WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: West Edmonton Mall Canadian Open Squash Championship, Edmonton, Canada

Final:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [5] Jonathon Power (CAN) 15-13, 17-15, 15-7 (70m)

Nicol Controls Power To Lift Canadian Open Trophy

England's Peter Nicol is certain to end his second successive year as the world's number one squash player after dismissing his greatest rival Jonathon Power in straight games in the final of the $80,000 West Edmonton Mall Canadian Open at the Ice Palace in Edmonton to claim his 45th PSA Tour title.

The stunning victory - his third in a row over Power over the past month - comes exactly eight years after the pair first met in the final of the 1995 Canadian Open in Burlington, and takes Nicol 19-17 ahead in their career head-to-head tally.

A near capacity Ice Palace crowd greeted local hero Power with the usual deafening cheer that the world No4 from Montreal has enjoyed throughout this tournament.  Unaffected by the partisan crowd, however, a relaxed Peter Nicol arrived on court with a look of focused determination.

The opening game started quietly, with both players patiently hitting good length down both side walls.  It was Nicol who started the attacking play, hitting two successive forehand volley winners to take him to 6-3.  >From 4-9 down, Power mounted a comeback to draw level at 10-10.  The home hero saved three game-balls from 14-10 before hitting the tin on his forehand to give Nicol the first game.

The second game was a see saw affair with Power taking the early advantage to go 5-2 up, then Nicol inching his way to a 13-9 lead.  At this point, Power went on the offensive again, hitting tight drop shots and penetrating drives down the wall, making Nicol scramble to retrieve balls from every corner of the court.  Just when it looked as it the momentum would carry Power on to win the game, he hit a loose shot that resulted in a stroke that gave Nicol game ball at 14-13.

Power won the next point to tie the game at 14-14 and Nicol called set three.  Both players seemed nervous as Power hit two straight tins, then Nicol also tinned the ball to bring the score to 16-15.  The game ended when Power hit a loose shot that allowed Nicol to make a delicate forehand drop shot.  A disgusted Power threw his racket into the back corner of the court after his request for a let as he ran into Nicol on his way to the ball was rejected by the referee.   As Nicol walked off the court 2/0 ahead, the referee was treated to a resounding chorus of boos from the partisan crowd.

Impatience began to characterise Power's play in the third game, and his often ill-timed attacks resulted in loose balls that allowed Nicol to hit winners.  Down 5-12, Power scored a point with a deceptive crosscourt drop, followed by another point on a stroke against Nicol - but that was as close as he got.  With match ball at 14-7, Nicol hit a tight drop shot to his opponent's forehand, which Power returned with a crosscourt drive.  But the shot was not wide enough as Nicol cut it off and drove it down the wall to win the match and the championship 15-13 17-15 15-7 in 70 minutes.

An ecstatic Nicol raised both arms in the air and let out a loud victory cry before shaking hands with a dejected Power.

"There isn't anyone on the planet that could have beaten me on this day," Nicol told SquashPlayer.co.uk afterwards.  "I wanted it very very badly.  Jonathon was a little tired, but all week long my length and width has been exceptional.  I kept working him and was making him do most of the work. I was twisting him and as a result I controlled the game and won the match."

Official website:  www.wemcdnopen.com