Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters 2006

International Press Release 05-April-2006 - Results

To: International Media
From: Roger J. Sherratt, Press Officer, Bermuda Squash Racquets Association
Date: 5th April 2006

Subject:

Day four at the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters 2006, presented by Logic and hosted by Endurance, had it all. Great squash, a great comeback from the brink of defeat, and surprise upsets with the dismissal of the #2 and #7 seeds.

Anthony Ricketts v Ong Beng Hee
When #2 Anthony Ricketts stepped on court with #14 seed Ong Beng Hee there were few squash pundits willing to wager a bet on the young Malaysian, but he started well as the two traded points evenly. Ricketts hit two consecutive glorious cross court nicks on return of service mid way through the game, and he was certainly playing with a great deal of intensity while Beng Hee appeared to be biding his time looking for openings. His deep backhand lobs were immaculate and seemed to frustrate Ricketts who clearly wanted to play at a faster pace. The tactic paid off for Beng Hee when Ricketts hit two tins in a row at 9-9 to end the first game.

Beng Hee followed the same pattern through the second game, constantly slowing the pace of the ball and playing to a perfect length. Ricketts seemed unsettled and needlessly began to banter with the referee over several calls that should not have been in dispute. The two played a series of superb rallies, and again traded points quite evenly with Beng Hee always slightly ahead and still taking pace off the ball. He converted two gentle drops to close out the 2nd game, and it this point it was clear that an upset was on the cards.

Beng Hee continued his winning ways at the start of the third, but at 4-4 he picked up the pace, much to the relief of Ricketts who surged briefly into the lead for the first time in the match at 7-5 only to have Beng Hee revert to his slower, patient game, A brilliant volley nick put him back into contention, and when Ricketts made a couple of errors trying to force the pace, Beng Hee moved ahead and took the last two points to finish the match.

"That was definitely my best ever win to beat Anthony, the British Open champion," said Beng Hee. "Previously he's hammered me every time we've played. I was very pleased. I've won here before and this is my lucky tournament." He admitted to being very nervous before the match but he tried not to show it to Ricketts.

Lee Beachill v Greg Gaultier
The second match also proved to be a surprise upset when Lee Beachill, seeded #7 was beaten by #11 seed Greg Gaultier. Gaultier started badly with 4 unforced errors into the tin, but he rallied around and began to fight for the tee, keeping Beachill behind him and forcing the #7seed to make a series of costly errors. Gaultier cruised through the first game as Beachill conceded 7 points in a row to lose it 11-5.

Gaultier dominated the 2nd game, never relinquishing the lead, to take it 11-5. But Beachill was not to be counted out. He played his best squash in the 3rd game and spectators saw the Beachill who won in Bermuda 2 years ago, and was a finalist last year when he had the misfortune to meet Jonathan Power on a day when the North American maestro could do no wrong. Beachill moved the ball around beautifully and appeared full of confidence as he romped through the game 11-5.

That confidence held sway in the 4th as he built up a commanding lead, but at 6-3 they played a tremendous rally during which Beachill pushed Gaultier around the court and left him seemingly exhausted as he made an unsuccessful attempt to retrieve n impossible ball off the back wall. It was at this point that Gaultier showed true grit and determination because the punishing rally had a startling effect on the Frenchman who then dug deep and fought for every point, while Beachill started to fade. Gaultier took 7 unanswered points to win the game 11-7 and record a memorable victory.

"I was moving well and hitting well," said Gaultier at the post match interview. "I played my best in the first two games. He changed his game in the 3rd and played with greater variation, lots of lobs and slowing it down to keep in front. I lost my rhythm. It was the same in the 4th until we had a long rally. After that I tried to play through the pain because I knew he was tired too. I just kept going from there." When asked about his future Gaultier said," I feel I am nearly there; hopefully I can be up there at the top. Sometimes I have not been there mentally. Against the best players I know I can do well. I need to focus on myself and my game."

David Palmer v Cameron Pilley
There was never any doubt about the likely outcome of the all-Australian encounter between #3 seed David Palmer and fellow Australian Cameron Pilley. Palmer rattled off 4 quick points before Pilley could settle down and it was 10-5 before Pilley got into his stride. He even came back to 10-9 before Palmer took a point from a no let call for Pilley, which would likely have been granted if a sympathetic audience had been allowed to have a majority vote!

Pilley did not lose heart and even built up a lead in the 2nd game, but Palmer was generally in control of the rallies with Pilley doing most of the leg work. Mid way through this game Pilley had Palmer chasing around the court, stretching at full length for a series of desperate recoveries only to see the positions reversed and Palmer finished off the rally with a brilliant winning drop. Pilley continued to press hard and such was the intensity of the game that the 'court rats' were kept busy mopping up the court even when neither player had fallen. Pilley lead at 10-7, but Palmer sensed that his opponent was tiring and put the game out of reach with two great drops followed by a hotly disputed no let against Pilley.

Game 3 started with the longest rally of the match, won by Pilley, and may have been too costly for him because Palmer took charge of the court for the rest of the game. There was little Pilley could do as the Commonwealth Games silver medallist took the game 11-6 and the match in three straight, much to the delight of a partisan crowd who consider Palmer, as a Bermuda resident, to be one of their own.

"He was going for his shots and played some great winners, and at times I found him hard to read" said Palmer after the match. "This gives me another chance to have a crack at Peter (Nicol) if he wins tonight. I'd like that before he retires."

Peter Nicol v Karim Darwish
If this match was supposed to be a 33rd birthday bash for Peter Nicol, someone clearly forgot to mention it to Karim Darwish, who completely dominated the 1st game in front of a reverentially hushed crowd as he rattled off 9 consecutive points before Nicol claimed his only point of the game with a service return cross court nick. Darwish was moving the Commonwealth Games gold medallist all over the court with his deceptive cross-court boasts and changes of direction.

Nicol began to get into the match in the 2nd game but still looked a little sluggish as he tried to maintain a slender lead. Darwish was playing with confidence and denied Nicol a game ball at 10-9 to even the score and win it himself on his second game ball.

It appeared to be an uphill battle for Nicol as he dropped behind 3-1 in the third, but years of experience began to tell as he clawed his way back into the match, keeping Darwish at the back of the court and off balance. The points began to flow for Nicol and after winning a punishing rally at 7-3 during which Darwish did most of the running, Nicol coasted through the game 11-5 as his opponent obviously decided to concede by not running at all.

The 4th game was a walkover for Nicolas as his opponent was afforded only one service opportunity, losing 11-1. Darwish was clearly intent on battling hard for the decider, but Nicol was by now playing at his best, chasing every ball and retrieving as though he was just starting the first game. It was all even at 6-6 and could have gone either way as they remained even to 8 all. At this point it was a matter of will power, and Nicol took the next two points to bring him to match point which he won with a magnificent volley into the nick at the conclusion of marathon rally.

Said Nicol after the game "I wasn't enjoying it in the first two games and couldn't get going. It was mental rather than physical because physically I was fine. I started to enjoy it in the third and put a little more effort in, and it seemed that he just capitulated after playing so well. After I won the third he didn't compete in the fourth, and after coming back from two down I knew I wasn't going to let it go."

"I lost my energy after the 2nd and Peter got his speed and started to control the match" said Darwish. " In the final game I got my energy back until 8 all, and then I made two unforced errors and that was the end of the game."

Nicol will next play David Palmer in a repeat of their recent Commonwealth Games meeting in Melbourne.

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