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2002
YMG Classic
2003 TOC NY
US Open Semi Finals: Ricketts Falls Short
By Martin Bronstein from Symphony Hall Boston
©
2003 Squashtalk, all rights of reproduction reserved.
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CURRENT
EVENTS | |||
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Nicol
and Palmer Prove their Worth
Sept 15 2003, Boston Symphony Hall,
Boston Mass
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| Anthony Ricketts takes a 2/0 lead. (Photo: ©2003 Debra Tessier) |
FINE SQUASH, A FULL
HALL AND A NEW BOOK
It was a good evening in the creaky old Symphony Hall. There were about
900 people packed around the classy WISPA glass court, James Zug was pushing
his new book and both semi-finals provided the paying customers with
damn good value for their money.
That boy Ricketts was at full revs on all 16 cylinders from the word go. He was devastating all over the court and he went to a 7-1 lead before Palmer knew what was happening. Yesterday I wrote about Palmer’s wondrous length. Today it was absent allowing Ricketts to dictate the play and he visibly grew in confidence as he felt Palmer’s impotence. He took Palmer on all over the court and was pretty devastating at the front with his deft slide shot, the ball just touching the front wall an inch above the tin to land on the other side of the court while Palmer was waiting for the straight counter-drop.
THE BIG REVERSAL
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| David Palmer (front) remained in control and finished Ricketts off. (Photo: ©2003 Debra Tessier) |
The change in Palmer – and the match – in the third game was quite remarkable.
Forget everything had gone before: the ball game starts right here. Biff, bang, crack, whack and Palmer looks a foot taller (he started at 61/2feet) and he’s 6-1 ahead. The length is getting close to perfect and he is attacking that front left corner in much the same manner as Jonathon Power.
Ricketts was pounding the ball down that left wall but Palmer was taking those drives on the volley to drop them tight to the wall. Ricketts was losing points and patience: the anger management of the first two games disappeared and the eruptions started. This man cares about every point and each losing point registers on his face as a mask of hate and anger. Palmer,who used to have real problems with his temper, has been so good this week he could teach Sunday school.
They produced some wonderful rallies - specially using the height of the court - and brought off some spectacular wrong way shots and volley drops. It was a joy to watch and the spectators showed their appreciation with long ovations after rallies.
Palmer took that game 15-8 and the fourth 15-7 as Ricketts grew more frustrated at his long lost domination and seven unforced errors proved his decreasing concentration.
If Palmer could turn the match around, so could Ricketts and the fifth always brings on few surprises. This one didn’t as Palmer seemed to improve hitting a new shot – a hight forehand cross court that had such a perfect angle Ricketts could not get to it. He was also reading the game very well and he was on to Ricketts shots before they had left his racket…almost. More wonderful rallies but Palmer remained in control and finished Ricketts off with a majestic backhand cross court into the nick to win 15-10 to take the victory after 85 glorious minutes.
There was only one question to ask the victor: What happened between the second and third games?
“I let Ricketts dictate for too long. He was playing very well and I was doing nothing with the ball for the first two games. You can’t play him up and down the wall. My length wasn’t good enough because I wa pushing the ball and not getting enough power in my shots. This match was a different level from the first two rounds and I had to adjust. It is always good to have your coach in the corner and Shawn Moxham was a help because when you play that fast you don’t know what your doing. He noticed a few things and in the third I corrected my play, “ he said, adding that he is still lacking a few hard matches to get him back to full strength. Frankly, he’s not doing badly understrength.
FORGET NICE - WIN!
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| Peter Nicol(front) goes for the kill against Thierry Lincou. (Photo: ©2003 Debra Tessier) |
It was in the second game that Nicol’s superb length started to really bother Lincou who found himself constantly in the back corners digging the ball out and putting up the weak return for Nicol to kill.
What was really the deciding factor was Nicol’s ability to hit a killer offensive shot from a difficult defensive position. Nicol’s movement in the back right corner (his backhand) is unlovely – the sort of movement and position that would make a ballet master cry, but Nicol is capable of sending the ball anywhere despite his style. Even though they were level at 9-all it was always Nicol in charge, winning the game 15-12 in 18 minutes.
Could Lincou pull off another Houdini escape as he did against Power yesterday when he was 2/0 and 14-9 down? At 4-3 down he looked to be holding his own but then came five unforced errors in succession. Nicol was now 9-3 ahead and Lincou had no answer to those quality shots and deft reverse drops that Nicol has added to his game in the last two years. Nicol wrapped it up with a forehand straight nick to win 15-10 to make his way into the final and some much needed ranking points.
I asked him why he played so much better today than yesterday when he lost the first two games to Graham Ryding.
“ I was too tense yesterday, I wanted to win too much. Today I got some consistency. I have been relaxing recently and playing some of my best squash ever but I haven’t been turning those into wins. Today I concentrated on winning rather than being good,” he replied.
Lincou agreed that Nicol’s length was better than his and that he found couldn’t do anything because of Nicol’s width and depth.
One thing is certain: tomorrrow’s final between Nicol and Palmer will be a good one. Neither of these player’s know how to quit and both will fight for ever.
Peter Nicol (ENG)(1) def Thierry Lincou (FRA)(5) 15-12,
15-10, 15-10
David Palmer (AUS)(2) def Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 8-15, 5-15, 15-8, 15-7,
15-10