From the beginning Lincou was a changed man from the player who had just managed to squeeze through the first two rounds. He was now showing why he was the world number one, volleying everything in sight and keeping Power behind him for most of the first game. Power could not find a consistent length, which helped the Frenchman's cause immensely. More worryingly, Power, normally noted for his ability to read his opponent's intentions was constantly being wrong-footed by Lincou, especially with his back-hand cross court volleys. The first game was long -20 minutes but Power was never going to win it as Lincou kept an iron grip on the way the rallies were played and ending them some fine winners, taking the game 15-8.

POWER TURNS IT AROUND

So now we knew the battle was joined and Lincou realized he had to get back into driving Power to the back. But Power stopped him doing that by grabbing the third game by the scruff of its neck and running to a 7-0 lead. This was the Power we knew and loved; a feathery racket stroke, shrewd squash brain and great foot speed. Once more Power took the game with ease 15-6 and looked ready for the semis.

LINCOU FIGHTS BACK

The opening of the fifth was pure disaster for the Canadian who still looked tired as he made five errors to put Lincou in the driving seat at 5-2. Lincou was again hitting the ball to the back and taking care with his shots. But then over-confidence struck at 8-5 and he attempted an ambitious drop from the back of the court to hit tin. It was the first of five errors that gave Power the entrée back into the game and then to take the lead at 12-10. Power then hit a superb service which Lincou tried to rake off the wall but couldn't:13-10. Power got anxious and tried to finish the rally too quickly and hit tin. It was now 13-11 and still anybody's match; Lincou certainly does not give up until the winning point has been struck. But then it was time for Power to bring out The Power Cut - his patented deeply-cut backhand cross-court which stays within an inch of the floor. Lincou could do nothing but stare defeat in the face at 11-14. He got one point from a forehand boast but a mis-hit gave Power the final point as the referee had no choice but to award him a penalty stroke to win 15-12 after 98 minutes of see-sawing fortunes.

"It was a crap match. I lost my concentration - I wasn't tired. I couldn't get anything going all day. I hung in there….I have nothing great to say about the way I played, I just hung in there," Power said. When asked about his fitness he replied: "I'm back to full fitness, but not skill. No problems with my fitness."

Peter Nicol's fitness was not called into the question in his desultory match against Nick Matthew. It was all over in 40 minutes with Matthew unable to mount a defense against the array of shots and winners that rolled off Nicol's racket in sort of nonchalant way. The excitement had gone from the Vanderbilt Hall - the crowd had come to see a North American win, had cheered Power to the rafters and then left in droves. So there was little atmosphere and for Nicol the match seemed like a stroll in the park. All Matthew had to do was keep the rallies going to test Nicol's fragile health, but he failed to do that.

Nicol will be delighted at the shortness of the match after watching Power toil for over an hour and half. They both have a day off, playing their semi-final on Wednesday, but Power will have to make a greater recovery.

QUARTER FINALS
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.

Jonathon Power (Can) bt Thierry Lincou (Fra) 8-15,15-6,15-6, 5-15, 15-12 (98 mins)
Peter Nicol (Eng) bt Nick Matthew (Eng) 15-8, 15-7, 15-6. (40mins)