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• TODAY • 2006 Finals • SEMIS • Day SIX • Day FIVE • Day FOUR • Day THREE • DAYS ONE & TWO • WILLSTROP •
Day SEVEN, Sat 11th Feb,
SEMI-FINALS ...
Six for Lee and Linda...
Defending champion Lee Beachill reached his sixth Nationals final
in a row, maintaining his unbeaten record against top seed James Willstrop
in a semi-final that swung one way then the other. In the first women's
semi-final Tania Bailey avenged last year's first round defeat
against surprise finalist Alison Waters.
Women's champion Linda Elriani is also in her sixth final, after a
hard fought victory over young challenger Jenny Duncalf,
while Nick Matthew was absolutely delighted with only his second
ever win over Peter Nicol to move into the national final for the first
time ...
[1] Linda Elriani bt [3] Jenny Duncalf
10/8, 1/9, 9/2, 9/6 (58m)
[2] Tania Bailey bt [4] Alison Waters
9/2, 9/0, 7/9, 9/6 (50m)
[3] Lee Beachill bt [1] James Willstrop
11/5, 8/11, 3/11, 11/5, 11/8 (83m)
[4] Nick Matthew bt [2] Peter Nicol
11/9, 5/11, 11/9, 11/9 (64m)
Steve Cubbins reports from Manchester |
MAIN DRAWS
Nationals EN BREF
MORE MASTERS
semis &
finals today,
plus match reports from Friday |
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[4] Nick
Matthew bt [2] Peter Nicol
11/9, 5/11, 11/9, 11/9 (64m) |
NICK'S FIRST FINAL
"I forgot how to hit the strings one I got to eight," admitted Nick
Matthew immediately after his victory tonight.
Matthew had played a marvellous match against one of the all-time greats,
and looked to be closing in on the win in the fourth game, but Nicol
almost performed another of his miracle comebacks ... almost, but not
quite.
The Sheffield man had played well throughout, matching Nicol in the first
before moving clear from 8-all, then brushing off a poor start to the
second which saw Nicol level before winning what turned out to be the
crucial third.
That third game saw both players rallying more patiently, Nicol holding a
slight advantage until a simple tin brought 8-all rather than 9-7. Matthew
took heart, fought his way past more superb defence from Nicol to reach
game ball, and got the better of a tremendous fast-paced final rally.
He carried the momentum into the fourth, moving to 6/2 with a series of
fine forehand dropshots that left Nicol stranded. Another volley drop into
the nick and an amazing drop at full stretch took him to 8/2 and within
sight of the final.
Nick realised it too, and as he tightened up Peter sensed an opening. In
typical Nicol fashion he pegged back the lead point-by-point, and levelled
at 8-all.
He would have led, but, offered a stroke at 7-8, he declared a let was
sufficient, much to the appreciation of the crowd and presumably of Nick
too.
Matthew regained the lead, finding another drop at the end of a long,
gruelling rally, and when Nicol played a certain winner casually into the
tin it was matchball.
One went begging, but then Matthew hit a regulation length that just died
on Nicol at the back and a place in the final was his.
And boy, was he relieved ...
 "I
don't think I've ever felt as ill after a match!
"Sometimes you want it too badly, you try so hard and it gets to you.
I hardly hit the strings after I got to eight in the last, and I was
so relieved to get that good length to win it.
"I was trying not to think about winning, but how to construct the
rallies, like I had been doing all match. But I started to see the
finish line and it affected me. I need to improve on that tomorrow if
I get close.
"All credit to Peter though, I've been looking up to him all my
career, he's been an inspiration to all of us coming up through the
England ranks, and if we achieve half of what he has we'll have done
incredibly well.
"I'm playing the best squash of my career at the moment, and I've been
really pleased with my matches here. It's fantastic to be in the
final, but I'm not looking at it as a final, it's just another match
to be won ..."
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 "I'm
not disappointed, that was the match I needed, and I was just a
fraction off at the end of two games, that's all.
"I didn't attack enough until the end, and it was just too late then,
but I'm feeling good and that was the perfect preparation for the
coming four or five weeks.
"My main target is the Commonwealth Games. It would have been great to
have a showdown with Jonathon [Power] in the final there, we'd talked
about it so it's disappointing that he won't be there but he's only
one of a lot of good players so it will still be very hard.
"I'll pick my tournaments for the rest of the year, I'll definitely
play Bermuda, the Worlds, the British, and of course the English
Opens, but I'll probably stop playing PSA at the end of the year.
"I'd imagine Lee might be struggling after today's match, so Nick will
have a good chance in the final."
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LINDA BACK IN THE GROOVE
Linda Elriani gained revenge for her recent Greenwich defeat by Jenny
Duncalf to reach a sixth Nationals final, but it was hard work for the
defending champion, who needed all her guile to fend off her young
challenger in a high-quality match.
 Duncalf
started well, forcing the pace while Elriani seemed to be reacting to her
opponent's play. Duncalf reached 8/5 but couldn't capitalise. In a series
of well-executed rallies by both players Elriani pulled it back, and when
Duncalf missed a simple ball to give Elriani the game her exclamation told
the tale ... she really should have won that game.
She did win the second, looking comfortable from the start, the difference
being that her shots were still working but Elriani's failed, hitting out
three times and completely missing the serve at 1/8 down.
The roles were reversed in the third as Elriani regained the lead, but
come the fourth both were playing well again. The scores and the rallies
were level right through the game, both probing, retrieving and attacking
with great variety.
At 6-all Elriani won two consecutive points with back-wall nicks to edge
ahead, gained a stroke from a well-worked rally, and needed only one
chance, forcing a weak return from yet another excellent lob and volleying
it away for a place in the final.
It was a good game, it could have gone either way, and Linda will be both
pleased and relieved to have come through it.
 "I
wanted to turn the tables on Jenny from Greenwich, so I'm pleased to
come through a long game there.
"I knew the sort of game I needed to play, and I managed to do it most
of the time, but in patches she got in front of me and took control.
You absolutely have to get a good length on that court.
"It was a good match, a good challenge - there's a few youngsters hot
on my heels these days - but I have to say that Jenny has added a lot
of maturity to her game these days. She always had the skills, but now
she's applying them consistently, using all her shots but with the
basics behind her.
"Just like last year I'm taking every match as it comes. I've got
another tough one tomorrow against Tania, but I still just love
playing squash, probably more now than I ever have done ..."
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 "I
don't know how I lost the first, I played well and then it just went.
"I went walkabout in the third, but the fourth was very close. I gave
away a stroke at the end, and she got those backwall nicks which
probably made the difference.
"But she played very well, you have to be prepared to rally with her,
she doesn't make many errors and has all the tactical know-how."
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[3] Lee
Beachill bt [1] James Willstrop
11/5, 8/11, 3/11,
11/5, 11/8 (83m) |
LEE WILL NOT BE BEATEN
Defending champion Lee Beachill will appear in his sixth successive
Nationals final after winning a roller-coaster marathon against his
Pontefract partner and top seed James Willstrop.
It was a stunning performance from Beachill, who came into the tournament
still struggling physically after minor knee surgery and short of match
play.
Lee started the match superbly, exerting his trademark control as he
apparently effortlessly moved James around the court, waiting for the
loose ball or the error. James appeared willing to play this game, but
quickly found himself 10/2 down, and despite pulling a couple of points
back Lee was ahead after 14 minutes.
The second started in a similar vein, but gradually James started to press
the issue, and from the mid-point he was putting Lee on the back foot for
the first time, making him move up and down the court as well as across,
drawing level 11/8.
The third was all Willstrop. Attacking from the start and looking
increasingly confident, he raced to 8/1, whereupon Beachill decided to, if
not let the game go, at least put in the minimal effort, and there looked
to be only one winner.
But Willstrop's momentum was broken by a burst ball as they came back for
the fourth. The replacement seemed much livelier, and fourth
developed into a battle of length, neither willing to take risks as they
tested each other's wills. They were playing Beachill's game again, and
unsurprisingly Beachill was winning it. An untypical backhand volley nick
from deep in the court took the defending champion to 8/4, and he went on
from there to level the match.
The fifth was the longest - 21 minutes - and tensest of the match,
Beachill leading 4/1, Willstrop pulling back to 5-all, with both still
content to play steady length, waiting for developments.
 As
the finishing line drew closer the attacks from both players grew more
frequent, the match now alive with tension, but Beachill's nerve held
steadier and he won the telling rallies, reaching match ball after a huge
exchange which saw Willstrop use all his retrieving skills, ultimately to
no avail.
Beachill only needed one chance, working Willstrop out of position after
another extended rally before putting in a drop that was just out of his
friend's reach.
Lee had done it again, he would not be beaten, and he will contest yet
another Nationals final.
 "That's
about as close as you can get, and the closest I've got to beating Lee
in an important event.
"I don't think I played that well, I didn't feel very fluent. Maybe
it's his game, I always struggle with him.
"The middle of the match was good for me, from an attacking point of
view, but I knew he'd come back, maybe he took a bit of a rest in the
third.
"The new ball at the start of the fourth was much bouncier, I couldn't
work him as well with my shots, all of a sudden nothing I was going
for was working and we ended up hitting the ball up and down the
walls, which is what he probably wanted.
"But he came back and played the right game, made it difficult for me.
"I don't think my not having beaten him is a friendship or mental
thing, it's more a style of play. I haven't beaten Gaultier either,
and he plays in a similar way to Lee. I don't want to play the way
they do, but when they make me play that way they beat me at it.
"I just have to accept that I haven't beaten him yet, but I will ...
time's on my side."
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 "I've
no idea how I managed to do that.
"I had little preparation coming into the tournament, I've been
hitting balls since the new year, but no real match play and not
enough fitness work.
"My main plan was to just try and stay with James, but I started
really well, I was hitting the ball well and was surprised how good I
felt.
"James played such a good second game, was on fire in the third, and I
was getting tired and starting to feel it.
"I knew I couldn't compete at that paced, so I tried to make a big
effort at the start of the fourth to slow the pace down, to bring
James back to my level.
"It's fantastic to reach my sixth final, it's a massive achievement
and I'm really proud of it."
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FOR THE RECORD:
Beachill's sixth final equals the record of Gawain Briars and Phil
Kenyon's, but only Beachill's are consecutive ... |
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[2] Tania
Bailey bt [4] Alison Waters
9/2, 9/0, 7/9, 9/6 (50m) |
BAILEY FENDS OFF WATERS' COMEBACK
Tania Bailey became the first player to reach
the finals of the 2006 Nationals, staving off a spirited recovery from
Alison Waters after the second seed looked on the way to an easy victory.
 Bailey
started quickly, catching Waters out with boasts and drops early on, and
as Waters' error count grew so did Bailey's lead.
Bailey took the first comfortably, and Waters was simply awful in the
second. But at the start of the third Bailey seemed content to play the
ball long and wait for the errors to come.
To her credit Waters slowly started to find her game, started to compete
in the rallies, and gradually got on top.
At 8-3 in the third Alison threw in a few careless errors, but held on as
Tania closed the gap. But she didn't get away with it in the fourth, as a
6/2 lead evaporated through good play by Bailey, and Waters helped
it along with a couple of errors before Bailey clinched the match with a
lovely short forehand into the nick.
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 "I
was expecting a really hard game, so I was very focused in the first
two, and it was a bit of a shock that I won them as easy as that.
"I went a bit negative in the third, started playing too defensively,
and that allowed her to play a bit better, she got back into it, and
in the end it was really hard.
"I'm just so glad that my body's back to 100%, for the first time in a
long time I'm able to train to my limit and push myself the way I used
to. It's great to know that I can last a full tournament, so I'm
really looking forward to the final."
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