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2002 Super Series Final ($50,000)
Broadgate Arena, Liverpool Street
London, England
June 17-21

[last update was 20-jun-02 ]

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TERRIFIC EXHIBITION. GOOD RESULTS TOO.

Chaloner (right) beat Ong but lost out on points in the pool. (photo © 2002 Fritz Borchert)

When Mark Chaloner opened the final pool rounds with a 3/0 victory over a dispirited Ong Beng Hee – a player who has wiped him off the floor in previous meetings – he set up a real mathematical problem in the Harrow Group. He had won two out of his three matches, with six games won. John White had two wins before his meeting with David Palmer, with six games won and David Palmer, who had lost to Chaloner 3/1 in the first round, had only one win to his credit. If he beat White 3/0 he would have seven games .

But if White managed to get one game, he would also have seven games and Chaloner would be eliminated. But then who would top the Group and get the more advantageous final? White would have to win two games to win the group while losing to Palmer. And that's exactly what happened. .

BEST MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT?
The match was pure, 100 percent, dynamite entertainment. White will take over as the crowd pleaser from Jonathon Power any day now. His exchanges with Jill Wood, the referee were as funny as anything seen for years and his lightning reflexes and racket control cannot be believed even when it is seen at close range.

Palmer was showing exemplary behaviour and while he rarely smiled, the usual scowls were gone and the two Aussies, best of friends, we are told, played a match of scintillating brilliance. Despite what else might transpire from hereon in, this will be the match of the tournament and one that everyone will want on video.

White (right) was edged by Palmer but made it to the semis (photo © 2002 Fritz Borchert)

It is almost impossible to describe the match: Attack! Attack! Attack! might sum it up. Or Hunt the Nick, or See Who can pierce the front wall with the ball could be just as true. After this match, I am convinced that White can hit the ball blindfolded. The fact was, once he had won a game, he was totally and utterly relaxed.

After he had slipped, Jill Wood asked in her motherly tones whether he was alright. “No, I want to go home,” he quipped. “Do you need time,” she persisted and I was almost waiting to see if she was going to offer to kiss it better. At another point, out of the blue she ordered White to keep his lips sealed. He looked up perplexed. “You are mouthing,” she said in tones suggesting naughty words were articulated but not voice. “But how can I ask for a let?” White said, all innocence. On another occasion after White had crashed a reverse angle so hard that no-one could see what happened. Both players turned to Wood for a decision.

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” she said with honesty, getting a good laugh from the audience. “And if you both can’t agree, we shall play a let.” After a few seconds White said: “My ball was down.” So Palmer prepared to serve and just before he did White uttered one word: “Watching?” This brought a huge laugh and even Palmer had to walk around for a bit before he recovered enough to serve.

Yes, Palmer didn’t just smile, he laughed. Palmer took the fifth game 15-9 after 63 minutes and White didn’t seem to mind one bit. Everybody was happy - except perhaps Mark Chaloner who might have reason to be suspicious about the result. But surely not: one is Scottish and one is Australian and they are both gentlemen. Only a cad would question the result of such a fine sporting match.

BOSWELL BOWS OUT TO LIVELY LINCOU
The fight for second place in the Fleet Group – already won by Peter Nicol – matched world number four Stewart Boswell with world number five Thierry Lincou. I found the first game quite intriguing, having the quality of a chess match about it as both players carefully explored each other as though trying to spot a strategy. They are both very fast but Lincou loves to attack, while Boswell –who can hit winners when he wants to – relies on a well-grooved basic game. They tested each other all over the court and Boswell started hitting some beautiful length on the right wall, earning valuable points. Lincou was looking for winners everywhere and while that approach helped him pile up some points, it also made for some errors which is why Boswell seemed to have the first game sewn up at 14-11.

But Lincou wanted it more and grabbed control to win 15-14, taking the last point with Boswell spreadeagled on the floor in the centre of the court. He had fallen over and Lincou tripped over him in his effort to get to the ball and hit the winner. Although he was awarded the point referee Dean Clayton gave him a stern warning about unnecessary contact. Boswell in turn wondered why Lincou got a warning AND the point. The decision stood and an aggrieved Boswell left the court one game down after 19minutes of hard work.

DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY
A terrible cliché, but even Lincou himself admitted after the game that he stupidly lost the second game after leading 12-10 and seeming to be very much in charge. Boswell was looking unhappier than ever and had real problems handling Lincou’s drops to the front left. He was either hitting the ball out or so close to himself, he was being stroked. He was obviously going too deep into the corner, and not allowing himself room for a full stroke. But after 20 minutes he had evened the match and we waited in anticipation for a long, long battle. This possibility vapourised quicker than anyone could possibly forecast. Lincou was getting better all the time and when he ran to a rapid 7-0 lead Boswell decided the prize wasn’t worth the chase and he succumbed 15-3 in under six minutes.

Sadly the fourth game was only slightly better, Lincou winning 15-7 in ten minutes and Boswell looking as unhappy as ever I’ve seen him. “He was going for winners very early,” Lincou said of his opponent, trying to explain the collapse. “Perhaps he was still tired from his match last night. I feel I’m getting better every day, but although I have been training for the last six weeks – as well as doing my exams - I need the pace of a match to get me back up again. I’m hungry to play and while I haven’t beaten John White on the circuit, I have beaten him in league matches,” Lincou added. In my story yesterday I said that only White could prevent Nicol and Power meeting in the Commonwealth Games final. It should have read, only White could have prevented….. because White has been barred from playing for Scotland in the Games.

Bank of Scotland Super Series Finals Broadgate Arena, London Third Qualifying Round
Harrow Group
Mark Chaloner (Eng) bt Ong Beng Hee (Mal) 15-4 15-7 15-8
David Plamer (Aus) bt John White (Scot) 15-5 6-15 15-10 8-15 15-9

Fleet Group
Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt Stewart Boswell (Aus) 15-14 13-15 15-3 15-7
Peter Nicol (Eng) bt Chris Walker (Eng) 8-15 15-6 15-5 15-12