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• TODAY • SEMIS • QUARTERS • Round TWO • Round ONE • |
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Mon 19th
Dec, SEMIS:
[3] Anthony
Ricketts (Aus) bt [1] Thierry Lincou
(Fra)
11/10(4-2), 11/8, 11/3 (58m)
[2] Jonathon Power
(Can) bt [11] Nick Matthew (Eng)
11/10(2-0), 11/1, 11/9 (48m)
ALL TO PLAY FOR
FOR RICKETTS & POWER
Coming to the end of a month which saw the three richest tournaments of
the year, plus the World Team Championships thrown in for good measure,
there were 'only' two things left to decide ... who would become the
inaugural Saudi International champion and who would be number one come
January.
Strangely enough, coming into the semi-finals there was a 75% chance that
the answers would be the same, since according to our calculations if
Thierry, Anthony or Jonathon were to win here they would also become
number one on 1st January. A victory for Nick would have handed the prize
to world champion Amr Shabana.
But after today, we're down to two just two possibilities, and two players
with all to play for ... should be some final.
Framboise reports, plus
Match Points |
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FALLING LIKE FLIES….
Framboise reports
I think that this month could be entitled “the survival of the fittest”!
It’s to whom hasn’t played much during the previous tournaments that the
palm goes really…!
And in that line, it is therefore totally logical that Anthony
Ricketts get to the final, having had poor luck during the Asian
Tour, losing in the semis in Qatar, quarters in HK and in Islamabad, the
Intense Australian was boiling for action when the others are just
exhausted or homesick…
Today Anthony was just far too strong physically for the Frenchman
Thierry Lincou, who after a long and patient first game (33
minutes), didn’t have much left in the tank really.
Instead of playing his normal length/width grinding game sprinkled with
backhand volley drop shots, my compatriot started the second game far
too short, and although that gave him a quick lead of 4/1, it very
quickly gave Anthony a chance to be at the front and to crucify him
again and again.
Feeling that his opponent was sliding fitness wise, the Australian put
the pressure on, got the second game, and kept attacking and pressing
the pace to his maximum, preventing any famous comeback the French could
have tried to stage.
This was a great display by the British Open Champion, whose fitness and
perseverance place him in the best spot to win not only the first ever
Saudi Open, therefore entering squash history, but also probably the
number 1 spot…
 "He played a
great match, and his attacks were really good.
"The first game was very important mentally, as I could recognise as soon
as I started the second game signs of the accumulation of tiredness of
this past month and of yesterday’s match… I didn’t have that little plus,
that little surplus of energy that would have allowed me to take him out
of his comfort zone and to make the difference in the rallies…
"I had the mental will, but didn’t have the legs anymore. I couldn’t
accelerate anymore, I guess I haven’t recuperated from yesterday’s match
either… Shame because the rest was in place… It would have been nice to
have Anthony with a real match the day before as well…
"But no excuses, Anthony did a great match, no complaints …"
Thierry Lincou |
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 "To start with,
I thought the court would suit me, but very quickly, it became obvious to
me that the ball was not very good, and that I couldn’t get any pace from
the front wall. So I found myself playing short, which is not my natural
game, and that I’m not that comfortable with, but that the conditions
forced me to play… And it worked… And then at 6/6, 7/7, I started to take
confidence in my game…
"I’ve seen Thierry come back from positions that I would never have
thought possible, so even at 2/0, I was very conscious that I needed to
keep working very hard, that I had to keep the pressure on to prevent him
from finding his rhythm and his shots again…
"The final position I’ll get at the end of the tournament is really not
what motivates me right now… I’m going to try and do my best, as we are
still a long way away. And whoever I play, whether Jonathon or Nick, it's
going to be a hard match, so lets see…"
Anthony Ricketts |
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POWER ROYAL…
Framboise reports
What goes for Anthony also goes for Jonathan Power really…
Losing in the second round of Qatar, in the quarter in HK, playing only
two matches in Islamabad, the Magician is also quite fit and willing.
And today he was playing against Nick Matthew who mentally hadn’t
recovered from his marathon second historical comeback from 2/0 down
against Lee Beachill.
Jonathan was superb today, his front game well in place, supported by
such a great length… The Canadian was able to lengthen the rallies, and
force his opponent to run around the court, making him do so much work
in the first game that he couldn’t react anymore in the second.
Once again pride pushed Nick to try and get the third. He was giving
everything he had, fighting for ever shot, every inch of the T, but the
Magician kept on dispatching and taking the Englishman out of his
comfort zone.
7/7. 8/8. 9/9. It was still possible. Nick had done it before. And if he
could get one game, you never know… But a superb forehand straight drop
shot from the Canadian set up a match ball, served quickly, and on a
stroke, Jonathan got in the final of the last tournament of 2005.
Boy, Anthony/Jonathan on a warm court.
What a finish…
 "Physically,
I’m delighted, I’m right back where I was at the beginning of the year….
"I move well especially as that court is good for me, much more forgiving,
the surface is soft. I had an injection that helped with a problem I had a
few weeks ago, and it really helped…
"My game plan was to try and not let him get confidence in his shots, and
he is also very good on the forehand, so I watched that. And of course, I
tried to play my game…Nick is very quick to the front, I had to play very
well to win tonight, otherwise, I would have lost.
"In the second game, I was very happy with the way I played, all my shots
were really tight.
"And in the third, although he nearly got the game, I didn’t think he was
going to be able to take the fourth, that’s why I kept very calm, I could
see he was tired….
"But then again, you don’t want to give him any chance to get his
confidence back, because you never know what may happen if you give him a
game…"
Jonathon Power |
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 "Yes, I was
tired, but I cannot use that excuse. We all are…
"I guess I was more mentally tired that physically, especially in the
second, because I thought I played very well in the first, I controlled
most of the rallies, but I feel I didn’t take the opportunity when I had
the chance… And the second, I felt flat, and he seized the opportunity… In
the third, I said to myself “don’t go home without trying” and I gave it a
last push…
"The crowd was very supportive tonight, I’m not sure it’s because I was
the underdog or what, but they appreciated me, and I appreciated them. It
was a very nice feeling…
"At least, I’ll finish the tour better than I started it, I’m looking
forward to training after Christmas, and building up confidence for the
Commonwealth Games…"
Nick Matthew |
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MATCH POINTS
Saudi Summaries from
Steve Cubbins ... as it happened |
RICKETTS TAKES AWAY
THIERRY'S TOP SPOT ...
Coming into this match both players knew that two more wins would not
only make them the inaugural Saudi International Champion, but also world
number one.
 And
it showed, as the match started with long, tight rallies, neither willing
to give way, neither willing to take unnecessary risks. The score edged
upwards, never more than a point in it until the Australian got the better
of two decisions to edge ahead 9/7. But Lincou quickly closed it back up.
The inevitable 10-all arrived, and the rallies became longer, the lets
more frequent. Finally, finally, Ricketts took the game 14/12, countering
Lincou's tight volley-drop with a delicate crosscourt drop after 32 long
minutes.
Lincou started faster in the second, moving to 6/3, but from then on the
match belonged to the Australian. He recovered to 6-all, moved ahead 9/7,
and with a deep length that died in the back took the game 11/8.
It was quickly evident in the third that this was not going to be Lincou's
day, the body language said it all. Ricketts still focused, chasing hard,
attacking now at every opportunity, Lincou committing careless errors,
looking down, and soon to be out. In 8 minutes it was all over, 11/3.
Lincou knows he won't be world number one for much longer. Ricketts knows
he might be ... quite soon. |
POWER
ONE STEP AWAY
Both Jonathon Power and Nick Matthew had long semi-finals last night,
so a heavy attritional battle didn't seem likely.
The first game proved the point, with both players unafraid to go for
their shots. It was fast-paced stuff, entertaining and skilful, with a few
errors thrown in for good measure. Matthew had a couple of points in hand
in mid-game, but Power reached game ball first as he started to unlock his
armoury of shots. Matthew saved one, but couldn't save a second and came
off frustrated, at missed opportunities and the feeling he was being hard
done by, after the 20-minute game.
 In
the second Matthew simply didn't get any opportunities. Power was on fire,
picking off winners as only he can, and in just 8 minutes Matthew was two
down, 11/1 this time.
Matthew appeared to change tactics in the third, playing better length,
being more patient, trying to keep the Canadian behind him, and he started
to make inroads, moving ahead to 5/2.
There was plenty of physical contact, plenty of arguments, plenty of
scintillating rallies as Power clawed his way back level, and the game
edged closer to the point of no return.
At 9/8 an uncharacteristic error from Power brought Matthew level, but a
similar error from the Englishman took Power to match ball, and a loose
ball gifted a relieved Power the match on a stroke.
So Power has the chance to regain the number one position he last held
four and a half years ago. However there's the little matter of Anthony
Ricketts standing in his way, and the determined Australian has exactly
the same incentives ... |
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