England Celebrate Three Semi-Finalists In Men's Singles Draw In Melbourne
Three English players are through to the semi-finals of the men's squash singles event at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne – a first for any country – after a dramatic day of quarter-final action at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. There was disappointment, however, for the squad when none of England's women progressed into the semi-finals.
Nick Matthew staged a dramatic and courageous fight-back against second-seeded compatriot James Willstrop. Down 1/2 in games and facing match-ball at 2-8 in the fourth, the seventh seed from Sheffield refused to give up – saving five match-balls in all before winning the game 10-8 to draw level, then maintaining his incredible momentum through the fifth to earn a remarkable 9-3, 3-9, 8-10, 10-8, 9-5 victory in 82 minutes.
”It’s fantastic, I’m in with a medal chance," said an ecstatic Matthew afterwards. "I think anyone who gets through to the semis has a good chance of winning. This shows just how strong English squash is at the moment,” added the recently-crowned British national champion.
A dejected Willstrop, who goes on to partner Matthew in the men's doubles, said: “It was a massive scrap out there. I spilled blood out there, and that’s what I came to do. I didn’t win it and I’m absolutely devastated.
“It ended for me in the fourth,” said the 22-year-old from Pontefract. “I just didn’t have the energy and I couldn’t push my legs any more.”
Matthew's success guarantees England at least a silver medal in the men's event as he will meet team-mate Peter Nicol in the semi-finals. In the shortest men's quarter-final of the day, Nicol kept alive his hopes of a third successive appearance in the final with a confident 9-5, 9-1, 9-3 win over Canada's 12th seed Graham Ryding in 48 minutes.
Remarkably, the 1998 champion's meeting with Matthew will mark the third unexpected opponent in a row he has had to face, as all the expected seeds in his half of the draw made early exits.
Lee Beachill also won his way through the other semi-final, beating Australia’s Stewart Boswell 9-4, 9-3, 9-3.
But there was less good fortune for Tania Bailey, from Stamford in Lincolnshire, seeded eighth in the women’s singles. The 26-year-old came up against Malaysia’s world No1 Nicol David in the quarter-finals. Bailey went down 6-9, 9-10, 3-9.
Linda Elriani also missed out in the semis, going down to Australia's Manchester 2002 bronze medallist Rachael Grinham, while Vicky Botwright lost 3-0 to New Zealander Shelley Kitchen.