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] [Womens semis 2] [Semis][Final]
[DRAW & RESULTS]

SHABANA WINS ABBREVIATED CONTEST... RICKETTS HAS ELBOW WOES

RICKETTS ELBOWED OUT

It has never happened before and sadly it had to happen tonight in front of packed bleachers in the Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal: Anthony Ricketts, that tough- minded Australian who gives way to no man on the squash court, had to forfeit the match after just five minutes of the third game. His right elbow, which had kept him in pain for most of last year has flared up again.

“It’s been getting worse during the tournament,” he told me glumly after the surprise finish. “That was why I was lobbing yesterday – I can’t stroke the ball properly. This is the first time I have ever forfeited a match.”

In retrospect, it is a wonder he managed to beat Olli Tuominen in yesterday’s semi-final. Perhaps if Olli had known he might have tried to keep Ricketts on court a little longer.

Once again it was Amr Shabana who benefited; in the 2006 Canadian Classic, it was Jonathon Power who had to retire in the third game when his back went into spasm giving the winner’s trophy to Shabana. And tonight he again took home the crystal (and wonderful Frank Stella sculpture).

The match never took off. The first game was bitty with no real cohesive story line and Shabana being tempted into errors by some slow left wall lengths from Ricketts. Shabana hit some winners, Ricketts hit some winners and showed he could be just as good on the feather drops as Shabana and finished the game with a fine short forehand boast to win 11-7 inside ten minutes.

The second game was almost a repeat of the Ricketts’ semi-final as he committed six errors in rapid succession to give Shabana a 6-2 lead. He tried two high backhand boasts, a shot he never uses, and this gave the clue that all was not well. Three more errors and Shabana had the game 11-3 in just seven minutes.

The third game had hardly started and it was obvious that this was not the Ricketts we know and admire. He was barely able to hit the ball with force. The high spot of the game was when he put the ball to the front left corner and immediately went down court, two yards from the tin. True enough Shabana drove cross court and Ricketts was ready to smack it to the back for a winner. A wry smile from Shabana indicated that he knew that he had been well and truly read.

Sadly there is no more to report; with Shabana leading 8-4 Ricketts shook his hand and left the court with a grim face. Shabana tried to lighten the situation by asking if anybody in the audience wanted to play, but the sense of disappointment was palpable. I felt sorry for John Nimick, the promoter, who had built up this year’ event, it being the tenth anniversary of the Tournament of Champions in Grand Central Station. It was a sad ened to a very successful tournament.

THE FINAL
Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 7-11, 11-3, 8-4 (ret) (27mins)

WOMEN’S CHALLENGE
Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (36 mins

For more TOC 2007 final photos