that will be a very interesting match.

Lee Beachill closed out Peter Nicol's Superseries Finals '06 run. (photo © 2006 Fritz Borchert.)

Day Three Pool round results:

SUPER SERIES FINALS.
FIRST ROUND POOL RESULTS, DAY THREE [ Draw/all results ]

FLEET GROUP
THIERRY LINCOU (FRA) BT DAVID PALMER (AUS) 11-6 11-2 10-11(0-2) 11-2
AMR SHABANA (EGY) BT NICK MATTHEW (ENG) 11-4 11-6 11-6

Fleet order of finish: 1. Shabana; 2. Lincou; 3. Matthew; 4. Palmer

HARROW GROUP
ANTHONY RICKETTS (AUS) BT JAMES WILLSTROP (ENG) 11-9 3-11 11-7 11-6 (50m)
LEE BEACHILL (ENG) BT PETER NICOL (ENG) 11-7 3-11 11-7 11-8

Harrow order of finish: 1. Beachill; 2. Ricketts; 3. Willstrop; 4. Nicol

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