WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Bermuda Open Squash Championship, Hamilton, Bermuda

Quarter-finals:
Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [5] Amr Shabana (EGY) 6-15, 15-13, 3-15, 15-11, 15-10 (75m)
[4] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [8] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) 15-8, 11-15, 17-15, 10-15, 15-4 (83m)
[7] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt [3] John White (SCO) 15-11, 15-7, 12-15, 15-10 (79m)
[6] David Palmer (AUS) bt [2] Peter Nicol (ENG) 15-11, 15-13, 8-15, 15-10 (55m)

Upsets Abound In Bermuda Open

England's Nick Matthew continued his giant-killing charge in the Bermuda Open Squash Championship by overthrowing Egypt's world champion Amr Shabana in the island's tiny city of Hamilton - but he was not alone in knocking higher-ranked players off their pedestals as Scotland's world No1 John White and England's world No3 Peter Nicol also failed to reach their seeded positions in the semi-finals of this five-star PSA Tour event.

Matthew, who became the only unseeded player to reach the quarter-finals after upsetting France's top seed Thierry Lincou, was in sparkling form against the Egyptian who won the world title in Pakistan just three months ago.  After Shabana made a strong start to take the opening game, Matthew went on the attack in the second to draw level. 

But Shabana again showed his brilliance in game three, allowing his opponent only three points.  Matthew later admitted that he "hit the wall" in that game, and although spectators anticipated an easy win for the World Champion, Matthew clearly had other ideas. 

The 23-year-old from Sheffield in Yorkshire dug deep to stay in the match and began to display the attacking strokes that have propelled him up to No10 in the world rankings.   He took a hard-fought fourth game and held on to complete what was surely the greatest match of his young career with a 6-15 15-13 3-15 15-11 15-10 victory after 75 minutes.

Matthew's semi-final opponent will be fellow-Yorkshireman Lee Beachill, the fourth seed who survived a five-game marathon against Australia's Joseph Kneipp to become the only expected name in the last four.  The key point of the match was in the third game with the match evenly-poised at one-all and Kneipp leading 14-10.   Beachill kept his cool, refused to make mistakes and chased the ball to all corners of the court to stay in the game.  His determination paid off, and after saving three game balls, Beachill went on to clinch the game 17-15 after the Australian made a couple of crucial errors.

Not to be undaunted, Kneipp came back strongly to win the fourth game, but in the decider he again made several unforced errors, and appeared to lose concentration as Beachill cruised to a 15-8 11-15 17-15 10-15 15-4 victory in 83 minutes. 

"That third game was critical and when I managed to pull a few points back I think the pressure reversed onto Joe and he made a couple of mistakes to let me in," said Beachill afterwards.  "Even then he came back well in the fourth and was hitting some great shots.  I just tried to play my own game and keep my concentration in the fifth - it was a tough match."

Second seed Peter Nicol fell victim to Bermuda-based David Palmer in the day's shortest match.  Palmer, the sixth seed from Australia, started well and used his long reach to great effect while Nicol struggled to hit a good length.  After losing the first game, Nicol appeared to be making a comeback in the second and was leading 13-9, but Palmer again took command and won the game without conceding another point.

Nicol played catch up in the third.  Palmer surged to an 8-2 lead and looked on course for an easy victory when Nicol suddenly upped his game and played immaculate squash, winning 13 points in a row to reduce the deficit to 2/1.

Not to be outdone, British Open champion Palmer again took control in the fourth, forcing Nicol to make a series of uncharacteristic errors with a mixture of deep volleys and deft drops.  It was Palmer who looked the fitter, even though he had played a tough match on the previous day, and he comfortably won the match 15-11 15-13 8-15 15-10 in 55 minutes to earn his place in the semis, where he will face Canadian Jonathan Power.

The clash between former world No1 Power and the current world No1 John White was never going to be pretty to watch!  White began powerfully and built up a 5-0 lead before Power settled down to a match that was marred by numerous let calls.  The constant stopping and starting seemed to unnerve White who became increasingly frustrated during the match.  Power won the first two games and held a narrow 12-11 lead in the third before White finally showed powered his way out of trouble and took the game.

The Scot started strongly in the fourth game and was leading 5-2, but the pair engaged in a series of disputes over lets which White clearly felt were called against him and Power was able to catch up to six-all and never lost the lead again.  After 79 minutes, Power claimed his 15-11 15-7 12-15 15-10 win.

Power said afterwards:  "I guess it was a very physical match.  He's a big guy and always stretching so it's hard to find space.  We were both looking for the same angles and it came down to tactics rather than fitness."  Power's parents were at courtside watching him in action in a major tournament for the first time in several years.

When asked about his prospects in the semi final against Palmer, he said he was expecting another tough match and hoped the conditions would be the same as this evening.  He commented that his match the previous evening had been almost unbearable because of the high humidity.

Official website: www.bermudaopen.com