POWER OFFENSIVE BARRAGE FORCES NICOL QUICK SURRENDER
Martin Bronstein, Squashtalk reporter on the scene in New York City.

by Martin Bronstein, Grand Central Terminal, New York, 1 Feb 2002
All content © 2002 Squashtalk, photos: © 2002 Debra Tessier

[the final draw]

ABSOLUTE POWER DOES NOT CORRUPT

Jonathon Power took Peter Nicol apart tonight in Grand Central Station in a manner that was not only unbelievable but also jaw-droppingly good. Not one person in the packed seating would have predicted Power winning, never mind zipping Nicol 3/0.

It is a long time since I have seen Power play this well and so consistently. It was, to use an overused word, awesome. There were rallies where he jerked Nicol around the court as though on the end of a piece of string. From about the midway point of the first game, Nicol - normally totally unemotional - started to show frustration at his inability to grab control back from Power. The Canadian was in full flow, supremely confident , using his complete array of shots and using every one of them at exactly the right time.

WINNERS ALL THE WAY
From the very beginning of the first game Power showed his hand - he was going to play his game: a backhand drop, followed by a backhand straight nick, then a forehand drop into the nick and another backhand drop and Power was 4-0 up. Nicol responded with a winner of his own to get his first point and then an error put Power back in the driving seat and he stretched his lead to 8-2. We have seen this slow start from Nicol before - in fact in his matches against both Boswell and White.

The expected resurgence this time, however, never happened. He seemed a trifle slow and instead of burying his opponent with his soft drops at the front, Power was tormenting him there. Instead of Nicol stepping up the court, cutting everything off and keeping Power on the hop, he was hanging back.

IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?
When Power continued to dominate and take the game 15-6 in 12 ½ minutes, there was bewilderment all round. Bewilderment, too at Power's behaviour, nearly perfect. I think there was one appeal during the whole game and absolutely no Power histrionics. That was a very good clue to his state of mind.

Still, Nicol has been one game down before and come back with a vengance and so the second game was awaited with some interest. No change. Five winners, two errors and a stroke and he was 8-4 ahead: the course of the game depended on what Power did with the ball…Nicol could nothing but react as Power continued to jerk him around. Nevertheless Nicol pulled back to 7-8 threatening finally to take control but Power won a dropping duel to get to 9-7 and then he led 10-8.

On the next rally Power really started to pull the strings and could be accused of cruel and unjust punishment. If there was one rally that could have destroyed Nicol's confidence this was it; he was pulled from front to back, back to front and inside out and he lost it. Leading 11-8 Power turned the screw - a backhand drop, a forehand baost another backahdn drop and he was at game point.

On the next rally he put up a lob and Nicol went for an overhead drop shot - and hit tin. Second game to Power 15-8 after 19 minutes of exhibition squash by the man the dubbed The Magician.

NO WAY BACK
Nicol has the perfect temperament for squash, rarely getting upset, rarely arguing with the referees. Tonight he showed more emotion than I have ever seen before. There was frustration, annoyance and finally - and this rare - resignation. Power, who took two games from Nicol in the YMG Classic in Toronto two months ago, was not about to let up.

He hasn't beaten Nicol in 14 months - the last time was in Toronto in December 2000, and he knew people were beginning to write him off , especially in view of the way Nicol had been playing for the last couple of month. Nicol led 1-0 in the third, but it was meaningless. Power, who had beaten Lee Beachill in the second round in a 1 hour and 50 minute match, had demonstrated that he had no trouble with fitness and now he was going to prove it again. He got to 4-2 with another cruel rally that had Nicol doing court sprints.

He kept playing his unique game and Nicol had no answer, no strategy to stop him. Power hit eight outright winners in the game: he led 11-4 and relaxed slightly to allow Nicol to get to 8-12. Nicol put him in the front right and Power played a shot that I cannot name : the racket appears to go in several directions at once (a quaquaversal deception?) and then makes contact with the ball to perform a top spin forehand roll corner. Please don't ask me to explain it again. The result is a winning shot and more misery for Nicol as the crowd erupts in appreciation.

I DID IT MY WAY
A couple of more winners from Power and at game ball a dispirited Nicol hit a forehand cross court into the tin. Power had earned - deserved - this historic 53 minute victory and Nicol will go home knowing that he is not yet undisputed king of the castle. When I asked Power what had happened he said

" I played my game and was not going to be caught into playing Nicol's running game. I had been watching Peter running well all week, but tonight I noticed he was a little slow getting to my drop shots."

What was the difference between Boston and New York? "To start with I didn't get back spasms in the first six points. I was in good shape tonight and I knew that my fitness was ok. I knew that my second round match against Lee Beachill was the premier match of the draw and when I got through that in nearly two hours that gave me a lot of confidence."

A great night, a great surprise results, but sadly the end of another terrific Tournament of Champions, which has rapidly become my favourite tournament. John Nimick has found the secret to putting on tournaments and the PSA players presented him with an award to show their appreciation of his efforts. Nobody deserves that more and I shall be in Boston in September for his next US Open, in Toronto in November for his YMG Classic and, you bet, back in New York next January for the Tournament of Champions. Order your tickets now!

RESULTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

FINALS FRIDAY FEB 1 2002

Jonathon Power (Can) bt Peter Nicol (Eng) 15-6, 15-8, 15-10 (53 mins)

SEMIS THURSDAY JAN 31 2002

Jonathon Power (Can) bt Chris Walker (Eng) 15-6, 15-10, 15-4 (47 mins)
Peter Nicol (Eng) bt John white (Sco) 12-15, 15-5, 15-4, 15-6 (61 mins)