Day THREE

British National SQUASH Championships 2008 ● 10-17 Feb ● Sportcity, Manchester ● 

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Day THREE, Tue 7th Feb,
ROUND ONE & Women's Qualifying

The first round proper of the men's event produced just the one upset as Tim Vail put out 13th seed Ben Garner, on a day when experience prevailed over youth in the men's draw and the women's first round was finalised on a good day for Pontefract ...

MEN'S ROUND ONE:

Stephen Meads bt Jaymie Haycocks   11/5, 11/7, 11/8 (31m)
Adrian Grant bt Alex Stait                 11/3, 11/6, 11/2 (36m)

Lee Beachill bt Hadrian Stiff             11/2, 11/0 rtd (11m)
Nick Taylor bt Andy Whipp   8/11, 11/8, 8/11, 11/6, 11/9 (62m)

Daryl Selby bt Chris Simpson        11/9, 11/4, 3/11, 11/8 (44m)
Joey Barrington bt Shawn Le Roux  11/10(2-0),11/3,11/3(30m)

Philip Barker bt David Barnett        11/6, 11/8, 11/7 (31m)
James Willstrop bt Scott Handley   11/6, 11/7, 11/9 (30m)

Peter Billson bt Phil Rushworth    11/5, 11/13, 11/2, 11/7 (36m)
Alex Gough bt Joel Hinds             11/5, 11/7, 11/9 (45m)

Nick Matthew bt Martin Gibson      11/1, 11/5, 11/4 (25m)
Simon Parke bt Tom Richards       11/7, 11/8, 8/11, 11/6 (52m)

Tim Vail bt Ben Garner                   8/11, 11/9, 11/8, 11/8 (50m)
Peter Barker bt Laurence Delasaux  11/1, 11/8, 11/8 (38m)

Peter Genever bt Kristen Johnson 12/10, 11/5, 11/7, 11/4 (58m)
Peter Nicol bt Ben Ford               10/12, 11/5, 11/6, 11/6 (44m)

                 Top seed Willstrop off to safe start

WOMEN'S QUALIFYING FINALS:

Laura Mylotte bt Amina Helal     3/9, 8/10, 9/3, 9/6, 10/9 (57m)
    plays Elriani
Kirsty McPhee bt Rachel Willmott   9/5, 9/0, 9/0 (19m)
    plays Lengthorn
Georgina Stoker bt Deon Saffery 9/5, 6/9, 7/9, 10/9, 9/5 (64m)
    plays Botwright
Lauren Siddall bt Jenny Wright       9/7, 9/4, 9/0 (36m)
   plays Waters

Women's Qualifying round two:

Laura Mylotte bt Susannah King        9/2, 9/0, 9/7  (24m)
Amina Helal bt Fiona Moverley          7/9, 9/7, 9/1, 9/0 (44m)
Kirsty McPhee bt Leonie Holt            9/0, 9/7, 6/9, 10/9 (45m)
Rachel Willmott by Emma Chorley    9/3, 10/9, 9/0 (34m)

Deon Saffery bt Tina Rix                 10/8, 4/9, 9/4, 9/2 (37m)
Georgina Stoker bt Crrrie Hastings   9/3, 9/1, 9/6 (25m)
Jenny Wright bt Millie Tomlinson        w/o
Lauren Siddall bt Louise Clark          9/3, 9/4, 9/1 (24m)
   

MAIN DRAWS

MATCH OF THE DAY

MAIN DRAWS

Match of the Day:

 

Deja Vu for Taylor

It was a full house for the Manchester Derby. No, not City v United, but local heroes Nick Taylor versus Andy Whipp.

It was a repeat of last year's clash at the same stage when underdog Whipp gave Taylor a real run for his money, losing a thrilling battle in front of a packed audience, Taylor coming from 2-1 behind to record the win.

Taylor is now semi-retired, enjoying his role as head squash coach for Manchester Leisure. Whipp isn't playing PSA tournaments these days, but is in the form of his life, beating pretty much anyone outside the top ten put in front of him.

So today the roles were reversed and Andy was favourite, but guess what ... he lost a thrilling battle in front of a packed audience, Taylor coming from 2-1 behind to record the win.

These two gave it their all once again, as Whipp started the stronger, but Taylor's competitive spirit lives on and he made his way back into the match. By the time the fifth came around both players and the audience were exhausted. They'd run their hearts out, both picked up some unbelievable shots, played long rally after long rally - not boring up and down the wall stuff, either - and still the both played as if their lives depended on it.

The scores were tied all the way up .... and by eight and nine-all it was obvious a tiebreaker was coming, as these two good friends brought the referee into play more and more - all good natured, but they both wanted to win. A tinned service return from Andy gave Nick match ball, and on the next rally Taylor lived up to his name, hitting an impossible high backhand volley straight into the nick.

"How on earth did you do that?" exclaimed Whippy ... and it wasn't just the last shot he meant, but Nick's whole performance.

Look out Lee ... and the rest ... Nick's coming to get you !!!

The "good workout" that he wanted earned Yorkshire favourite James Willstrop a comfortable first round win in today's British National Squash Championships at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity in Manchester.

The 22-year-old from Pontefract, ranked six in the world, is top seed in the event for the first time - and 'enjoying the pressure'.

"The first game of an event is always a bit weird, and it's always good to get the first win out of the way so that you can then relax into the event," said the former world junior champion who led England to success in December's World Team Championships in Pakistan.

Willstrop beat 31-year-old Scott Handley, a former world No41 from Oxfordshire, 11-6 11-7 11-9 in 30 minutes and now faces Essex's 14th seed Phillip Barker for a place in the last eight.

Easy starter for Beachill

Defending men's champion Lee Beachill dropped just four points in his 11-minute victory over Devon's Hadrian Stiff. The title-holder's opponent was not only Stiff by name, but also stiff by nature, as he conceded the match after just two games, suffering with a 'stiff back'!

Beachill might have preferred a more testing introduction to the tournament in which he has reached the final for the past five years, winning three times. Willstrop's Pontefract club-mate underwent exploratory knee surgery early in the new year and has only been able to train properly for the past week.

"I'm hitting the ball well, but I just haven't had any matches recently – and there's no substitute for that," said the 28-year-old third seed who is aiming to become the first player in history to each the final six years in a row.

Vail the only Interloper

A clash between Premier League club team-mates Ben Garner and Tim Vail provided the only upset of the day when Vail, the Team Chichester third string, beat team number one Garner, the event's 13th seed, 8-11 11-9 11-8 11-8 in 50 minutes.

Ben seemed to be out of breath very early in the match, always at the back of the court with Tim controlling the match from the front.

A superb rally set up match ball for Tim, who saw that saved but another Garner error and the 28 year-old from Chichester was through to meet sixth seed Peter Barker for a place in the quarter-finals.

"I was very slow in the first, he was always a couple of points ahead. I managed to slow the pace down and get control. Ben was struggling to find a length and I was chopping off the ball and he couldn't put it tight from there. "I'm extremely happy, as although this is my sixth time in the Nationals it's the first time I've got past the first round.

Adrian Grant bt Alex Stait         11/3, 11/6, 11/2 (36m) "I only arrived back from Virginia yesterday morning, so after some hard matches and a long flight I've been keeping myself awake with coffee. "The adrenaline got me through today, but I knew I had to make a fast start, otherwise he would have taken heart, and the last thing I wanted to do was to drop a game, then start thinking about the travel, the weariness."

Alex Gough ends Joel Hinds' run

Joey Barrington bt Shawn Le Roux      11/10(2-0), 11/3, 11/3 (30m) "He's a very skilful player, and he hits the ball very cleanly as you would expect from someone who comes from Malcolm's stable at Pontefract. "The first game was tough but I found better lines and got into my rhythm in the second and third." "I was 10/9 up in the first, I felt I should have won that one, but after that he just kept the pace up and I couldn't stay with him ... he's not 27 in the world for nothing. "Overall I'm happy with my tournament, but I need to get fitter and stronger to compete with these boys ..."

Ford gets his game

Granted his wish to play the great Peter Nicol, qualifier Ben Ford played superbly in the first game, firing in volley drops from every angle, and dominated the game, keeping Nicol on the back foot.

He reached game ball on 10-8, but Nicol, never one to let a game go, levelled and it looked as though Ford's moment of glory may be over.

But a tight boast followed by a perfect cross-court dropshot from the very back of the court that found the nick with Nicol still yards away, and the game went to the Kent man.

The clenched fist probably said it all - his 'nothing to lose' attitude had paid off, but most observers, and probably Ben himself, realised that he had given his all and that the next three would go Nicol's way.

So it proved, as the 2003 champion eased into the last sixteen.

"He played very well in the beginning, he's a good player, maybe not as fit as he'd like to be. I was off the pace in the first and he controlled it well. Because I was always trying to catch up with him he managed to wrong-foot me a few times. "That was the match I needed. I'm feeling good - I chose not to play any events at the beginning of the year, so while everyone was in Chicago I was having a rest, some massages, getting some important training it, building up to this and the Commonwealths.

"I don't feel under any  pressure as the top seed. In fact I thrive on these sort of challenges, it makes me play better."

"I knew I had a problem coming into the game. In the Premier League last week it loosened up, but today it just didn't." At the end of the first game: "It feels as if I've only got one leg ... two legs isn't asking for a lot really, is it ..."

Stephen Meads bt Jaymie Haycocks   11/5, 11/7, 11/8 (31m) "This is my 18th year in the event, I've been playing since 1987, but I just play to enjoy it these days. I'm playing well though, getting a lot of games in and I feel match sharp. "It was the perfect game for me today, I got my eye in, but these youngsters still need getting off the court. I'm hoping that Adrian underestimates me tomorrow ... you never know, every dog has its day ..." Steve Meads "I was pleased to get the wildcard, and I felt more relaxed today, I played my natural game. I played Steve a few days in Ilkley, and I did better today than I did there, I worked him harder. "It's back to studies now for me, I'm in my final year at Birmingham University."

Rushworth & Billson

Peter Billson bt Phil Rushworth    11/5, 11/13, 11/2, 11/7 (36m) "I was chuffed to bits to get the lucky loser spot, but disappointed not to get closer. He plays at a much faster pace than I'm used to  and I needed to be a bit more disciplined to challenge him." "Although I'm from Manchester I've not played on these courts for ages, I'd forgotten how hot and bouncy they are. It's so hard to hit a winner, and you get no dividends from stepping onto the ball either as the front wall absorbs all the pace. "But I have to be happy with getting through to the last sixteen."

Philip Barker bt David Barnett        11/6, 11/8, 11/7 (31m) "I played badly today, he was very strong but I wasted the chances I created. I don't feel I tested him enough, didn't really do myself justice. "That wasn't a bad starter, but he was giving me too many errors. "The court is really hot and bouncy, and so is the venue overall - I don't think I'll bring my jumper tomorrow!"

The women's qualifying finals produced two evenly-contested matches in which the eventual winners recovered from match balls down to earn places in the main draw.

Ireland's Stockport-based Laura Mylotte fought back from 0/2 down, then saved three match balls in the decider, to beat Manchester's Amina Helal 3-9 8-10 9-3 9-6 10-9.

Helel missed several opportunities at 8-5 up in the fifth, and at 9-all was dismayed to hear what she thought was a clean winner called down.

A let was played, but she couldn't regain her composure as Mylotte finished the match off. Her reward is a first round meeting with top seed and defending champion Linda Elriani.

"It wasn't very good squash, it's so hot and difficult to put the ball away. "I'm very lucky to have come away with a win out of that one, it was just through fighting and hanging in, she probably lost it more than I won it. "I'd love to play Becky in the main draw, there's a local element as I live in Manchester, and we had a good match in the league last year. Anyone but Linda really ..."

Georgina Stoker recovered from 1/2 down against Yorkshire's Deon Saffery and then saved two match balls in the fourth game before going on to win 9-5 6-9 7-9 10-9 9-5 in 65 minutes.

The 20-year-old from Merseyside will now take on local player Rebecca Botwright, the eighth seed from Manchester.
 

"I was quite nervous, and when I'm like that I play defensively, I don't volley. "When I was match-ball down I started I just started thinking point by point, and after I saved them I started playing better again, putting in some attacking shots and drops which paid dividends."

Two More for Pontefract

With Becky Botwright already elevated to the main draw after Vicky's withdrawal, the remainder on Pontefract's women's team joined her in the last 16 as Kirsty McPhee and Lauren Siddall enjoyed straight games wins over Rachel Willmott and Jenny Wright. With Deon Saffery just missing out it was almost a perfect day for Pontefract ...

"I was pleased to win that 3/0, Jenny is playing very well, and I just wanted to go on and do my best, as I always do, I was feeling more confident as the game went on. "It's third time luck for me, as I lost in the qualifying finals for the last two years ... I don't care who I play, I'm just glad to be there with the rest of the Pontefract team."

Lauren Siddall

"I had to play Lauren Briggs in the qualifiers for the last two years, so I'm very happy to be through. "I didn't think these courts favoured my game, but I was playing well today, moving well and I could even get to most things at the front!" "I'm well pleased with that - whoever I get it will be good match practice and useful experience for me."

Day THREE

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