Champions Galore Exit Dunlop British Open In Day Of Upsets
Reigning British Open, World Open and US Open champions crashed out of the Dunlop British Open Squash Championships in a day of upsets in both the men's and women's events at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.
Australia's men's champion David Palmer, the third seed, was the first casualty – beaten 11-7 4-11 11-6 9-11 11-9 in 100 minutes by 15th seed Ong Beng Hee. The second round match was reconvened this morning (Friday) after an overnight injury break which following a 'contributed' calf injury sustained by the Malaysian when he collided with Palmer during the fourth game last night.
Although outraged by the decision to delay the match, the world No3 from New South Wales conceded that he didn't deserve to win. "There's no way I would have won the title - I would have been wiped off the floor in the quarter-finals by fellow Aussie Anthony Ricketts."
A beaming Beng Hee admitted that he had never before beaten anybody in the world's top four – and that this was the culmination of a two-year programme which had seen him completely transform his game.
"I have been working hard with my coaches in England over this period, and this is the reward for me, my coaches and everybody that has helped me over this period," explained Beng Hee, who followed a career-high No7 world ranking in December 2001 by slipping out of the top twenty last year.
"My whole approach now is so different, and this win has given me a lot of confidence," added the 25-year-old Asian champion who is now based in Harrogate in England.
"I've had a lot of criticism recently in Malaysia while I was slipping down the rankings. But maybe this did me a lot of good as I am now enjoying my squash more than I have for a long time – and I've got a life as well!"
In the first scheduled men's second round match of the day, Scotland's eighth seed John White recovered from a game down to beat English qualifier Alister Walker 8-11 11-8 11-6 11-9 in 57 minutes. "I was a little bit shaky for the first game and a half – but I was happy to get the job done in four games," said the former world No1 who is now based in the USA.
Walker, the Botswana-born 23-year-old who hails from Gloucestershire, said he enjoyed playing on the biggest stage of his life. "I didn't think I let myself down - and each game is a learning experience. In fact, with every match, you realise how much more clinical you've got to be."
White will meet long-time rival Jonathon Power in the quarter-finals after the fourth seed from Canada beat France's Gregory Gaultier, the ninth seed, 11-4 7-11 7-11 11-1 11-6 in 70 minutes.
"We train together a lot and always have hard games – the last two times it was 3/2 and I just got it in the fifth," said the world No2 from Montreal afterwards. "But Greg is one of the players to beat at the moment – he's one of the top four in the world right now."
When asked if he felt he could go all the way, Power responded: "I didn't come here to finish second!"
The other men's quarter-final settled today will feature England's seventh seed James Willstrop and Australian qualifier Stewart Boswell. Willstrop took 59 minutes to overcome compatriot Adrian Grant, the 11th seed, 10-11 11-6 11-6 11-8, while Boswell caused the highest seeding casualty in the men's event with a 6-11 11-8 11-8 5-11 11-6 victory in 71 minutes over England's No2 seed Lee Beachill, the reigning US Open champion.
Since returning to the PSA Tour this April after a layoff caused by a mystery back ailment, Boswell has picked up eight titles in a formidable run which saw his ranking soar from 261 to 29.
"I felt I'd got to a certain level, but not to top 10 standard yet," said the exhausted but delighted 27-year-old from Canberra afterwards. "I now feel close to what I was playing like before," said the former world No4.
Lancashire qualifier Laura-Jane Lengthorn ensured that there will be English interest in all four women's quarter-finals on Saturday when she upset USA's fifth seed Natalie Grainger – also a reigning US Open champion - in today's first round of the women's event at Sportcity.
"I kept saying to myself 'get the first get the first', as I knew that would put her under pressure," said the 21-year-old from Preston after her 10-9 9-4 9-1 victory in 37 minutes.
"I thought I was going to fall over in the last game, my legs were so wobbly. I can't believe it – it's definitely the best win of my career."
"I train here about four or five times a week – it's only about half an hour's drive from where I live – so it feels like home to me here. It's a really big advantage to have played on this all-glass court a lot," added the world No19.
A disconsolate Grainger, ranked four in the world, conceded: "That was not my best performance.
"I have been really been struggling with an injury to my right leg, which just won't get better," explained the 28-year-old from Washington DC. "I've been trying to train, but that's not been easy. I guess I thought I might be able to get through a round or two, but the quality of the younger girls is just too high."
Lengthorn will meet Australia's fourth seed Natalie Grinham, who claimed her place in the last eight courtesy of a walkover provided by Dutch 'lucky loser' Karen Kronemeyer, who withdrew following the recurrence of a knee injury.
Later in the day, Alison Waters became the second English qualifier to claim an unexpected place in the quarter-finals in the biggest upset in the women's event. In a career-best triumph, the 21-year-old from London beat reigning world champion Vanessa Atkinson, the No2 seed from the Netherlands, 9-7 9-2 9-3 in 36 minutes.
"It's not every day you beat a world champion," said the smiling Waters, who celebrated a career-high world number 16 ranking this month. "The last time I played Vanessa, she beat me 3/2, so I knew I was in with a chance if I got out of the blocks quickly."
Waters next meets her good friend Tania Bailey, the eighth seed from Lincolnshire and runner-up in 2002, who beat Welsh qualifier Tegwen Malik 9-3 9-4 9-1 in 40 minutes.
RESULTS: Dunlop British Open Squash Championships, National Squash Centre, Manchester, England
Men's 2nd round:
[15] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [3] David Palmer (AUS) 11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 (100m)
[8] John White (SCO) bt [Q] Alister Walker (ENG) 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (57m)
[4] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt [9] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-6 (70m)
[7] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [11] Adrian Grant (ENG) 10-11 (1-3), 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (59m)
[Q] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [2] Lee Beachill (ENG) 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6 (71m)
Women's 1st round:
[Q] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) bt [5] Natalie Grainger (USA) 10-9, 9-4, 9-1 (37m)
[4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt Karen Kronemeyer (NED) w/o
[8] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [Q] Tegwen Malik (WAL) 9-3, 9-4, 9-1 (40m)
[Q] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 9-7, 9-2, 9-3 (36m)
Saturday's schedule:
1200 [1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [7] Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
1300 [1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v [5] Peter Nicol (ENG)
1400 [3] Nicol David (MAS) v [6] Vicky Botwright (ENG)
1500 [15] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v [6] Anthony Ricketts (AUS)
1700 [4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG)
1800 [4] Jonathon Power (CAN) v [8] John White (SCO)
1900 [Q] Alison Waters (ENG) v [8] Tania Bailey (ENG)
2000 [Q] Stewart Boswell (AUS) v [7] James Willstrop (ENG)
For the latest 2005 Dunlop British Open news, check out the official website: www.britishopensquash.com