SquashTalk > Qatar Classic 2001, Doha, Qatar >Quarterfinal Report, Howard Harding

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Nicol cuts off Lincou's Streak

by Howard Harding, World Squash News, © 2001   [Sarah Fitz's Report]   [see Chris Walker's Notes for today]

In a major upset in the quarter-finals of the $140,000 Qatar Squash Classic in Doha, Scotland's sixth seed John White dismissed Canada's world No2 Jonathon Power 15-14 15-11 15-9 in 50 minutes to earn a semi-final clash with former compatriot Peter Nicol.

"This is certainly one of the biggest wins of my career," said the hard-hitting former Australian, now based in Nottingham in England. "I am following a new regime of training (at the University in Nottingham) these days and that certainly helped. I'd say Power gave me some easy points as he lost concentration in the second game, but I think I played well enough to win today," White added.

It was Power's first defeat on the all-glass Qatar court - "my favourite court in the world" - since winning the world title on it in December 1998.

Third seed Nicol, the world champion and former world No1 now third in the PSA rankings, was taken to four games by fifth-seeded Welshman David Evans, the former British Open champion, before claiming a 15-9 15-17 15-10 15-4 victory in 59 minutes.

The other men's semi-final will be an all-Australian affair between top seed David Palmer, the world No1, and 9th seed Stewart Boswell, who ended Egyptian qualifier Mohammed Abbas' run with a 15-12 17-14 15-3 defeat in 50 minutes. Palmer was full of praise of his opponent Thierry Lincou after his 15-7 15-11 15-14 win over the highest-ranked Frenchman in the world in 57 minutes:

"He is a very tough opponent. I was desperate to win this match. I was in a hurry to get off the court, but Lincou made it tough for me. He was very sharp in the third game. Once he got a sniff of the lead, he started playing more attacking shots, but I knew he was also tired like me," said Palmer.

In the women's $60,000 Grand Prix event, England's unseeded Cassie Campion continued her progress by beating eighth-seeded Vanessa Atkinson 9-4 9-5 9-4 in 30 minutes, to avenge the shock defeat by the Dutch champion in the 2000 British Open - which the then world champion was seeded to win. Campion now takes on top seed Leilani Joyce in the semi-finals, after the New Zealander overcame England's sixth seed Suzanne Horner 9-3 9-7 9-5.

Australia's world No1 Sarah Fitz-Gerald stormed into the other semi-final with a clinical performance in her last-eight match. The second seed thrashed compatriot Rachael Grinham 9-2, 9-1, 9-1 in only 20 minutes. "I am totally focussed on the tournament," said Fitz-Gerald. "I know what Rachael was trying to do - she was playing somewhat out of character. I think we'll get to see some good squash in the next two days," Fitz-Gerald added. Her semi-final opponent will be England's Stephanie Brind, who survived the longest match of the day's eight quarter-finals to upset fourth-seeded compatriot Fiona Geaves 9-6 3-9 9-5 2-9 9-4 in 60 minutes.

RESULTS: Qatar Squash Classic, Doha

Men's quarter-finals:
[1] David Palmer (AUS) bt [8] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 15-7 15-11 15-14 (57m)
[9] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [Q] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 15-12 17-14 15-3 (50m)
[3] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [5] David Evans (WAL) 15-9 15-17 15-10 15-4 (59m)
[6] John White (SCO) bt [2] Jonathon Power (CAN) 15-14 15-11 15-9 (50m)

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Leilani Joyce (NZL) bt [6] Suzanne Horner (ENG) 9-3 9-7 9-5 (34m) Cassie Campion (ENG) bt [8] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 9-4 9-5 9-4 (30m) [5] Stephanie Brind (ENG) bt [4] Fiona Geaves (ENG) 9-6 3-9 9-5 2-9 9-4 (60m) [2] Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS) bt [7] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 9-2 9-1 9-0 (22m)

[Full draw]

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