WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions, New York, USA

Semi-finals:
[3] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [6] Jonathon Power (CAN) 15-5, 15-11, 15-8 (67m)
[2] John White (SCO) bt [4] Lee Beachill (ENG) 15-9, 15-13, 15-7 (63m)

Champion Nicol To Face White In New York Final

Third seed Peter Nicol, the defending champion from England, will face Scotland's No2 seed John White in the final of the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions after both players achieved straight games victories in the semi-finals at Grand Central Terminal in New York.

Twice champion Nicol reached his fourth successive final after dismissing his great rival Jonathon Power, the four-times champion from Canada, 15-5 15-11 15-8 in 67 minutes, while White, the world-number-one-to-be who is celebrating his maiden appearance in the final, defeated England's fourth seed Lee Beachill 15-9 15-13 15-7 in 63 minutes.

The packed crowd was buzzing with great anticipation as they waited for the first match of the evening between the sport's great titans Peter Nicol and Jonathon Power.  The two rivals have owned the title of this championship for the last six years - the last player to win the championship before either of them being the legendary Jansher Khan, in 1995. 

Nicol jumped into a big lead in the first game and Power's trademark pace and deft shot-making were missing from his game.    The trouble became apparent as Power asked for an injury timeout as a result of back spasms.  The Canadian returned to the court and quickly lost the game 15-5.  In the second it looked as though he might be able to mount a challenge as a one or two point lead seesawed back and forth.  When Nicol prevailed 15-13, there was some question as to whether Power would even get back on court.

"I want to play," he said to his coach Mike Way, hoping that the spasms would release as he played.  Power began to move more freely in the third game but it was too late.  "By that point, my game plan was gone and my mind wasn't there," said the clearly disappointed 29-year-old from Montreal.

Nicol, although happy to be in the final, was not all that pleased with his own play.  "I played all right," said the world No2 from London.  "But it was all quite a bit average and a bit anticlimactic.  I did what I had to do.  I was hitting the ball long, but it wasn't much fun for me to play and I don't suppose it was much fun to watch," added Nicol, competing in his first tournament since suffering from exhaustion during his semi-final match in the British National Championships earlier in the month.

The result in the 37th clash between Nicol and Power takes the Englishman 20-17 ahead in their career head-to-head tally.

Undeniably the hardest hitter on the tour, John White has rounded out his game to be more patient and use his power more strategically.  "What I have learned as I've got older is that it is most important to always go back to the basics," said the 30-year-old from Nottingham in England.  "The old Johnny White would always go for a nick or three-wall-boast to get out of a tight spot.  Now I go back to the basics and try to have a two or three point cushion before I take that kind of risk."

White led Beachill from start to finish in the first game, but the 26-year-old Yorkshireman made a run in the second, jumping out to a 7-3 lead.  White, who beat Beachill to win the British National title for the first time ten days ago, remained steady in the face of the challenge.  "I just told myself to stick to my game plan, which was to keep enough pace on the ball so he wouldn't be able to hold and flick at the front of the court.  I knew that if I was working hard, he was working hard."  After 29 minutes, making it the longest game of the championships, White closed out the game 15-13. Beachill folded a bit in the third and the Scotsman secured his first ever appearance in the Tournament of Champions final when he won the last game 15-7, in just eight minutes.      

Looking ahead to the final, White said, "I'll have a good breakfast, a good hit and treat it like another day at the office with a new client."  Win or lose in the finals, White will, at end of the month, officially become the world No1 - marking the first time that Scotsman will have scaled the top of the rankings.