2nd
Day, Evening Edition
Martin
Bronstein, Squashtalk reporter on the scene at Grand Central Terminal
by
Martin Bronstein, Live at Grand Central Terminal, New York, 20 Feb 2005
All
content © 2005 Squashtalk,
photos: © 2005 Debra Tessier
[view the main draw/results] [view the qualifying draw/results]
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The
way Peter Nicol crushed Shahid Zaman tonight was not only surprising,
it was almost frightening. |
Peter Nicol has played Shahid Zaman three times; twice in practise and once in an exhibition. The surprising fact is that Nicol lost on all three occasions. Which is why he was so pumped when he met the young Pakistani in the first round in Grand Central. In view of this previous history the way he crushed Zaman tonight was not only surprising, it was almost frightening. Inside 30 minutes he had Zaman rushing and crashing about all over the court - Zaman must have ended up horizontal at least six times as he dash and crashed in an effort get to Nicol's well distributed shots. But it was all sadly in vain: Nicol took the first game 11-4 in eight minutes,, the second 11-3 in the same time, and the third 11-1 in ten minutes.
There is really nothing else to report: this was the master putting the pupil in his place and demonstrating how much more he has to learn. The bulky Zaman may have had an off day, but Nicol's explanation was simple: "I played better squash than him." 'Nuff said.
WILLSTROP BLOWS OUT
THE COBWEBS
James Willstrop beat Mohd Azlan Iskander of Malaysia in a battle of the
young contenders in a match that featured some wonderful bouts of all
out attack, like a couple of young featherweights standing toe to toe
and trading flurries of punches. This promised to be one hulluva match
and when Iskander won the first game 11-8 more than matching Willstrop's
considerable range of shots and speeds the possibility of a real classic
grew.
A nervous Willstrop calmed
down in the second game and started to use his delay to good effect and
evened the match with a 11-7 score. In the third the promise started to
unravel as Willstrop forced some errors from Iskander and quickly built
up a 5-1 lead. The Malaysian got visibly emotional - and even angry when
Willstrop was given a stroke on a ball that Iskander felt he could have
played. The result was predictable and Willstrop had the game 11-5 inside
8 minutes.
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The
James Willstrop vs Mohd Azlan Iskander
match was 53 minutes of
good entertainment. |
Willstrop however was far from happy
with his performance.
"I didn't play well - it was far from a fluent performance. I was
a bit nervous because Iskander is a decent player and he can be dangerous.
Frankly I haven't done too much since the nationals and I was very glad
to get that match out of the way," he said. When I asked him if his
defeat by Beachill in the British nationals had affected his confidence,
he replied:
"Not at all. I was unhappy with the way I played on such a big occasion.
But Beachill played very well and he's just too good for me right now.
Hopefully I shall catch up with him." I have very little doubt that
will happen.
Laurens Jan Anjema, the great Dutch hope showed why he considered such a great prospect and why he has achieved such good results of late. He lost in three to Anthony Ricketts but the standard of squash was very high, the pace was cracking and neither player lacked courage.
Ricketts took the first game and then inexplicably lost his way in the second allowing Anjema an easy route to a 7-1 lead. At one point I though Ricketts would let the game go as a lost cause, but that is not Anthony (Vesuvias) Ricketts' way of competing. Anjema could do nothing as Ricketts carved his way back, point by point playing solid squash and avoiding silly shots to deservedly win the game 11-9. It was a lesson of sorts for Anjema and although he went on to lose the next game after leading 4-1, he will take comfort in the fact that he has the ability and the skills to live with the top guys. All he needs now is the experience and that won't be long coming.
ONG STILL OFF SONG
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Peter Barker
beat world #15 Ong Beng Hee to be only qualifier to make the second
round.
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Beng Hee still has not recovered the confidence he showed in getting to world number six a few years back. For a player so experienced he exhibited a maddening habit of snatching at balls and worse still, bad shot selection. Barker on the other hand is a solid player who gives very little away and although he does not have the flair that Beng Hee has always had, Barker has a disciplined game and he emerged a 3/1 winner after 69 minutes. It was a strangely compelling contest wondering whether Beng Hee would get back on track or whether the young Barker would make the second round. But psychologically Barker is on a positive upward streak while Beng Hee is trying to stop the downward slide. And that's why Barker won.
TOC 2005 FIRST ROUND
RESULTS DAY 2:
[3] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt Shahid Zaman (PAK) 11-4, 11-3, 11-1 (30 mins)
Peter Barker (ENG) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-6, 11-8, 8-11,11-8 (69mins)
Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-3, 11-9, 11-7 (41mins)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Mhd Azlan Iskander (MAS) 8-11,11-7, 121-5,
11-6. (53 mins)
Bronstein's
afternoon report
Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Bradley Ball (ENG)9-11, 11-9 11-7, 11-10 (3-1) (48mins)
[2]Lee Beachill (ENG) bt Mohammed Hafiz (EGY) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (23 mins)
Olli Tuominen
(FIN) bt [8]Karim Darwish (EGY) 4-11,11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (53 mins)
Graham Ryding (CAN) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-9, 11-10 (3-1), 11-8 (59 mins)
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Laurens Jan
Anjema lost in three to Anthony Ricketts but the standard of squash
was very high, the pace was cracking and neither player lacked courage.
(photo: ©
2005 Debra Tessier) |
