WORLD SQUASH NEWS
RESULTS: Harrisdirect Tournament of Champions, New York, USA
2nd round (1st day):
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [Q] James Willstrop (ENG) 15-7, 15-10, 15-8 (40m)
[7] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt [Q] Rodney Durbach (RSA) 15-6, 9-15, 17-16,
15-7 (76m)
[3] David Palmer (AUS) bt [15] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) 7-15, 15-13, 15-12, 15-4
(78m)
[8] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [9] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 15-9, 15-12, 15-11 (63m)
Arader & O'Rourke Women's Open, New York, USA
1st round:
[1] Carol Owens (NZL) bt [Q] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 9-0, 9-4, 9-2 (28m)
Jenny Tranfield (ENG) bt [5] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 9-2, 5-9, 9-3, 9-0 (30m)
[4] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 9-6, 9-7, 9-3 (37m)
[6] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [Q] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 9-2, 9-5, 9-1 (28m)
[7] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt Natalie Grinham (AUS) 9-1, 9-5, 9-1 (28m)
[3] Linda Charman (ENG) bt [Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 10-8, 9-2, 9-3 (39m)
[8] Rebecca Macree (ENG) bt Fiona Geaves (ENG) 9-4, 9-6, 9-4 (30m)
[2] Natalie Pohrer (USA) bt Stephanie Brind (ENG) 9-5, 9-2, 9-3 (36m)
End of The Line For Willstrop In Grand Central Station
England's top seed Peter Nicol looked to be on track for a third consecutive
finals showdown with Canada's defending champion Jonathon Power as he handled
World Junior Champion James Willstrop with ease in their second round match
in the $72,500 Harrisdirect Tournament of Champions at Grand Central Terminal
in New York.
Willstrop, 19, was unable to reproduce the form which had taken him through
two qualifying rounds, then a significant upset over world No11 Karim Darwish
in the first round. World No1 Nicol, who said it was "brilliant" to be back
in the event in New York City at Grand Central Terminal, claimed his second
victory in just over a week over his compatriot 15-7 15-10 15-8 in just 40
minutes, to earn a quarter-final clash with seventh-seeded Australian Anthony
Ricketts.
Qualifier Rodney Durbach of South Africa had an opportunity to take a 2-1
lead against Ricketts at 16-15 in the third, but the Australian prevailed and
went on to win the match 15-6 9-15 17-16 15-7 in 76 minutes.
Third-seeded David Palmer, challenged by the deft ball movement of Australian
compatriot Joseph Kneipp, dropped the first game 7-15. Palmer remained
composed in the face of Kneipp's tenacity and went on to win 7-15 15-13 15-12
15-4 in 78 minutes to earn a berth in Tuesday's quarterfinals.
His opponent there will be England's eighth seed Lee Beachill, who cruised to
a 15-9 15-12 15-11 victory over Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee in 63 minutes.
In opening round play in the Arader & O'Rourke Women's Open, all the seeds
prevailed but for fifth seed Vanessa Atkinson of the Netherlands who was
felled 9-2 5-9 9-3 9-0 by unseeded Englishwoman Jenny Tranfield - and a case
of food poisoning. In the absence of defending champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald,
who announced her retirement from the WISPA tour just prior to the start of
event, it is anybody's guess as to which player will step up to fill the
vacancy created by the departure of the five-times world champion.
Each of the eight winners advanced to the second round in about the same
amount of time it takes to get to the Bronx from Grand Central - between 28
and 40 minutes. Tour veteran and No2 seed Carol Owens, who occupied the
world No1 for one month last year, looked like a contender as she eliminated
Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy with pace and intensity that kept the 17-year-old
largely in the back of the court.
No2 seed Natalie Pohrer, originally of South Africa but now playing for the
US, displayed the athleticism that is her trademark as England's Stephanie
Brind could not find a way to keep Pohrer out of the front of the court.
Former World No1 Cassie Jackman, on the comeback trail after undergoing a
second back surgery in 2002, looked in fine form as she easily eliminated
Australia's Natalie Grinham.