English Men's & Women's Medallists Assured At Glasgow 2014 by Howard Harding
CWG photo courtesy squashpics.com
July 26, 2014
- England are already assured of Squash medals in the 2014 Commonwealth
Games after defending champion Nick Matthew set up a men's semi-final
clash with 2010 bronze medallist Peter Barker, and world champion Laura
Massaro established a last four meeting in the women's event with
Londoner Alison Waters.
For the third day in a
row, a rapturous near-capacity crowd in excess of 2,000 enjoyed world
class action on the spectacular all-glass showcourt at Scotstoun Sports
Campus in Glasgow as squash enthusiasts - and considerable numbers
seeing the sport for the first time - saw the quarter-finals unfold in
Scotland's largest city.
Matthew, the world No2
from Sheffield, defeated training partner Chris Simpson, the seventh
seed from Guernsey who was making his quarter-final debut, 11-7, 11-8,
11-9 in 53 minutes.
"It was incredibly
tough," said the 34-year-old Yorkshireman later. "Chris was just so
desperate to do well - I could feel the pride of playing for Guernsey
oozing out of him. He's a regular training partner, but I've never seen
him play that well before. His court coverage was incredible."
When asked whether he
was back to full fitness after knee surgery six weeks ago, Matthew
said: "Alan (Clyne) and Chris gave me two of the toughest matches I
could have had in the last two rounds. These guys are really physical
players. It's what I needed - it really opened up my lungs."
Matthew will face
Barker in a repeat of the 2010 semi-final in Delhi: "Pete will be up
for it tomorrow. He'll see this as his moment. With my recent injury,
he'll be sniffing his chances. If I give him an inch he'll take a yard.
I'll have to try and stop that happening."
World No23 Simpson,
playing on the glass court for the first time, said: "I always seem to
play better when I have a crowd behind me.
"It's definitely the
best I've played against him. He's got no real chinks in his armoury -
even when you hit a good shot he will return it. I was pleased I
managed to compete with him in so many facets of his game - it's the
first time I've done that."
The Guernsey star, who
played the first three rounds on conventional courts, had denied
himself a look at the showcourt setting until he had earned his right
to perform there.
"As it happens, I
couldn't find the court for my practise session this morning - and when
I finally did, there were about 1,000 people already in their seats! To
practice in that situation was something special!
"To walk in and hear
that amazing response from the crowd before my match was incredible. It
was like being a footballer! It is great for squash. I now feel
confident enough to be able to look up at the crowd and enjoy it."
Barker, the No3 seed also making his debut on the showcourt, beat Australian hope Cameron Pilley 11-8, 11-4, 11-5.
"I felt really good,"
said the London left-hander. "It was my first time on the glass court,
with a change of conditions, crowd and adrenaline!
"I've put in a lot of work in preparation for this. It's quite a long competition and I've come here to win a medal.
"Nick's played every
match on the glass court, but I played all mine until today on the
plaster courts - which haven't had much attention. I like to go under
the radar! I wasn't concerned when I saw the playing schedule - as long
as I got one glass court match under the belt before the semi I was
happy. And it was a quality match.
"Nick hasn't had a lot of squash in the last six weeks - I hope to use that to my advantage.
"The crowd was amazing
- the best I've ever played in front of," added the world No8. "This is
the pinnacle of our game - it's a real honour to play in front of so
many people."
Pilley, the Australian
number one, said: "I found it difficult to implement my game - he
didn't let me in it. A lot of rallies could have gone either way. He
seems to up his game when he plays me!
"Doubles is now my main focus."
At the end of the
evening, Delhi silver medallist James Willstrop became the third
Englishman to make the semis after beating surprise opponent Ivan Yuen,
the 15th seed from Malaysia, 11-1, 11-7, 11-3.
"I was very ready for
that," said the former world No1 from Harrogate. "To beat Alister
(Walker) like he did in the previous round meant that I had to be
respectful to him. But I managed to stop him attacking.
"It's a massive
experience for me playing in front of a crowd like this, and I've been
playing for a hundred years. But he's a young guy: imagine what it must
have been like for him!"
Second seed Willstrop
now plays fourth seed Saurav Ghosal, the Indian number one who has
recently returned to the city of his birth, Kolkata, after being based
for many years at Willstrop's club in Pontefract.
"Saurav is my best friend on the Tour - he's a great guy and I know we'll have a great game."
Ghosal survived a
five-game battle for the second day in a row - clawing his way back
from 2/0 down to beat New Zealander Campbell Grayson, the 12th seed,
8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 in 93 minutes.
The marathon battle inspired a standing ovation from the crowd in appreciation of both players.
"He played some very
good stuff in the first two games - I thought I deserved at least one
of them," said Ghosal. "In my head and my heart, I kept telling myself
I need one game on board.
"He came out firing in
the fourth, going 5-0 up - and in the fifth it was neck and neck. There
were some tense moments, but I got the job done in the end.
"I'm really happy to
be able to back up yesterday's 86-minute match with this one today. I'm
so focussed on trying to win that maybe I'm missing the chance to
appreciate the setting and the crowd. It's the first time I've played
on this court and I'm looking forward to coming back tomorrow.
"Yes, I know his
(James's) game - but he knows mine too! We're very good friends on and
off the court and our matches are played in the right spirit.
"But I want to win and will be doing my best to do so."
A despondent Grayson,
the US-based world No42, said afterwards: "I feel I've been challenging
players like that for the past two years - but the problem is that I
haven't been beating them. And that's why I'm not in the top 20. I'm
not consistent enough. I need to win these matches.
"At 2/0 up, I had to
remind myself that there was still a long way to go. Perhaps the
turning point came in the fourth when I lost my length - then at
six-all in the fifth, I slipped."
The women's semi-final
featuring Massaro and Waters will mark the English pair's 29th meeting
since contesting the British Junior U14 final in 1997. Second seed
Massaro beat Low Wee Wern, the No5 seed from Malaysia, 11-3, 11-2, 11-6
in just 35 minutes - in stark contrast to their previous two matches
which, while won by the English player, took five games and each lasted
well over an hour.
"I think Laura played
really well - and if you want to beat her you have to be fully fit,"
explained the Malaysian number two. "Yesterday was my first match since
coming out of hospital two weeks ago after suffering with Dengue fever
- which can take five to six weeks to get over.
"I almost didn't make
the Games at all. I've not had the best preparation! I've had doctors
with me, making sure everything was all right with me on court.
"It took me a while to
get used to the glass court - it was my first time on it here. I hope
to be in better shape for the doubles."
Massaro said: "Wee
Wern is known for getting ball after ball back - but the rallies
weren't very long, so I knew something was wrong.
"I didn't enjoy
yesterday at all. I was unlucky enough to play someone (Nicolette
Fernandes of Guyana) who seemed 'possesed' - I've never seen her dive
for so many balls before!
"So today I just wanted to enjoy myself - from the walk on to the court to the match itself. I learnt a lot from yesterday.
"But, to be honest, today's match was a bit of a blur - I was just in the moment and suddenly it was match-ball!"
Waters made the last four for the second time in a row after beating sixth-seeded Indian Dipika Pallikal 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-6.
"I won't say I played
badly but she's got more experience than me and I think that's what
made the difference today," Pallikal explained. "I played well in
patches. I will take a lot of positives out of the match. It was such a
big game - the quarter-finals of the Commonwealth Games!
"It's a pity I have to wait another four years away for the next event - but I'm only 22 so I have a few more chances.
"I know I can compete with the top five in the world - I just need more confidence and experience.
"I was so disappointed
to have missed the last Games in Delhi, because of illness, as it would
have been wonderful to have played in front of a home crowd - so I can
imagine what it was like for Alison today. This crowd was amazing -
it's really good to know that so many people seeing squash for the
first time are enjoying it so much. It's a real positive for squash and
the Olympics."
Waters confessed: "I
gave her too much at the front in the first game and needed to pin her
to the back. We both wanted to win this one.
"Before you start,
you're thinking about medals - and now I'm close. If I play Laura
tomorrow, there'll be no pressure as she is the higher seed."
In a repeat of the
2010 final, Malaysia's defending champion Nicol David defeated Jenny
Duncalf of England 11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4 in 56 minutes - dropping her
first game of the tournament.
"It was a good match -
it was good solid squash from both of us," said David, the world number
one since August 2006. "She was very sharp - in the beginning it was
neck and neck. She played her best squash against me for a while so I
had to dig deep. I really had to step up in the fourth to take the
control away from her.
"We were pushing each other - I was really pleased to win the game and now I can move on another level tomorrow.
"I feel relaxed and it
was an early match which is good. I'm hoping to see some other sports
later, maybe the cycling which is near the village."
The 30-year-old from
Penang, now in her third successive semi, will face New Zealand's No3
seed Joelle King. "I'm excited to be in the semi-finals," continued
David. "Joelle is definitely the one to look out for and I know I can't
give her anything too easy. I just want to give it my all."
When asked about the
sport's chances to join the Olympic programme, David added: "What you
see here shows how great this game is and you can see the squash
players are complete athletes. Squash is an all-round sport and that's
what an Olympic sport is all about.
"We've got all the
qualities and tick all the boxes and we deserve that spot. Hopefully
the IOC will see the display here and will give us a second chance."
Duncalf, the former
world No2 who was also making her maiden appearance on the Glasgow
glass court, said: "I knew it was going to be a tough match and I was
looking forward to playing on the glass for the first time. I thought I
played well - it's the best I've felt on court for a long time - so it
was disappointing to lose in front of this great crowd. I would love to
have sneaked the first game."
When asked what sets
David apart from her fellow players, Duncalf responded: "The amount of
balls she picks up - and her mental resolve. But she's not unbeatable,
she is human!
"Now I can look forward to the doubles," concluded the 31-year-old. "We're number one seeds so I hope to get a medal there."
King claimed her
anticipated semi-final slot after beating Northern Ireland veteran
Madeline Perry, the 37-year-old No7 seed, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6.
"I thought it was a
really complete performance," said King. "I let it slip a little bit
yesterday in terms of concentration and I was really happy that that
only happened for maybe two points at the start of the third.
"Madeline was
tenacious and fought back and I'm just really glad I was able to hold
my concentration, hold on to what I was trying to do and finish it in
three.
"She's a very tough
competitor, she's been on the tour a long time and won major events so
she's no mug and I'm just really happy."
On her meeting with
David, the Kiwi said: "I'm just feeling really good out there. Whoever
I play, I've just got to concentrate on what I'm trying to do.
"When I focus on that, and play how I want to play, I think I can beat anyone.
"I just want to come back tomorrow and do the same thing I've done today!"
Perry, who boasted a
5-2 head-to-head lead over King before the match, admitted: "I really
struggled with the court today. Joelle was playing really well and I
never got to do what I wanted to do.
"I thought I had a good chance but I couldn't find any rhythm today."
Perry was being
coached by her doubles partner Michael Craig, aged just 18: "I was
really listening to him: what he told me made a lot of sense. It'll
probably be different in the doubles where I'll tell him what to do!"
RESULTS: Commonwealth Games Squash, Glasgow, Scotland
Men's quarter-finals: [1] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [7] Chris Simpson (GGY) 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (53m) [3] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [5] Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 (52m) [4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [12] Campbell Grayson (NZL) 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 (93m) [2] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [15] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 11-1, 11-7, 11-3 (29m)
Women's quarter-finals: [1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [8] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4 (56m) [3] Joelle King (NZL) bt [7] Madeline Perry (NIR) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (42m) [4] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [6] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-6 (44m) [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [5] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-3, 11-2, 11-6 (35m) Men's semi-final line-up: [1] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [3] Peter Barker (ENG) [2] James Willstrop (ENG) v [4] Saurav Ghosal (IND)
Women's semi-final line-up: [1] Nicol David (MAS) v [3] Joelle King (NZL) [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [4] Alison Waters (ENG)
