ATKINSON COMES OUT FLAT AGAINST MACREE

Jonathon Power on fire against Simon Parke (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

Jonathon Power withstood a battle with the referee and his opponent in the first round of the PSA Masters Tuesday, as he overcame an argumentative first game and called on his reserves of skill and energy to dispatch former world #3 Simon Parke in Doha.

Viewed by many as the best match of the day, the Power - Parke battle saw Power in a combative mood with Egyptian referee Nasser. “I think the referee was not consistent with his calls. I got a fair amount of tough calls from him. These things happen in squash, but I only seek consistency in the calls from the refs,” Power told local press after the match.

The Power - Parke match was not on the show court, which was also a factor according to Power. “It is not easy to play on these courts. I like playing on all-glass court, which are much faster.

“These ones are like clay courts, very slow. The all-glass courts are like the grass courts in tennis, very fast. Shot making is difficult on these courts. I wanted to switch my match from this court but they (the organisers) didn’t let me. I can’t complain now as I have to play my next match again on this court,” Power opined.

EXPERIENCE OVER YOUTH
Australia's former top ten player Dan Jenson made his mark on the second day of first round action in the PSA Qatar Masters when he upset England's tenth seed Nick Matthew in four games at the Khalifa International Squash Complex in Doha.

Vanessa Atkinson was flat against Rebecca Macree (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

England's Rebecca Macree made a great start in the first qualifying round of the Women's World Grand Prix Finals with a straight games victory over third seed Vanessa Atkinson, also on a slower plaster court. Atkinson had had to travel directly from Dublin where the Dutch champion successfully defended her Irish Open title in Dublin Sunday afternoon.

Nick Matthew's shock demise follows a sensational run by the 23-year-old from Sheffield, including two final and four semi-final appearances in his last six PSA Tour events. Jenson, however, is working his way back to the top of the game after a series of injuries which followed his rise to a career-high world No5 ranking in October 1999.

The 28-year-old from Adelaide, currently standing at 27 in the PSA rankings, triumphed 13-15 17-14 15-14 15-12 in a closely-fought contest with Matthew to set up a surprise second round meeting with another Englishman Lee Beachill.

Lee Beachill too Steady for Tommy Berden (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

Beachill, the fourth seed, maintained his winning momentum in Doha since picking up the Qatar Classic title in December with a 15-12 15-6 15-12 victory over Dutchman Tommy Berden.

Scotland's defending champion John White came into Doha after skipping last weekend's Scottish National Championships with a minor muscle injury. The injury reportedly occurred in a French league match last week. White was given a scare by young Englishman Adrian Grant before narrowly making the second round. Grant, the 23-year-old world No17 from London who later this month becomes the first black player to represent England in senior competition, twice led the world No1 in games, then had an 11-8 lead in the decider before the hard-hitting Scot raised his game to record a 12-15 15-6 7-15 15-12 15-12 victory.

"He hits the ball with great force," Grant told the Gulf Times. "Even when you are in front of him the ball is coming back at you with such speed that there is very little time and space to react."

Adrian Grant gave John White all he could handle. (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

White was full of praise for Grant: "He played really well. This was very tough for a first round match. I was under pressure because I am defending the title," said White. "I didn't want to go out in the first round. The match was up and down but then a win is a win."

JACKMAN CRUISES
Top seed Cassie Jackman cruised through her first qualifying match in the WISPA World Grand Prix Finals against fellow Englishwoman Linda Charman. The world No1 won 9-0 9-4 9-2 and will now face Australia's fourth seed Natalie Grinham in the second match in Pool A. In the other first round Pool match, Grinham beat England's Tania Bailey 9-1 9-5 9-4.

In Pool B, England's Rebecca Macree put herself in the drivers seat for a place in the semi-final knockout stage with her surprisingly easy 9-5 9-4 9-1 win over third seed Vanessa Atkinson. The Netherlands star has a difficult road also on Thursday, as she will face world #2 and British Open champ Rachael Grinham, a first round winner over England's Fiona Geaves in a 9-5 9-8 9-2 scoreline.

RESULTS: PSA Qatar Masters Squash Championship, Doha, Qatar

1st round:
[12] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Martin Heath (SCO) 17-16, 15-10, 17-16
[7] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt Simon Parke (ENG) 14-17, 15-8, 15-12, 15-6
Dan Jenson (AUS) bt [10] Nick Matthew (ENG) 13-15, 17-14, 15-14, 15-12
[4] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt Tommy Berden (NED) 15-12, 15-6, 15-12
[14] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 15-12, 15-10, 6-15, 9-15, 15-13
[6] David Palmer (AUS) bt Alex Gough (WAL) 15-8, 15-7, 15-6
[9] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 15-9, 15-12, 15-9
[2] John White (SCO) bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 12-15, 15-6, 7-15, 15-12, 15-12

Rachael Grinham saves game ball against Fiona Geaves. (photo © 2004 grinhamsisters.com)

Women's World Grand Prix Finals, Doha, Qatar
1st qualifying round:
Pool A:
[1] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [5] Linda Charman (ENG) 9-0, 9-4, 9-2
[4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [8] Tania Bailey (ENG) 9-1, 9-5, 9-4
Pool B:
[2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [6] Fiona Geaves (ENG) 9-5, 9-8, 9-2
[7] Rebecca Macree (ENG) bt [3] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 9-5, 9-4, 9-1

Squashtalk.com All materials © 1999-2004. Communicate with us at info@squashtalk.com.
Published by Squashtalk LLC, 409 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 102, Acton, MA 01720 USA, Editor and Publisher Ron Beck,
Graphics editor Debra Tessier Send comments, ideas, contributions and feedback to the webmaster.
Copyright © 1999-2004 SquashTalk, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced in any form except for one-time personal use.