US Open 2002

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Last updated 09/16/2002

Tuominen out-thinks Ryding, Parke too much for Casteleyn
[Qualifying Complete Results]

By Martin Bronstein in Boston

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FINAL QUALIFYING

TUOMINEN TOO MUCH FOR RYDING

Olli Tuominen (who looks like a young Gary Waite) proved that his solid, almost error -free game will stand him in good stead when faced with a player of a similar calibre. And Ryding, now just four ranking places below the Finn, was equal in all areas of the court….he just made errors at the wrong time. It was a peculiar match in its swings of fortune and only when Tuominen surged ahead in the final game was the outcome predictable.

Ryding, playing with confidence took the first game 15-11 and seemed comfortably in charge but started the second with some errors allowing Tuominen to jump a 10-5 lead. These were not quick rallies but hard fought, well thought out campaigns with almost no loose stuff to be seen. But they would end with a Ryding delicate drop into the tin. From this point the rallies were swift as Ryding gave away the points to get it over and start afresh in the third. Tuominen tied the match with a 15-6 game.

SAME SCENARIO
Instead of starting with a clean slate, Ryding once again allowed a large gap to develop and was constantly caught out with Tuominen’s very clever – and expert – use of the boast from both sides of the court. At 4-13 down, and doing is best to lose, Ryding suddenly played a superb fighting rally, as though he had decided he would like to win. He won it and there were visions of him storming back from 5-13 down to victory – but those visions were in my head and not his and he lost the next two points quickly to be 1-2 down.

THE COMEBACK

Although Tuominen won the first point of the fourth game on a stroke, he was suddenly on the receiving end and it was his errors that turned the game in the Canadian’s direction. Unexpectedly Ryding was in charge and he grabbed the reins with both hands, hitting some superb winners and sending his opponent the wrong way with ease. At 13-6 he let up and Tuominen, in a quick run of points, stormed back to 13-11. The run was stopped when Ryding received a stroke and the look of anguish on Tuominen’s face indicated that he had had his chance. Ryding finished the game with a beautiful backhand that started as a volley drive and finished as a cross-court cut sending Tuominen to the wrong side.

SORRY ABOUT THE PREDICTIONS
Now I was secretly rooting for Ryding because I had predicted that he would be one of the four qualifiers. But as soon as Tuominen took a 4-1 lead, I knew my record for predictions (mostly wrong) would be intact. Ryding produced a mini-resurgance to stand one point back at 5-6 but from that moment on Tuominen drew away inexorably as the Ryding errors mounted: not truly unforced errors because many came from balls that were tight on the wall. And this is why Olli is so hard to beat; regardless of how difficult and rushed, his response is always either tight or good length. In the final game he also produced three long backhand drops that left Ryding standing on the T, helpless. Tuominen won the game 15-7 to go forward to the main draw where he will meet Scot Martin Heath.

NO RHYME, NO RHYTHM, NO REASON, NO CONTEST

Simon Parke is now a married man and it seems to agree with him. He had a fairly easy time against Stefan Casteleyn (who is married with children) in a match that lacked any shape and very little excitement. Casteleyn was in one of his silly moods where a lost rally put a smile on his face. This was scrappy squash and Parke needed no second bidding to take the first game 15-6 with nary a bead of sweat on his brow after 12 minutes of squash and then repeated the feat again in the second 15-5 in ten minutes.

Casteleyn probably remembered he had mouths to feed back in California and was 7-2 up before I could clean my glasses. Parke would rather have a 3/0 result and so fought back to 12-14 before Casteleyn finished it off 15-12, looking good and promising to pushing the whole affair to five games. But as quickly as it came his resolve left and while there were some entertaining rallies and a few laughs Parke was rarely worried and took the game 15-5 in eleven minutes. He should be nicely warmed up for his 1pm meeting with David Palmer in the first round. Parke will also be nicely warmed up if he spots me – I predicted Casteleyn would beat him.

(I got one out of four. Which is why I don’t bet on the horses).

FINAL QUALIFYING RESULTS

Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Graham Ryding (CAN) 11-15, 15-6, 15-5, 11-15, 15-7
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Renan Lavigne (FRA) 15-6, 15-6, 15-13
Simon Parke (ENG) bt Stefan Casteleyn (BEL) 15-6, 15-5, 12-15, 15-5
Nick Taylor (ENG) bt Del Harris (ENG) 15-9, 15-7, 15-5