Nicol Gets Nicked
By Martin Brontein
May 10, 2004 All content © 2004 Squashtalk
[last update was 11-may-04 ]

Nick Matthew was confident against Peter Nicol at Broadgate (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

Nick Matthew came of age today, beating Peter Nicol in straight games to take his first victory over a player he considers one of the best five of all time. It was another major victory for the tough young Yorkshireman who has made such huge strides in the last 12 months, strides that has shot him into the top ten. Although this latest scalp will not help him climb the rankings, it will do wonders for his confidence and he will now face all-comers without a trace of fear.

"I'm amazed, almost speechless. I knew Peter was looking a bit tired but I never expected that," said Matthew.

"I was joking before the match that I would do well to take a game off Peter so to win like that was unbelievable. I rate Peter as one of the top five players of all time and it was my ambition to beat him before he retired."

VOLLEY EVERYTHING, TAKE NO PRISONERS

Nick Matthew sayed calm amist everything Nicol threw at him (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

The match started with Nicol in Attila the Hun mode, volleying everything, hating to let a ball reach the back wall, acting like a prison warder preventing inmates climbing over the wall. But there was Matthew taking it all in his stride, untroubled unafraid and then turning the game around to lead 4-2 after forcing two penalty strokes from Nicol. Two errors from Nicol, not quite unforced errors and Matthew was 6-2 ahead, a tight forehand drive and a backhand drop took him to 8-2. Then followed a wonderful attacking rally, like two prizefighters standing toe-to-toe. Nicol won it to get to 3-8 but Matthew took the next point with a tight drive down the left wall that would have peeled the skin from a worm. Nicol missed the ball completely and Matthew was now 9-3.

The next rally was pure Nicol, saving the point with a fantastic retrieve from the back wall, racing to pick up Matthew's drop shot to send it to the back court and then ending the rally with a perfect drop. It is the sort of rally that Nicol uses to destroy the will to live from his opponents. Matthew's face showed no emotion. And even when Nicol took the next point with a cracking cross court drive to reach 5-9, Matthew stayed calm, hit a superb volley drop to get to game ball and then a short forehand boast that left Nicol stranded. 11-5 to Matthew in under ten minutes and the audience was stunned. Up to this point, Matthew had never taken a game from Nicol.

THE MASTER MASTERED

Thierry Lincou beat Joe Kneipp in a close contest (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

Matthew said that his goal was simply to get a game, and when he won the first game he just relaxed.

"I concentrated on my own game, not worrying about what he was doing. You know that you cannot relax for a minute with Peter, you cannot make two mistakes in a row. When we played in the Tournament of Champions in New York, people said I had a chance but he gave me a good beating. But I learned from it: Nicol had consistency…I might lead a game 7-2 but he would win it. So I learned you had to concentrate on every point.

" I know that deception is not part of my game and so I was a bit predictable. I am now working on holding my swing to keep my opponents guessing," Matthew told Squashtalk after the match . Obviously it's working beautifully.

SUPER SERIES FINALS.
FIRST POOL MATCHES (complete pool results/draws)
Fleet Group
Lee Beachill bt Amr Shabana 11-9, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8. (71 minutes)
Thierry Lincou bt Jo Kneipp 11-9, 11-8, 10-11, 11-4 (71 minutes)

Harrow Group
John White bt Jonathon Power 11-4, 11-6, 11-4. (27 minutes)
Nick Matthew bt Peter Nicol 11-5, 11-7, 11-4 (32 minutes)

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