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 31-Jan-05:
FASCINATING
Malcolm
Willstrop previews
the Men's event ...
The British Championship starting at
Manchester's Sportcity this weekend looks more fascinating than it has
ever been, and nobody could question the quality, since it includes the
incomparable Peter Nicol, world no 2 Lee Beachill, who has
reached the final four years in a row, winning twice, world nos 5 and 7
James Willstrop and Nick Matthew, plus the resurgent John
White. Three of these have been world no 1 in the last year.
Add to all that the fact that Nicol, White and Willstrop have won the last
three major PSA titles in
Dayton,
Chicago and
Pakistan, and
and it is clear that this championship is going to take some winning.
01-Feb: AFTER
THE DRAW |
Men's Seedings:
[1] Lee Beachill (Yorkshire)
[2] Peter Nicol (Yorkshire)
[3] James Willstrop (Yorkshire)
[4] Nick Matthew (Yorkshire)
[5] John White (Scotland)
[6] Adrian Grant (Kent)
[7] Simon Parke (Yorkshire)
[8] Alex Gough (Wales)
[9] Mark Chaloner (Lincolnshire)
[10] Nick Taylor (Lancashire)
[11] Marcus Berrett (Yorkshire)
[12] Bradley Ball (Suffolk)
[13] Stephen Meads (Berkshire)
[14] Peter Genever (Sussex)
[15] Peter Barker (Essex)
[16] Joey Barrington (Somerset)
Jonathon Kemp (Shropshire)
Ben Garner (Surrey)
Phil Barker (Essex)
Alister Walker (Gloucestershire)
Stacey Ross (Surrey)
Alex Stait (Gloucestershire)
Scott Handley (Oxfordshire)
Hadrian Stiff (Devon)
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 Beachill
has been in the top two in the world since last May, reaching one in
October and currently standing at two.
He had a match ball to win the world title in Doha in December and then
lost surprisingly easily to Amr Shabana, 3/0, in Chicago recently. |
 Nicol
had a chequered second half in 2004 and began 2005 in disturbing
fashion with a loss to Dutch qualifier Laurens Anjema in Chicago.
Incredibly, except that it is so typical of him, he immediately went to
Dayton and spreadeagled a top-class field. So he arrives in Manchester,
rejuvenated and as ever he will be a danger to all. |
 John
White is the holder and he had a miserable first half of the season.
The birth of twins - to his wife, of course - has often been put forward
as the reason, and winning in Chicago will certainly have lifted his
spirits.
He didn't follow up in Dayton and he and his family will soon leave
England for America for good. He is a popular figure and he will be eager
to become the second player - Beachill was the first - to win consecutive
British titles. |
 James
Willstrop now stands at five in the world, thanks to a series of
consistent performances and a convincing win in the Pakistan Open, where
he beat a world class field.
Although he lost 3/1 to Shabana in Chicago, he had previously beaten
Anthony Ricketts 3/0, so he is in good enough form and he cannot be
lightly dismissed. |
 Nick
Matthew's most recent form has been variable by his own high standards
and he isn't doing enough to suggest he will win.
But White and Nicol defied current form in Chicago and Matthew may believe
he can do the same. |
These five seem to be the principal
contenders, but add to the mix Adrian Grant, Simon Parke,
Peter Barker and Alex Gough, who may have a say, and you could
hardly ask for more.
Only Beachill in the history of the championship has won twice in
succession, so it has never been easy to win.
The imponderable and crucial factor is where 5/8 seed White turns up. The
top four seeds will be watching the draw with some trepidation.
Malcolm Willstrop |
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