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TODAY at the ISS
Canary Wharf Squash Classic |
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Wed 21st March, QUARTERS:
Steve Cubbins reports from Canary Wharf
QUARTER-FINALS:
[2] Nick Matthew (Eng) bt [7] Wael El Hindi (Egy)
14/12, 11/8, 8/11, 11/2 (66m)
[4] James Willstrop (Eng) bt [6] Lee Beachill (Eng)
11/9, 6/11, 8/11, 11/8, 11/7 (73m)
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [8] Adrian Grant (Eng)
11/8, 11/9, 15/13 (77m)
[5] John White (Sco) bt Alex Gough (Wal)
11/7, 7/11, 11/7, 7/11, 11/5 (81m)
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Malcolm on the
Quarters |
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LUCKY 13 AS WILLSTROP
ENDS HIS BEACHILL JINX
Roundup from Alan Thatcher
 James
Willstrop recorded his first victory over his Pontefract and England
team-mate Lee Beachill tonight - at the 13th attempt. Willstrop
finally broke through a major psychological barrier by fighting back
from 2-1 down to win 3-2 in the quarter-finals of the ISS Canary
Wharf Squash Classic.
Both players delighted a sell-out crowd at the East Wintergarden
venue at Canary Wharf with an absorbing display of attacking squash
lasting 73 minutes.
A delighted Willstrop said: "I'm pleased to be in the semi-finals
but I don't think Lee or myself is particularly bothered about the
statistics. Other people have made more of that than we have."
Willstrop, 24, saluted the influence his opponent has had on his
career by revealing: "Lee has been on the professional circuit a lot
longer than me and of course I have always looked up to him for the
way he has conducted himself on and off court.
"He is a great professional and has achieved so much in the sport.
We know each other's games so well and it was always going to be
full-on."
 Beachill,
29, acknowledged the great strides being made by the sport when he
commented: "It's great to see a full house crowd in a wonderful
venue like this.
"Those idiots who call squash a minority sport should be here to
watch a spectacle like this. With increased media coverage and more
exposure on TV I think we are moving into a new era for the
promotion of the sport where players like James will reap the
rewards they deserve. I might be getting a bit too old to enjoy
those benefits but it's great for the game."
Willstrop, the No.3 seed, meets fellow Yorkshireman Nick Matthew,
the British Open champion from Sheffield, in Thursday's semi-finals.
Number two seed Matthew had to fight hard to beat stylish Egyptian
Wael El Hindi in four games, finishing strongly as his opponent
faded.
 Reigning
champion Thierry Lincou was kept on court for 77 minutes by Londoner
Adrian Grant, who enjoyed phenomenal support from a vocal crowd just
a few miles from where he grew up in Catford.
The French top seed won after a brutal third game which ended in a
prolonged tiebreak.
Grant admitted: "I made a few too many mistakes at crucial times and
you can't afford to do that against a player like Thierry."
Lincou added: "That was a very tough match. Adrian played very well
but now I have to recover for the semi-finals."
Lincou's opponent is hard-hitting Scot John White, the number five
seed who is based in Philadelphia. White beat tour veteran Alex
Gough, 36, in the final match of the evening, finishing just after
midnight.
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[5] John White (Sco) bt Alex Gough (Wal)
11/7, 7/11, 11/7, 7/11, 11/5 (81m)
White clocks off at midnight
 It
was the second successive 3/2 thriller for 2005 champion John White,
and as tonight's four matches grew steadily longer, it meant this
one finished on the stroke of midnight.
It was a see-saw match, but after the first four games were shared
John edged ahead from the middle of the decider, finishing with a
flourish - a trademark crosscourt volley nick, although Alex had
realised the game was up a few points before ...
 "It
went in patches, I was playing well at the front for a while,
particularly in the fourth, but then he started hitting it past me
so I had to go deeper.
"I was in there in the fifth, then I just had three horrible
rallies, he got confident, went for a couple of winners and that was
that really."
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 "Half
way through the fourth I was thinking "I'm just playing against
myself here," and I was beating myself too!
"It was one of those games where you just didn't know what to
expect, you can play really well for a while, then it all changes.
"Goughy plays well, he gets so much back, speeds it up, slows it
down, talks to you … we've played so many times in PSA, leagues and
we used to train together all the time so we always know what to
expect.
"I managed to edge ahead in the fifth and knew I just needed to stay
one or two points ahead, if he gave me a loose shot to go for it,
that's how I play.
"When I got to seven or eight he seemed to go negative on himself, I
could feel that so pushed on to finish it off."
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[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra)
bt [8] Adrian Grant (Eng)
11/8, 11/9, 15/13 (77m)
Nothing in it
Seventy-seven minutes for a three-nil tells you most of what you
need to know about this match. There was simply nothing it it all
the way with neither player able to gain any sort of control for
more than one or two points at a time.
Thierry took the early odd-point advantage in each of the first two,
and stayed ahead as the score rose steadily on both sides.
There were more than a few decisions required of the referees - 64
in total, 57 of which were lets - and the count rose towards the end
of each of the three games as the tension rose and the stakes
mounted. Nothing untoward or nasty, they just both wanted to hold
the 'T' and ended up getting in each other's way.
Adrian enjoyed much vocal support from his home crowd, and although
Thierry jokingly thanked "the one who shouted for me" after the
match, the Frenchman had more support than that in a contest that
grew more gripping the closer we got to the end.
The third was even closer than the first two, with the lead changing
hands several times this time. Adrian had game balls at 10/9, 12/11
and 13/12, Thierry had match balls at 11/10 and 14/13. Each winning
or saving of a crucial point was greeted with roars from the crowd,
and also from the player who had earned it - they both wanted,
needed this one, for sure.
Strangely, after the energy of the final few points, the end came
quietly as Thierry glued a drive down the backhand that Adrian could
only mis-hit into the floor. The home crowd groaned and the players
just shook hands ... everyone both drained by the intensity of it
all.
 "We
were so close all the way, I felt I couldn't play my shots, I didn't
have enough control to play in a liberated way.
"I'm very happy to win in three, he's so tough to play, very quick,
precise and it's hard to move him, but fortunately the work I'd done
paid off in the end.
"It was a tough mental battle, but I enjoyed it, I enjoy those
situations."
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 "That
was so close, it just came down to one or two points. Especially in
the last, I worked so hard to get each of those game balls, I was
just trying to find a way to finish it off but I couldn't quite get
there.
"That's why he's been world champion and world number one, he's been
in those situations so many times and he knows how to pull through
them, he's a class act.
"I'm happy with the way I played, but gutted to lose like that
without even taking a game. Physically I felt fine, if I'd taken the
third it would have been a real battle, I was really pumped up for
it."
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[4] James Willstrop (Eng)
bt [6] Lee Beachill (Eng)
11/9, 6/11, 8/11, 11/8, 11/7 (73m)
Lucky Thirteen for James
They should have met in Manchester, but Lee's late neck injury
cancelled that match. Would this be the time that James could
finally break Lee's 12-match winning sequence in their meetings?
It looked promising in the first. In a mixture of some long,
well-worked rallies and some quick ones, James forged ahead, and
although Lee saved two game balls his rueful smile as he tinned the
third one spoke volumes.
 Generally
Lee seemed to look a little more relaxed than James, joking with the
referee(s), while James looked more intent on keeping his
concentration levels up.
Lee's more controlled game held sway for the next two as he took the
lead, but it was never easy, both players attacking where they could
and keeping an appreciative full house well entertained.
It swung back James' way after that. Lee found himself stranded at
the front a couple of times as he stretched to reach on the
backhand, and James took and held early leads in both games.
The end approached with Lee unable to bridge the gap, and he put a
volley into the tin to give James that win that had eluded him for
so long.
Some observers felt that the time was right for James to do it at
the Nationals, and although he wasn't given the opportunity to do it
there, he didn't have to wait long …
 "Lee's
right, between us it's never really mattered that I'd never beaten
him, it didn't affect our games at all. We play so often, we know
that it's close between us and I was never tense on court about it.
"Lee's been a big influence on me, of course, he was a top player
before me and we've been together for so many years at the club and
on tour.
"It's always going to be hard to get back up after a match as
mentally and physically draining as that one, especially against
Nick who's got a good record against me recently, but I love playing
here, the crowd and the atmosphere are great so hopefully I'll get
some rest and be ready for another big match tomorrow.
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 "To
be honest everyone else always made more fuss over James never
having beaten me than we do, but I was surprised to see we'd played
12 times, I didn't think it was as many as that. On James' ranking
and results he should be beating me, and playing like that he's one
of the top 3/4 guys in the world so, it's good that he has now.
"We know each other's games so well, it always comes down to a few
points, or a couple of little things that happen in the match.
"My neck's still not quite right, every now and then when I go in on
the backhand I feel it, but absolutely no excuse, he played well and
I just fell short at the end.
"I'm just glad I managed to get on court this time …"
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[2] Nick Matthew
(Eng) bt [7] Wael El Hindi (Egy)
14/12, 11/8, 8/11, 11/2 (66m)
 Matthew
masters
El Hindi
Nick Matthew confirmed his return to fitness with a confident
display against Egyptian challenger Wael El Hindi.
After saving three game balls before taking a tight first game the
Englishman doubled his lead, and after El Hindi pulled one back came
out firing to race into 5/0 and 8/1 leads to effectively seal the
match and a place in the semi-finals.
 "If
I'd managed to take the third it might have moved my way, but he
played well. I've been working hard so I'll be hoping to do better
in the couple of tournaments we've got coming up …"
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 "I
was a bit hesitant at the start, but I was moving better and better as
the match went on. The first was crucial, we both had game balls, but
once I got that and then the second I could relax a little. I thought I
had the chance to win it 3/0, but after I lost the third I knew he'd
come out firing, so I had to come out firing too.
"I was telling myself every couple of rallies not to settle into a
comfort zone, I've been there for the last couple of months!
"You can't come back from 7/1 on there, the court's dead enough to be
able to hit a few nicks to stay ahead. Thanks to Bradley for sharpening
me up last night …"
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QUARTER FINAL COUNTDOWN
FULL HOUSE: SOLD OUT!!!
The snow's gone, the sun's shining, and, best news of all, EVERY
ticket is sold out for tonight's quarter finals in the ISS Canary
Wharf Squash Classic.
The East Wintergarden will be packed out for an impressive line-up
of four top quality matches, kicking off with Egyptian Wael El Hindi
meeting British Open champion Nick Matthew ... |
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LONDONER GRANT AIMS TO BE A CITY SLICKER AT CANARY WHARF
Preview from Alan Thatcher
LONDONER Adrian Grant is
enjoying the thrill of playing in his home town as he bids for
success in this week's ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic, one of
Europe's main ranking tournaments.
 The
26-year-old left hander from Catford faces a tough challenge in
tonight's quarter-finals when he faces top seed Thierry
Lincou on the glass court at the stunning East Wintergarden
venue at Canary Wharf.
Grant, who made history when he
became the first black squash player to compete for England,
said: "This tournament means a lot to me. I am playing in my
home town and I have lots of family, friends and supporters here
to encourage me.
"I want to put on a good show on
the glass court but I know it will be difficult because Lincou
is one of the toughest guys around.
"He's so accurate and so clinical,
he makes it difficult to get into your stride."
Grant has already beaten one
Frenchman this week, having overcome Renan Lavigne in the first
round in a marathon 75-minute battle.
Grant said: "I was quite nervous at
the start because the ball was bouncing around so much but after
a while it slowed down and I was able to finish the ball off in
the corners.
"I need to make sure that I
concentrate throughout the whole match and not go walkabout like
I do sometimes. If I get everything right I know I can beat the
top guys in the world, and this week in London would be a great
time to do it."
Lincou, the former world champion
from Marseille, is the reigning Canary Wharf champion. After a
slow start, he ruthlessly despatched Australian qualifier Aaron
Frankcomb in the first round.
 In
another fascinating battle tonight new national champion
James Willstrop meets his Pontefract and England team-mate
Lee Beachill - and Willstrop is searching for his first
career victory over his more experienced colleague.
The two were due to meet in the
semi-finals of the recent National Championships in Manchester,
but Beachill withdrew with a neck injury.
Willstrop was stretched all the way
by Essex qualifier Daryl Selby in Monday's first round, but
Beachill looked in immaculate form as he removed Canadian
Shahier Razik in straight games.
In last night's matches British Open champion Nick Matthew
continued his return to competitive action after an ankle injury
with a hard-fought win over compatriot Bradley Ball and
now faces stylish Egyptian Wael El Hindi.
The two longest-established players on the tour - hard hitting
John White and wily veteran Alex Gough - both won
and will meet for a place in the semi-finals.
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Canary Chit Chat
#2: Stars in their eyes
Photo Galleries
Gough through to face White
in clash of the tour's two most experienced players ...
Matthew back in action,
faces El Hindi tonight ... |
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