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The 2000 TOC Event

Site updated on 02/05/2001

The CSFBdirect Tournament of Champions 2001,
presented by NYSC Feb 3 - Feb 9 2001,
Grand Central Terminal, New York

Tournament of Champions round two, Monday afternoon

[photogallery]    [draw]

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS 2001
Martin Bronstein reporting from Grand Central Terminal Monday Feb 5 2000.

SECOND ROUND FIRST SESSION MONDAY FEB 5

PARKE FLAT OUT BUT SURVIVES
The second round started with two five-game contests that would have put any faux gladiators show to shame. Two high seed players both nearly had their image shattered by unseeded players. Heath and Boswell fought with fangs bared but it was the all- England contest between world number 4 Simon Parke and Del Harris that sparked the fireworks and kept the Vanderbilt Hall full of explosions, both physical and emotional.

These two have been playing each since the early teens but have strangely not faced each other for over two years on the circuit. Parke has had his best years ever recently, rising to a high of three in the world, while Del Harris yo-yo'd because of injuries but made good his comeback to number seven last year. He is the most exciting player to come out of England in the last decade; everything he does is unorthodox starting with his hammer grip on the racket. But by golly! how effective he is on the court, moving quicker than a man of his size has a right to move.

Parke, an orthodox player, has been a winner in all age groups and capable of unbelievable speed around the court. From the beginning this was not going to be a hacking match as both players went for winners with indecent haste. It was a rare rally that went beyond ten strokes and they could both hit delicate drop shots as well as crashing drives.

TOTAL EFFORT
They weren't afraid of diving full length either. Indeed at 5-5 in the second game, a point in the match when there is very little at stake, Harris did a swallow dive towards the front wall to pick up a Parke dropshot and stayed flat on his stomach for a worryingly long time. He got up, a little shaken, tested his left leg and shakily carried on. It didn't affect him too much as he had Parke chasing a series of thundering drives and floating lobs.

TOTAL SPEED
The speed of the match was breathtaking and both players retained superb control even at this speed. Harris won the 21 minute game to even the match, but then lost the third after leading 14-11. The pace continued and Harris was back in full force to win the fourth to send the match into a welcome fifth game….welcomed by the spectators who loved every crash, collision, yelp of frustration and scream of rage.

The final game was full of the same and then some. At 11-11 Harris hit a backhand smash that Park could not have seen, never mind hit. Parke took the next point and then went 13-12 ahead despite Harris' plea that Parke's shot had been a carry.

During the next rally Harris had Parke at his mercy at the front but hit an indifferent shot three feet from the side wall, Parke scurried back and swiped at the ball which hit Harris on its way to the front wall; Point to Parke, 14-12. Parke was regretful - it was an accident - but Harris was white with anger that Parke should get to match ball on that point.

ULTIMATE POINT
The next point was unreal: Parke dived to get a Harris drop and was flat on the floor, Harris slammed the ball to the back - surely a winner. But no Parke, as he had done against Nicol in last year's Super Series final, was up and running like a hare, got the ball an inch from the floor and got it to the front wall. Harris was there waiting for it, all the time in the world….and hit it into the tin! His fury at himself, Parke, and the world in general was understandable. But Parke had won and there was nothing anybody could do about it.

HEATH SCRAPES BY
Young Stewart Boswell was even angrier with himself after losing to Martin Heath after a brave, unforgiving 91 minute testostone fuelled duel.

Boswell won the first game, Heath the next two and in the fourth the dark haired Scot went into self-destruct mode when things were not going his way -- I've seen him lose after completely dominating opponent in the first two games.

Boswell took advantage of Heath's state of mind to even the match and save two match balls in the fifth to get to 14-all. The referee asked Heath how many points - one or three? Heath paced the court rubbed his foot on some wet patches and did not reply.

"Mr Heath?" said the referee again.

Finally Heath opted for three - and promptly won the next point on a Boswell error. Boswell took the next point to get even but after some furious calls for lets and arguments with the referee, scraped the next two points to win 17-15.

Heath's relief was overshadowed by Boswell's fury and disappointment, but never mind Stu, you turn is very close at hand.

SECOND ROUND RESULTS
Martin Heath (Sco) beat Stewart Boswell (Aus) 11-15 , 15-10, 15-9, 10-15, 17-15.
Simon Parke (Eng) beat Del Harris (Eng) 15-12, 13-15, 17-14, 12-15, 15-13.
David Evans (Wal) beat Ong Beng Hee (Mal) 13-15, 15-11, 15-7, 15-4.
Paul Johnson (Eng) beat Joseph Kneipp (Aus) 15-12, 12-15, 15-6, 15-2.