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2002
YMG Classic
2003 TOC NY
US Open First Round - Afternoon Session
By Martin Bronstein from SquashBusters in Boston
©
2003 Squashtalk, all rights of reproduction reserved.
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CURRENT
EVENTS | |||
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Darwish
falls to Canadian Ryding
Sept 13 2003, SquashBuster Youth Center,
Northeastern U, Boston Mass
ZAFF GETS
LAST LAFF
Eight
years ago Greg Zaff had a vision of bringing squash into the lower social
orders and income groups in the USA. For the most part squash is still
a preserve of the privileged: members of the posh private clubs and pupils
of expensive prep schools and universities. He has succeeded beyond everybody’s
expectations and today the Squashbusters, Zaff’s movement, opened
its own youth center as part of the Northeastern University in Boston.
It is a glittering eight-court headquarters with all facilities including
classrooms. It was here that the first round proper of the 2003 US Open
started with Amr Shabana of Egypt, on a roll after his Spanish Open victory,
challenging France’s Thierry Lincou.
LOSING
THE PLAYBOY IMAGE
Shabana liked to party and his natural scintillating talent often made
up for his lack of serious training. But this year he claims he is partying
only twice a week and learning to train come rain or shine. But even though
he’s been in Boston for a week training, his head simply wasn’t
on the same court as his body. It was virtually a one game challenge –
which he lost 15-13 - and the next two games went by in a welter of errors
and reduced determination, giving Lincou – playing flawless squash
– one of the easiest rides for many months.
This was disappointing: Shabana in full flow would have made a fine opponent for Lincou and their differing styles could have produced a memorable match. As it turned out Shabana left the court with his head held low as we all averted our eyes.
A REMINDER FROM HEATH
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| Martin Heath was in good form but couldn't get by Anthony Ricketts (photo: ©2003, Debra Tessier) |
TODAY’S
VERDICT
Heath obviously needs a good result to stop his slide down the rankings
and he persisted in taking the game to Ricketts. At 8-all he did a double
feint at the front of the court and then put in a soft drop that left
Ricketts flat-footed. Obviously irked at being used as the straight man,
Ricketts asked the ref if Heath’s legerdemain was illegal. “Not
today,” retorted Mike Riley without losing a beat and called the
score 9-8 for Heath. Ricketts, smoke appearing from his ears, than slammed
Heath’s service straight down the nick; the ball should be surfacing
in Australia any moment now.
Heath didn’t mind and went on to win the game 15-10. Ricketts returned grim-faced for the third and despite two eruptions played hard and sure while Heath’s error rate crept up to lose points at critical times. Ricketts took the game 15-11 but Heath was still in a positive mind in the fourth and played some wonderful squash, constantly taking the ball short – especially from high overhead shots and led the game 11-8.
Again some crucial errors allowed Ricketts to level the game. The truth is, shooters are shooters, it is in their blood and they suddenly cannot stop simply because they are four points away from victory. But had Heath played safe squash and increased the pressure on Ricketts it could have been Ricketts who made the errors. As it was, Ricketts continued his run to win 15-12 to advance to the quarters and left Heath to rue what might have been.
THE UPSETS CAME LAST
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| Nick Matthews (left) continued his surge against Ong Beng Hee (photo: ©2003, Debra Tessier) |
The next two games went to the cool Yorkshireman and the fourth was a nail biter all the way through to the last point when Ong Beng Hee was denied a let at 15-16 to give Matthews the match. Ong Beng Hee has lost the spirit he once had and badly needs some fresh advice during his matches.
Graham Ryding , ranked nineteen, played world number nine Karim Darwish, who has also been on a very good winning streak in the last year, and upset all predictions by taking the front of the court away from the highly talented Egyptian to win in four games. This was a good, shrewd, intelligent performance by Ryding and he never lost his focus.
He had entered the court with a game plan and kept to it.
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| Graham Ryding (left) upset #7 seed Karim Darwish (photo: ©2003, Debra Tessier) |
I asked him what happened
in the second game, which he lost 15-3.
“I lost my length and he found his short game. At 9-3 down I decided
not to chase it, was his frank reply. And his game plan?
“ I knew he was he was good at the front so I got my counter drop game going. I moved my T up the court and took away his short game. I noticed that these courts are good for straight drops. I wasn’t tired at the end, because rather than attritional rallies, they were manic, adrenalin fuelled .”
FIRST ROUND
RESULTS
Graham Ryding (CAN) bt Karim Darwish (EGY) 15-10, 3-15, 1-15, 15-11
Nick Matthews (ENG ) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAL) 11-15, 17-15, 15-12, 11-5.
Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt Amr Shaban (EGY) 15-12, 15-6, 15-8.
Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt Martin Heath (SCO) 15-14, 10-15, 15-11, 15-12.