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US Open Finals: Nicol Hangs On
By Martin Bronstein from Symphony Hall Boston
© 2003 Squashtalk, all rights of reproduction reserved.

Nicol Still Number One

Peter Nicol wins the US Open for a record 4th time (photo: ©2003 Debra Tessier)

While David Palmer may have mixed emotions – satisfaction with his performance but annoyance at losing – he lost by a millimeter. In fact the whole match may have hinged on the final point of the third game when he had Nicol at his mercy at the front of the court. All Palmer had to do was hit a straight drive and the point and the game would have been his, to give him a 2-1 lead. But he drove it into the top of the tin, giving Nicol, the 2-1 lead.

A SLOW START PROVES COSTLY
There was a long opening rally – deer butting heads came to mind – with Nicol finishing with a fine piece of deception on a backhand cross court. Four more quick points and he was 5-0 ahead. Palmer has been starting slow all week, his length taking half a game to kick in and full attack a little longer. Nevertheless he won half the rest of the points in the game – that is, he equaled Nicol’s success rate to lose 10-15 making those first five points very valuable. The two played impeccable squash, using the whole court with Nicol attacking more in the first game, but both player showing a determination to give nothing away.

David Palmer (white shirt) and Peter Nicol go point for point. (photo: ©2003 Debra Tessier)

By the second game, Palmer was in full flow and that backhand volley drop was beginning to pull Nicol down to the front. It was Palmer who went into a lead that he kept until 10-all. This was nail biting time for the spectators as the two players went point for point, Palmer always taking the lead but never able to put two points together as the determined Nicol dug into his magic reserve box to pull level again. Finally Palmer slammed a cross court into the nick for an unstoppable winner and followed it with a forehand boast that found Nicol a yard slow, to lead 14-12. Nicol looked the game ball squarely in the eye and won a dropping duel to get to 13-14, and then got a stroke to level at 14-all. Palmer called no let and buttocks clenched all around the court. They played a rally full of brio, ignoring the import of the outcome, and Palmer finally took the point on a stroke.

FORTY FIVE MINUTES AND BACK TO SQUARE ONE

Peter Nicol and David Palmer wowed the crowd with another amazing rally.(photo: ©2003 Debra Tessier)

The game was now 45 minutes old and the score was 1-1. The third game was just like the second with some remarkable rallies, some bringing screams and cheers from the spectators as both player saved impossible shots to keep the rally going. Nicol started to go for winners at the wrong time, always a sign of fatigure. But not this time. Once more they battled point for point, once more Palmer just inching a head and once more Palmer getting to game ball 14-13 on probably the best rally of the match. (If you know anybody who was there with a video camera, try and get to see it).

Once more Nicol pulled out that little bit extra and a backhand drive put him level. There followed the fateful rally, the ball put short at the front right corner, drops exchanged and Nicol’s just a little high. Palmer was right there, racket on high and all Nicol could do was crouch, caught in the corner. Palmer’s racket swept through its arc and drove the ball into the top of the tin. Nciol won 15-14 and was now 2/1 ahead. It was a cruel moment for Palmer and it might have affected him in the fourth as Nicol took a 6-1 lead in very short order. Palmer stepped forward a pace and bit by bit clawed his way back into the match to level at 8, and then 9 and then 11 and then 12 and then 13 and finally Palmer went ahead as Nicol slipped on the wet floor. The next rally could even the match. Palmer drove Nicol to the back right corner and Nicol stroked a beautiful drop shot that Palmer could do nothing about. It was a brave shot at that juncture but Nicol was to say later that it wasn’t brave; “the shot was on, and you have to go for it in today’s game. If you don’t the other player will and he takes control. And you don’t want to give away control at that point of the game.”

Once more it was 14-all and Palmer wisely called set three because the first point went to Nicol on a stroke. The second was won with a Nicol low drive for a beautiful winner.

And the match point was won with a patented Nicol cross court slider that eluded even the huge reach of Palmer.

After 95 minutes it was all over and the spectators rose for a long standing ovation, united in their appreciation of a final that will be long talked about. Even the other players I talked to shook their head in disbelief at the quality and pace they had just witnessed. Nicol and Palmer should go home with their heads held high.

Results, US Open Final, Symphony Hall
Peter Nicol (ENG)(1) def David Palmer (AUS)(2) 15-10, 14-15, 15-14, 17-14

The full house at Symphony Hall was on its feet in appreciation. (photo: ©2003 Debra Tessier)