WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions, New York, USA

Final:
[3] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [2] John White (SCO) 15-10, 17-15, 15-12 (67m)

Nicol Beats White, But Glory Is Shared In New York

Honours were arguably shared in New York when England's third seed Peter Nicol upset Scotland's No2 seed John White in straight games in the final of the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions to win the USA's biggest squash championship for the third time - but the runner-up came away certain to be crowned world No1 when the March Dunlop PSA World Rankings are announced next week.

Defending champion Nicol got off to an impressive start in his fourth successive final at Grand Central Terminal when, in the first game, he took the immediate lead and never relinquished it.  Nicol executed his pre-match strategy against the second-seeded Scot from the very first point.  By moving his opponent up and back in the court Nicol was able to prevent White, the hardest-hitting player on the tour, from unleashing his trademark power.

White jumped ahead in the second but Nicol quickly caught him and surged ahead to 9-6.  A seesaw battle followed as White started finding his power and had Nicol moving to the corners.  But White failed to capitalise on his advantage, putting several seeming volley winners into the tin.  At 15-16 in the tie-break, White made yet another error after a long punishing point to let Nicol take a 2-0 lead. 

"I felt that I was playing the game I wanted to," said Nottingham-based White.  "But Peter was returning the shots tonight that were winners in my last two matches.  I had several openings, but I just clipped the tin because of the pressure from Peter." 

Indeed, the expectation by many in the know was that this was 30-year-old White's tournament to win.  Having achieved a career high No2 ranking at the end of 2003, the Australian-born Scot has been playing the most consistent squash of his career while Nicol, the former Scot, seemed to still be recovering from a recurring virus that plagued him in 2003.  Although the overall match record of the finalists was 7-3 in Nicol's favour, White had won the last two matches - in the semi-finals of both the World Open in December 2002 and the PSA Masters in May last year.  And regardless of the outcome of this match, White would become the top-ranked player in the world in just a few days.

But the competitive fire, tenacity and mental toughness that has taken Nicol to the top of the world rankings for all but 16 months out of the last four and a half years was clearly in evidence in this final. Having staved off the White charge at the end of the second game, Nicol blew out to a 12-5 lead in the third, and the match looked to be over.

White was not quite ready to throw in the towel, however, and fought his way back to 12-all.  The overflow crowd roared with excitement as White chipped away at the lead.  But a few more untimely errors from White and it was Nicol that claimed the 15-10 17-15 15-12 victory in 67 minutes - and his third Tournament of Champions title.

"This one was brutal," said Nicol, after his 65th appearance in a PSA Tour final.  "The entire match was played at such a fast pace that we're both completely exhausted.  I'm so tired I can't even be happy yet."

White replied:  "I'm disappointed to lose 3-0.  But getting to my first Tournament of Champions title and leaving here as the world No1 is not too shabby!"

After having had a few minutes to collect his breath and reflect briefly on his championship win, Nicol added:  "It feels a bit strange right now because I've spent my whole life solely dedicated to winning squash matches.  But I am not doing that anymore.  I am getting out and doing more, but I feel like I am playing better squash and I'm still winning." 

Asked whether he was disappointed that White had overtaken him for the No1 ranking, the gracious champion replied:  "Not at all.  I think, of all the players, John has really earned the ranking because he has won several titles in the past year."  Then, with a sly grin, the 30-year-old from London, added:  "But hopefully he won't be there too long."