2nd Round Parke Ousts Kneipp

by Martin Bronstein
All content © 2002 Squashtalk

Dec 7, 2002

Simon Parke caused the upset of the day when he beat 13th seed Joe Kneipp of Australia in the second round of the World Open in Antwerp. Their 89 minute battle was one of many marathon second round matches as all the players put in maximum effort on the occasion of their first world open in three years.

Parke, who had ankle surgery a year ago has made a steady comeback and is almost certain to improve on his present 26 world ranking to make it back to the top twenty. The result will be a blow to Kneipp who stopped ‘partying’ a year ago and, under the stern of his brother Dan, has started to use his talent to its fullest extent. Last month he beat world number five John White and was looking to make the top ten before the year was out.

Longest match of the day was Ong Beng Hee’s 91 minute victory over Egypt’s Wael El Hindi, a player who seems to specialise in long drawn out five setters. In his first round match El Hindi took 92 minutes to beat Tommy Berden of the Netherlands. After losing the first game to Beng Hee, El Hindi took the next two but then lost the fourth 15-4 and was unable to get the upper hand as he lost the fifth 15-10.

John White subdued Belgian Stefan Casteleyn in three games, but they were on court for 81 minutes while world number three David Palmer of Australia needed 87 minutes to beat David Evans of Wales after being 2/1 down. Chris Walker showed once again that you can still compete at the top level at the age of 36. He too went to five games with France’s Gregory Gaulthier and needed 83 minutes to secure his third round meeting with Jonathon Power.

The Canadian had one of the easiest matches of the day in beating England’s Tim Garner in three in 38 minutes. Fastest match of the day was Stewart Boswell, the world number four, who beat Shahid Zaman of Pakistan in 28 minutes. Zaman’s cousin Mansoor Zaman, seeded 21, brought off the other upset in beating world number 16 Alex Gough of Wales, after a fighting comeback from 4-15 and 16-17 down.

Martin Heath of Scotland is serious about world opens and also fought back from two games down against Olli Tuominen of Finland to take the next three games for a 77 minute victory. Heath will have to move his game up a gear in the third round when he faces Lee Beachill who knocked out Canadian Viktor Berg in three straight. If Beachill is free of virus and injuries, he could cause some serious upsets. He loves the big occasion and has twice beaten Peter Nicol on the glass court. If he beats Heath he could face Palmer and then Power. It’s the sort of challenge that the wiry Yorkshireman loves.

[1] Peter Nicol (Eng) bt [Q] Davide Bianchetti (Ita) 15/8, 15/4, 15/13 (45m)
[21] Mansoor Zaman (Pak) bt [16] Alex Gough (Wal) 4/15, 16/17, 15/12, 17/14, 15/7 (76m)
[7] Ong Beng Hee (Mas) bt [30] Wael El Hindi (Egy) 17/14, 10,15, 9/15, 15/4, 15/10 (91m)
[9] Anthony Ricketts bt [32] Nick Matthew (Eng) 15/10, 15/13, 15/5 (52m)
[4] Stewart Boswell (Aus) bt [28] Shahid Zaman (Pak) 15/7, 15/9, 15/4 (28m)
[26] Simon Parke bt [13] Joseph Kneipp (Aus) 9/15, 17/15, 15/7, 13/15,15/11 (89m)
[5] John White (Sco) bt [24] Stefan Casteleyn (Bel) 17/15, 15/10, 15/12 (81m)
[10] Mark Chaloner (Eng) bt [17] Nick Taylor (Eng) 17/15, 15/9, 15/10 (64m)
[11] Martin Heath (Sco) bt [18] Olli Tuominen (Fin) 9/15, 12,15, 15/9, 15/5, 15/13 (77m)
[8] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt Viktor Berg (Can) 15/9, 15/6, 15/2 (34m)
[15] Amr Shabana (Egy) bt [23] Graham Ryding (Can) 15/12, 15/13, 15/11 (53m)
[3] David Palmer (Aus) bt [29] David Evans (Wal) 13/15, 15/12, 8/15, 15/7, 15/12 (87m)
[12] Karim Darwish (Egy) bt [31] Stephen Meads (Eng) 8/15, 15/9, 15/8, 15/4 (56m)
[6] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [22] Omar Elborolossy (Egy) 15/12, 13/15, 15/10, 15/11
[14] Chris Walker (Eng) bt [25] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 14/17, 15/8, 15/4, 5/15, 15/8 (83m)
[2] Jonathon Power (Can) bt Tim Garner (Eng) 15/4, 15/3, 15/4 (38m)