Davenport Richmont Virginia Mens Pro Squash Racquets Open

MARTIN BRONSTEIN in Richmond, Virginia [THE DRAW/RESULTS] [PLAYERS CUP STANDINGS]

RAMY REJECTED, EL HINDI HYSTERICAL, WHITE WONDERFUL, GAULTIER GRINDS

So there you have it, all in one headline. Not the greatest set of quarters I have witnessed but there were moments that remain in the mind. Or if we start with the incident that caused Wael El Hindi to lose cool, then the word should be mindless.

El Hindi started his match against James Willstrop in exquisite form. Looking at my notes he never made an error in that first game. He was helped by the fact that he is a quick starter while Willstrop never seems to be able to start in top gear. This was perfect squash from the Egyptian, who has got rid of his bad movement – known as hitting and blocking. – and he controlled much of the game. (Willstrop contradicted that interpretation in a post-match interview). Willstrop was doing the reacting to El Hindi’s distribution and even when Willstrop did have control, his kill shot hit the tin. The fact is from the point when he hit a winning backhand drop shot to get to 5-7, he made three unforced errors which helped El Hindi to win the game 11-6.

In the second game Willstrop finally got going and it was his turn to take control of the match from 4-4. His placement improved and he was no longer hitting the tin with his drop shots. There were times when he moved incredibly fast to get a retrieval and El Hindi realised he really had a handful. His appeals for lets increased and he felt he was getting the rough edge on the decisions. Willstrop won the game 11-5 to tie the match.

He started the third well and leading 4-0, he hit a ball down the middle of the court. El Hindi, turned at the back wall swished his racket, deliberately missing the ball to show the referee that had he struck it, the ball would have drilled Willstrop in the back. To everybody’s complete amazement the referee “Conduct stroke, El Hindi”

An open mouthed El Hindi asked the question we were all asking: “What for?”

Back came the reply, “Dangerous play.” As the penalised player had deliberately missed the ball nobody was in danger. This decision must rank as the stupidest I have yet witness on four continents and 30 years of reporting.

Now I have criticized Wael for some of his antics, but today he had every right to be indignant and feel wronged. He lost his cool completely and hit Willstrop’s serves into the lights or the tin, losing the game 11-0. Sure it was childish, but for once the man had my sympathy. The fourth game held little interest as we knew that after an incident like that, there was little chance of him getting back to normal and so the game went to Willstrop 11-4 giving him the match.

“I was so angry. I had so much rage in me that I thought I would burst. I have been playing good clean squash in the last few months and I was enjoying myself. And this referee, the way he spoke to me was disrespectful,” El Hindi told me later, still very upset. The referee was imported from England. We can only hope he quickly gets exported.

DARWISH DELIVERS THE GOODS

Alright, I know, the big news was that Ramy Ashour got beaten. Not really a surprise as he had already decided not to go on to Boston for the Players Cup playoffs (foregoing a possible $25,000 paycheck). He had been saying he had to conserve his body and that he had played for 22 days non-stop and needed a rest. “I knew I would not do well here,” he told me immediately after the game. “I’m gonna have a rest – big time. A month off before Hurghada.”

The first game was over quickly 11-4 to Darwish. Ashour was hitting tin and hardly moving. He practised a bit during the break, paid attention to his knees and looked as though he was trying to loosen his body up. It worked! Boom, cut, slice, drive, drop and suddenly the second game was over 11-6 in Ashour’s favour. So he had just been kidding in that first game? Of course. He did the same thing in the third game, but even better: 11-4. Goodnight Darwish ? Not quite.

Darwish said later he slowed the game down because Ashour likes a fast pace. I’d heard this from Alex Gough who was explaining how Nick Matthew had beaten Ashour last year. It worked to 4-4 and then Ashour hit six errors in seven rallies and Darwin finished off the game easily 11-5. There was a feeling that Ashour did not want to win because that meant he would play James Willstrop in the semis. Deep down he probably just wanted to go to bed for four days and not touch a racket for a week. He was down 8-3 in the fifth game, tried to compete and got back to 6-9 and then saved two match balls to give himself a fighting chance at victory at 8-10. But Darwish pressed home his advantage got that 11th point and the well-earned victory that put a huge smile on his face. He plays Willstrop tomorrow and I think he will lose because Willstrop is playing very well indeed – once he gets going.

WHITE IN SCINTILLATING FORM

John White demolished Olli Tuominen in 30 minutes flat. I was sitting in front of the front wall and White’s performance was a joy to behold, almost like watching a very good magician where you keep on saying: “How did he do that?” He creates speed with almost a nonchalant swing of his arm. He sticks his racket out and the ball hits the string and goes directly into the nick, without passing go or collecting $200. He hits boasts that are unreadable and unplayable. You almost felt sorry for Tuominen, yesterday’s hero who was now a chase-and-fetch terrier. There is really not much more to say. I suppose if you say John White, you’ve said it all.

In the semis he will meet Gregory Gaultier and I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if he beat him. Gaultier is not playing badly, as Thierry Lincou found out. They ground their way through five games before Gaultier emerged the winner after 54 minutes. All credit to Lincou who had one helluva second round match yesterday when he survived by the skin of his teeth from match ball down in the third. The exertion must have affected his performance today, but he came back from two games down to force a fifth game. Gaultier said Lincou had done this by slowing the game down (that old trick again!). In the fifth Lincou was definitely losing leg power and Gaultier won it 11-3 in seven minutes.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Ladies and Gentleman, please welcome Thierry Henry. Ooops he’s a footballer. I mean Thierry Lincou.” Tournament MC Martin Bronstein.

Sorry, Thierry.

QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
[6] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) 11-4,6-11,4-1,11-5,11-8 (59mins)
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [8] Wael El Hindi (EGY) 6-11,ll-5, 11-0,11-4 (56 mins
[7] John White (SCO) bt [11] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-9, 11-7, 11-6(30mins)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [5] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 11-5, 11-9, 6-11,7-11, 11-3 (54mins)

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