Jones Rewarded With Nicol Clash

by Howard Harding
All content © 2002 Squashtalk

Dec 6, 2002

Welshman Gavin Jones edged his way to a five-game victory in the qualifying
finals of the Men's World Open Squash Championship in Antwerp, Belgium, only
to be rewarded with a first round pairing with England's top seed and
defending champion Peter Nicol.

Jones, 22, from Maesteg, beat Egypt's Hisham Moh'd Ashour 15-10 12-15 15-10
3-15 15-11 in 50 minutes to reach the main draw of the World Open for the
first time.

Jan Koukal, one of eight players who gained special entry to the qualifiers
through a World Squash Federation (WSF) agreement with event owners the
Professional Squash Association (PSA)¸ also claimed a place in the main draw
after victory in the qualifying finals. The 19-year-old from Prague in the
Czech Republic beat Sweden's Christian Drakenberg 11-15 15-11 15-6 15-8 and
now faces England's Simon Parke, the former world No3.

The first World Open since 1999 gets underway today (Friday) in Antwerp, with
world No1 Peter Nicol seeded to reach his fourth successive final since 1997.
The favourite is expected to face arch-rival Jonathon Power, the No2 seed
from Montreal, in the final on Saturday 14th December in a repeat of the 1998
final in Qatar where the Canadian triumphed. The pair are poised at 16-16 in
the career meetings they have had since 1995 - but Power has a 5-2 lead on
clashes this year and won their most recent encounter in the Canadian Classic
final three weeks ago. A Power victory in Antwerp would mark his 30th PSA
Tour title.

RESULTS: Men's World Open Squash Championship, Antwerp, Belgium

Qualifying finals:
Gavin Jones (WAL) bt Hisham Moh'd Ashour (EGY) 15-10, 12-15, 15-10, 3-15,
15-11 (50m)
Mika Monto (FIN) bt Raj Nanda (AUS) 15-6, 15-12, 15-7 (43m)
Alex Stait (ENG) bt Mark Heather (ENG) 15-10, 15-8, 15-11 (53m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt John Rooney (IRL) 15-12, 15-11, 8-15, 15-9 (64m)
Andrew Whipp (ENG) bt Scot Fitzgerald (WAL) 15-9, 15-6, 15-10 (27m)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Laurens Anjema (NED) 11-15, 15-10, 15-12, 15-7
(70m)
Ben Howell (ENG) bt Marcus Smith (AUS) 16-17, 15-10, 14-15, 15-12, 15-13
(83m)
Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Christian Drakenberg (SWE) 11-15, 15-11, 15-6, 15-8 (55m)