2007 Tournament of Champions Squash, New York

[1st: session 1][1st: session 2] [1st rnd-Day2] [2nd rnd-Aft] [2nd rnd-eve]
[Quarterfinals-1][Quarterfinals - 2] [Semis][Final] [DRAW & RESULTS]

ASHOUR THE ELDER PUTS THE FRIGHTS ON SHABANA

In a match full of surprise and shock turns of fortune, Ramy Ashour’s big brother Hisham almost upset the Egyptian social order by coming back from two games down to lead Amr Shabana 6-4 in the fifth game. It was one of those matches that had Shabana stamped all over it and yet came close to his shock defeat by Azlan Iskander in Toronto in January.

All seemed to be going according to the master plan as Shabana took the first game from a nervous Ashour 11-4 and then the second 11-7 after a total of 15 minutes squash.

Young Ramy was running down between games to talk to his brother and finally something must have sunk in before the third game as Hisham played more confidently and started to test Shabana all over the court. As the game wore on and it sunk in to Shabana that he was not going to have it all his own way, he started to look a little rattled and the strange errors began to sink in. Silly shots were tried as he attempted to finish the game quickly and suddenly he was facing game ball at 8-10. A penalty stroke gave him his ninth point and then a well timed boast put him on equal terms to give him another chance in the tiebreak. But Hisham was now full of beans and avoiding errors while Shabana, his confidence dented could not contain himself and an exhibitionistic overhead drop into the tin gave Hisham the game at 14-12.

What happened in the fourth is beyond explanation as Hisham hit a golden streak of winners and Shabana hit three bad errors as the score notched to an 8-2 lead for Hisham. This happened inside three minutes of play and while Shabana mounted a very good fight back to trail 9-10, it was a task too far and a forehand drive hit the tin to give Hisham his 11th point and put the match into a fifth game.

Hisham was now full of confidence and was reading Shabana well. Meanwhile the world number one had no intention of losing this one and they went at it hammer and tongs, both players diving to get balls in the most unseemly way. (Gentlemen don’t dive, dear boy!).

They were tied at 1,2,3,4, 6 and seven. Shabana hit a winner off Ashour’s serve to get to 8-7 and got his ninth point on a stroke, a decision that truly upset his opponent. Shabana finished the next rally with a perfect length forehand drive to reach match ball at which point Hisham made his final error and left the court with his face still contorted with anger at the Stroke decision. It had been 53 minutes of pure drama and wonderful stroke play and a match that might give Shabana a sleepless night before his match with John White in the quarters.

The roaring ovation at the end of the match by the mostly quiet crowd said it all. This was crowd pleasing squash and the best match of the night.

Afterwards Shabana told SquashTalk, "Three years ago, I would lose matches like this. As world number one, there's more at stake, and I'm going to push harder in this situation. I put the pressure on myself to pull through and I did it."

AMERICAN HERO BOWS OUT WITH HONOUR

Everybody is delighted at Julian Illingworth's progress to the second round and although he lost to David Palmer in straight games, he showed that he has progressed in the last year and by next year will be giving the top boys a real run for their money. (photo:© 2007 Debra Tessier) For more 2007 TOC photos

Everybody is delighted at Julian Illingworth’s progress to the second round and although he lost to David Palmer in straight games, he showed that he has progressed in the last year and by next year will be giving the top boys a real run for their money. Palmer is a strong player, physically and mentally and his accuracy is a great test for even the best of players. Illingworth started nervously – he had the weight of the USA on his shoulders – and hit four or five errors, mistakes that he would not have made later in the match –mishits and snatched shots. Palmer took the first game 11-5 in 11 minutes and then, fully warmed up ran through the second game 11-3 in seven minutes.

In the third game Illingworth was settled and starting to do some attacking of his own. His sudden boasts constantly caught Palmer napping and were earning him points. Illingworth has the shot down pat, the stroke starting as a drive and changing at the last minute to strike at an angle that puts the ball an inch above the tin. Palmer certainly couldn’t read it and found that he had a tougher opponent than in the first two games. Nevertheless it was still a contest between the reigning world champion and world number two, and a player who is just in his second year on the circuit. Palmer’s game is too rounded and honed for a freshman to handle and although Illingworth was not humiliated he was never going to win.

Palmer took the third game 11-6 and Illingworth will leave Grand Central in a confident frame of mind. If his progress continues, the USA will have someone to cheer in future tournaments.

Illingworth is determined to make it happen. He said afterwards, "I've had training sessions with some of the top players, but this is a different story entirely. It's a higher level squash, and I have to get better."

RICKETTS TESTED BY GOLAN

Golan had made two full length dives, when action was halted because of a blood injury to Golan’s thumb, incurred as a results of one of his dives. (photo:© 2007 Debra Tessier) For more 2007 TOC photos

Yes Anthony Ricketts did beat Borja Golan of Spain in straight games, but it was far from easy. The first game consisted a some very long rallies and it was 20 minutes of hard slog before Ricketts took the winning point, 11-9.

The second game was just two rallies old, during which Golan had made two full length dives, when action was halted because of a blood injury to Golan’s thumb, incurred as a results of one of his dives. Four minutes later, his wound dressed, the match restarted and, with the help of a few errors from Golan, Ricketts was soon 6-1 up . The play suddenly changed into the ‘Egyptian game’ as both players started to play drop shots on both sides of the court. Forget the long down-the-wall rallies, this was much more fun. And the point to remember, both players were doing it with élan.

Ricketts reached game ball at 10-5 but Golan was hitting drops all over the place and amazingly climbed back to 9-10. Ricketts was bemused by this and must have been very relieved when he was awarded a stroke to get his 11th point after 14 highly entertaining minutes.

The third game offered the same amount of drama and although Ricketts started leading, Golan came back to tie the game at 6-all to put the game in doubt. Ricketts was being a little more circumspect and was happy to play length and make Golan work. It was successful and he pulled away to win 11-8 and earn his quarter final date with Thierry Lincou. It had taken 51 minutes, an indication of just how much work Golan had forced Ricketts to do.

LINCOU OVER KENNEY

After last night’s huge marathon against Joey Barrington, it was a wonder that Liam Kenney could stand up, never mind play squash. Thierry Lincou realized he had some tired legs to play against and decided to keep taking the ball short and make those tired legs do even more work. Lincou’s drops on both sides of the court can be cruel, making his opponents move to the tin and bend and then recover. Kenney put up a good fight but Lincou kept the ball tight and gave little away to ensure his quarter finals appearance. Lincou is looking in stronger form than recently, and we will see how he does tomorrow against the high-flying Ricketts.

SECOND ROUND full results
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [16] Hisham Ashour (EGY) 11-4,11-7, 10-11(2-4), 9-11, 11-7 (53mins)
[6]John White (SCO) bt [6] Alex Gough (WAL) 11-7, 11-8,11-10(2-0) (50mins)
[4] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [9] Wael el Hindi (EGY) 6-11, 11-9,11-5, 11-2 (53mins)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [15] Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-7, 11-3,11-5 (29mins)
[7] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt [11] Borja Golan (SPA) 11-9, 11-9,11-8 (51mins)
[3]Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt Liam Kenney (IRE) 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 (47 mins)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [8] Lee Beachill (ENG) 5-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9. (56mins)
[2]David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-5, 11-3, 11-6 (34mins)

For more TOC 2007 photos