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Independent
Squash News June 27, 2001, Perth
By Howard Harding
All content © 2001 Squashtalk, file photos: © 2001 Fritz Borchert, Debra Tessier
NICOL COASTS TO FIRST
ROUND VICTORY BACK IN HOMELAND
In his first appearance in his former homeland since switching allegiance
to England three months ago, world champion Peter Nicol cruised to a 15-12
15-13 15-10 victory in 47 minutes over Egypt's Omar Elborolossy in the first
round of the Scottish Open Squash Championship at the Bell's Sports Centre
in Perth.
It
was the first staging of the event for more than a decade, and all eyes were
on the London-based 28-year-old from Inverurie, near Aberdeen, who became
world No1 and won British Open, World Open and Commonwealth Games titles in
Scottish colours.
"I am very happy to be back here, and everyone I've spoken to respects my decision," Nicol told The Scotsman. "I know it's still a big thing to some people, but I hope it's all in the past. I love coming back to Scotland. I haven't hidden, and this tournament deserves to be a great success.
"Switching from Scotland to England was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my professional career," Nicol added. "I know the situation in Scotland is improving, but there is still not nearly as much support for elite athletes as there is in England."
In Friday's quarter-finals, the top seed and world No2 will face English compatriot Paul Johnson, the sixth seed from London who dismissed Australia's John Williams 15-13 15-10 15-9 in 60 minutes.
There will be Scottish interest in the other quarter-final line-up decided after the opening day's action, after John White, the former Australian who clinched the Scottish National title for the second time at the same venue last week, beat English qualifier Mark Cairns 15-12 15-12 15-13 in exactly one hour. Third seed White will face another Englishman Mark Chaloner, the 7th seed from Lincolnshire who crushed fellow countryman Nick Taylor, a qualifier from Manchester, 15-11 15-3 15-6 in 51 minutes.
The remaining first round matches will see the long-awaited return of Egypt's former world No3 Ahmed Barada, who makes his first PSA Tour appearance since last November when he takes on Welshman Alex Gough, the Nottingham-based world No13 ranked just one place below the Egyptian.
The other matches are [5] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Stewart Boswell (AUS); [4] Martin Heath (SCO) v [Q] Joseph Kneipp (AUS); and [2] Paul Price (AUS) v [Q] Derek Ryan (IRL).
RESULTS: Scottish
Open Squash Championships, Perth, Scotland 1st round:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt Omar Elborolossy (EGY) 15-12 15-13 15-10 (47m)
[6] Paul Johnson (ENG) bt John Williams (AUS) 15-13 15-10 15-9 (60m)
[3] John White (SCO) bt [Q] Mark Cairns (ENG) 15-12 15-12 15-13 (60m)
[7] Mark Chaloner (ENG) bt [Q] Nick Taylor (ENG) 15-11 15-3 15-6 (51m)
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