Canary Wharf Classic 2006

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Tickets can be booked from the
Ticket Hotline 0870 534 4444,
or online at
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

 

ISS CANARY WHARF
SQUASH CLASSIC
19th-23rd
March 2007
 

 

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Finals:
James Willstrop beat John White
8-11, 11-5, 10-11 (2-0),
11-1, 11-2 (71min
)
Semi-finals
:
White beat Lincou
11-8, 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 10-11 (2-0),
11-9
Willstrop beat Matthew 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 11-1.

Willstrop by a
technical knock-out


John White could not walk on the Canary Wharf water two nights in a row, he tried, made a big splash but was eventually sunk by a persistant effort from James Willstrop who saw the final out 8-11, 11-5, 10-11 (2-0), 11-1, 11-2 in 71 minutes.

This was always going to be a difficult for John White. He had had a difficult run and staged some sort of a miracle against Thierry Lincou in the semi-finals when he was completely spent. Willstrop was relatively fresh and against Nick Matthew in the semis he demonstrated his ability to work a tiring opponent ruthlessly.

And so it came to be, but not before White had sparkled, stunned the ball and the crowd with his exciting reperetoire of nicks, nick boasts, kills from anywhere but especially the back wall, fine volley drops and sintiliating crosscourt volley nicks. He was particularly prolific at plucking crosscourt volley nicks of the right side wall and stunning them into the nick so as to make them unplayable.

White took the first, a fast 13 minutes game with lots of intercepting 11-8 against Willstrop’s largely (and probably quite sensibly) retrieving effort. He fell behind in the second however, even while Willstrop was having trouble getting his play tight against the power shots his opponent was providing. Willstrop however levelled the games 11-5.

White could have won the third earlier, he was the playmaker, was in control 9-6, but he contrived a desperate scramble for the game that had both players diving around the court before he finally finished with three superb winners to come back from 10-11 and take the game 13-11.

That was his lot. It had been terribly exciting and only the day before he had staged that famous comeback against Thierry Lincou.

Early in the fourth however he momentarily thought he should let this game go but he fought on spending what little fuel there was in a tank running on empty.

The fourth was lost 11-1, and there was much drama in the fifth with White spending much time prone on the court but there was no way back and Willstrop was through 11-2 in the 71st minute.


“I thought I had a bit of luck as John had had three five setters already. I would like to pay tribute to him. I’ve had a 3-0, 3-1 and a 3-2, I’m 23-year-old, and I’m shattered,” he said in recognition of the 33-year-olds efforts.

Then he put his hands around the trophy. It had been a good week for Willstrop after a disappointing season. He was now able to look ahead with more confidence.
 

White survives
to earn Willstrop clash

James Willstrop will be going to bed with a smile on his face after the semi-finals at Canary Wharf. His final opponent John White played brilliantly at times, as he can, but saved his most explosive and exciting play until he was 5-1 down in the fifth.

“I hope he is completely gone,” said Willstrop with a laugh after his semi-final match in which he beat Nick Matthew in three games in 44 minutes.

“We (Nick and I) were warming up out the back and watching it on TV and it was fantastic,” added Willstrop.

There were plenty in the crowd who would agree with Willstrop’s assessment, perhaps even White himself, although he would probably have felt it would have been more fantastic if he had produced  his magic form in the third (rather than the fifth) and seen his opponent off in three and given himself a chance in the final.

White took the first, fell behind 8-3 in the second but got plenty of advice from the crowd.

“Come on John,” they said … and he did in a burst of frenetic play and then with some variation of pace (White occasionally lapses into some sensible tactics or at least he is trying to) closed the gap before Lincou won game ball 10-7. Then White struck with winners: a backhand crosscourt kill, and a narrow backhand that Lincou let pass behind him but when he went to hit it,  wasn’t there.

The racket dropped from White's hand as he was executing a backhand kill, Lincou stopped, realized perhaps he shouldn’t have, didn’t appeal for a let and White was closing all the time. White slammed the ball dead in the nick as only he can, totally committed to crashing it in to go 11-10 ahead when it rolled ,and finished with a beautiful forehand to leave Lincou bemused and two game behind.

White went 6-1 up in the third but contrived to loss it making mistakes in the end. Lincou came onto his game to control the rallies twisting his opponent all over the court at the end of the game and although White threatened at 10-all he was being worked and tiring seriously as the games levelled.

White was stuffed and Lincou away in the fifth to 5-1 and no one would have given White a chance. He was grimacing with each rally, working at frenetic pace as Lincou punished him but he kept going, lobbing and floating the ball when he remembered to curb his natural instincts of smashing it for the nick. Lincou went short a little injudiciously and White’s long tired legs lunged in to score winning drops. He scored with another narrow crosscourt that hit his opponent, Lincou stopped for a loose ball to receive a no let and as White miraculously claimed match ball he rolled the ball down the forehand and smashed a forehand crosscourt volley nick that rolled to fantastic acclaim.

It was an unbelievable victory.

“My legs were saying no, but he mind said yes,” explained White.

Whether his mind will be able to override his body for the final seems unlikely for when Willstrop got on top of Matthew he gave his no change and no time on the ball. We will see

--------------------------------------------------------
Quarter-finals:
Willstrop secures
first win over Beahcill

It’s official, the 21 March 2007, was the first time ever that James Willstrop, the British National Champion, beat his Pontefract stablemate Lee Beachill.

It must seem to young Willstrop that he has spent half his life getting beaten up by Beachill, the player he has looked up to and trained with for years. Beachill has won three National titles, been to world no.1 but now resides at no.10 in the rankings and at 29-years-old may be expected to conceded the higher position to the youngster. It hasn’t happened until now however, although Willstrop is the National Champion, and has been to no.2 in the world. Perhaps it is fitting that a month after he has won the National title that the little bit of unfinished business of beating Beachill was put out of the way. Well he did it down at Canary Wharf in come style. Perhaps he was not quite at his best, which in some ways makes it even better, but after he was forced to come back form 2/1 down he saw out the match 11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7 in 73 minutes and in some style.

Willstrop got the early lead, 8-3, and saw out the first game 11-9 will Beachill came onto his game. From then however Beachill contolled the rallies, playing straight to length, straight enough to restrict his opponent’s shots and then come in on the predictable return and sythe balls down for the nick on the volley. There was much enterprise from Willstrop and dashing about but at 6-6 in the third the match came to what could have been the crux when an indifferent drive from Beachill nicked and rolled away and so it seemed did Willstrop’s hopes with it as his opponent went 2/1 ahead 11-6, 11-8.

Willstrop was all energy at the start of the fourth, while his opponent seemed to lack some and faded. It was 6-2 before Beachill woke up and despite hitting some fine nicks Willstrop levelled 11-8 and established a 7-3 lead in the fifth. Beachill fought back, anticipated, for he had a good idea of what his opponent would do, attacked with exquisite volleys but each time he tried to close the gap something went wrong. On the final ball he tipped the tin for Willstrop to secure the match 11-7 and a famous win.

“He probably should beat me now,” said Beachill. “He played well and he should get some wins against the top four and get up there. He’s had a few injury worries.

Willstrop was rather underwhelmed by his win. “A lot of other people have made more of it than we have,” he said.

Willstrop will face Nick Matthew in the semi-finals, Matthew having beaten Wael El Hindi in four games. The first was crucial, as they both stated, Matthew winning 14-12 but in the end he was too strong seeing the match out 11-10 (4-2), 10-8, 8-11, 11-2.

------------------------------------------

Matthew Keen To Fashion
A Result At Canary Wharf

British Open champion Nick Matthew was made to fight hard by wild card and fellow Englishman Bradley Ball before claiming his place in the quarter-finals of the ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic in London.

 

Yorkshireman Matthew, with his right ankle heavily strapped, surrendered the first game before recovering to beat his Ipswich-based opponent 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 in 59 minutes.

 

The world No7 from Sheffield now faces fiery Egyptian Wael El Hindi, who beat Guernsey’s Chris Simpson in straight games at East Wintergarden in Canary Wharf.

 

The 19-year-old 'lucky loser', who came into the main draw after Australian Anthony Ricketts withdrew because of an elbow injury, performed solidly in the opening two games before El Hindi mopped up the match 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.

 

Matthew last week returned after injury to reach the semi-finals of the Kuala Lumpur Open and is confident of getting his season back on track after missing the past two months.

 

"The ankle is fine," said the England No2.  "It’s no problem now but I’ve been advised to keep the strapping on it for a while.  It was good to get some matches under my belt in Malaysia and I am sure it will be OK against El Hindi.”

 

The Egyptian is honing his fitness in the UK under the watchful eye of squash legend Jonah Barrington and is sure to make an impression with his fashion sense as much as his stylish squash.

 

The 26-year-old from Cairo took to the court in a green and yellow singlet, showing off his heavily tattooed biceps, and sporting calf length white track bottoms.

 

"This is my first time at Canary Wharf and I am so pleased to be here – despite the freezing cold weather,” said El Hindi

 

The winner will face the victor of the battle between Matthew’s Yorkshire and England team-mates James Willstrop and Lee Beachill, who are both based at Pontefract Squash Club, where they are coached by James’s father Malcolm.

 

Willstrop, who is seeded above his club-mate at Canary Wharf, is searching for his first victory over his more experienced opponent.

 

Left-hander Adrian Grant, the No8 seed, makes the short journey from his family home in Catford to challenge the top seed Thierry Lincou, the reigning champion from France.

 

Scotland’s No5 seed John White, the hardest hitter in the history of squash, faces Welsh veteran Alex Gough, 36.  White, who is now based in Philadelphia and was recorded blasting the ball at 172mph at Canary Wharf two years ago, had to battle for 70 minutes to remove Italian Davide Bianchetti. White was timed at a more modest top speed of 144mph as he hit back from 2/1 down to beat Bianchetti, from Brescia, 11-3, 6-11, 4-11, 11-3, 11-8.

 

Gough, White's former Nottingham team-mate, was forced to stay on court for 42 minutes before overcoming Surrey qualifier Stacey Ross 11-3, 2-11, 11-2, 11-7.


 

 

 

. 2006 Event Page
. Draw
. Qualifying
. Reports
. Alan Thatcher Previews




LINCOU NEW TOP SEED AS SHABANA WITHDRAWS

OFFICIAL SPONSORS









 
Canary Wharf Classic
19th - 23rd March 2007
First Round
19th/20th March
Quarters
21st March
Semis
22nd March
Final
23rd March
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra)
9-11, 11-3, 11-1, 11-8 (48 mins)
[Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS)
Thierry Lincou
11-8, 11-9, 11-10 (5-3)
Adrian Grant
Thierry Lincou

11-8, 11-10 (2-0)
9-11, 11-10 (2-0),
11-9

John White
John White
8-11, 11-5, 10-11 (2-0),
11-1, 11-2 (71min)
James Willstrop
[8] Adrian Grant (Eng)
9-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-5, 11-4 (74 mins)
Renan Lavigne (Fra)
[5] John White (SCO)
 11-3, 6-11, 4-11, 11-3, 11-8 (70m)
[Q] Davide Bianchetti (ITA)
John White
11-7, 7-11,11-7, 7-11, 11-5 (81m)
Alex Gough
Alex Gough (WAL)
11-3, 2-11, 11-2, 11-7 (42m)
[Q] Stacey Ross (ENG)
Shahier Razik (Can)
11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (42 mins)
[6] Lee Beachill (Eng)
Lee Beachill
11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7
James Willstrop
James Willstrop

11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 11-1

Nick Matthew

[Q] Daryl Selby (ENG)
11-2, 7-11, 11-7, 15-13 (62 mins)
[4] James Willstrop (Eng)
Chris Simpson (ENG)
11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (36m)
[7] Wael El Hindi (Egy)
Wael El Hindi
11-10 (3-1), 11-8, 8-11, 11-2
Nick Matthew
Bradley Ball (Eng)
8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 (59m)
[2] Nick Matthew (Eng)

Qualifying Finals
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Tarek Momen (EGY) 11-9, 11-6, 4-11, 11-9 (65m)

Stacey Ross (ENG) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-6, 11-10 (2-0), 11-2 (42m)

Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-7, 11-8, 11-10 (5-3) (51m)

Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 8-11, 4-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-4, 11-6 (75m)

 

Reports

Willstrop & Beachill To Clash In ISS Canary Wharf Classic

English trio James Willstrop, Lee Beachill and Adrian Grant advanced to the quarter-finals of the ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic after an eventful first round at the stylish East Wintergarden venue in London.

 

Number three seed Willstrop was made to fight all the way by English qualifier Daryl Selby before edging home 11-2, 7-11, 11-7, 11-10 (5-3) in 62 minutes.

 

Selby, 24, from Essex, gave a great account of himself on his debut performance in the 5-star PSA Tour event and thrilled the packed gallery with a succession of stunning shots, including two dazzling overhead volley kills.

 

Sadly he conceded the match on a miss-hit volley as Willstrop served for the match.  In Wednesday's quarter-finals, Willstrop will be hunting his first ever victory over his Pontefract and England team-mate Beachill, the sixth seed from Yorkshire who eased past Canadian Shahier Razik in straight games.

 

Londoner Grant was made to fight all the way by Frenchman Renan Lavigne.  In the longest match of the night, eighth seed Grant finally triumphed 9-11, 11-4, 10-11 (1-3), 11-5, 11-4 in 75 minutes of high quality squash.

 

Top seed Thierry Lincou, Lavigne's French compatriot, was surprised in the opening game by Australian qualifier Aaron Frankcomb before taking control to win 9-11, 11-3, 11-1, 11-8.

 

Ricketts Withdrawal Opens 'Lucky Loser' Door For Simpson


Anthony Ricketts 2006 finalist
withdraws from 2007 Event

The eleventh-hour withdrawal of Australia's two-times runner-up Anthony Ricketts from this week's ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic in London has provided a 'lucky loser' opportunity for Guernsey’s Chris Simpson.

 

Ricketts, the third seed, had a cortisone injection on his elbow back home in Australia last week but decided not to risk further damage to his racket arm.  The injury flared up a fortnight ago during the Tournament of Champions in New York, where Ricketts reached the final against Egypt's world No1 Amr Shabana - but had to concede at one game all because of the pain.

Ironically, Shabana pulled out of the Canary Wharf Classic last week because of a hand injury - leaving organisers having to make a redraw last week.  Reigning champion Thierry Lincou of France moved to top seed, with Sheffield’s Nick Matthew, the current British Open champion, the new No2 seed.

 

The absence of Ricketts means that Simpson, a former European Junior Champion, comes in as lucky loser after Sunday's qualifying finals of the 5-star PSA Tour event at Wimbledon Racquets and Fitness Club.  The 19-year-old, currently based in Harrogate in Yorkshire, faces No7 seed Wael El Hindi of Egypt on Tuesday.

 

Simpson admitted he was not expecting to be in the main tournament and said:  “Now I will have to postpone my skiing trip.”

 

Italian Davide Bianchetti, Englishmen Stacey Ross and Daryl Selby, and Australia’s Aaron Frankcomb, won through from qualifying.  Selby had to fight hard to overcome the talented 16-year-old Mohamed El Shorbagy, who is based at the Wimbledon club and enjoyed the support of a packed gallery.

 

Shorbagy held three game balls in the third game before the more experienced Selby, the 24-year-old world No38 from Essex, clinched the tiebreaker 15-13.

 

Tarek Momen, another young Egyptian, lost to Davide Bianchetti of Italy, while Ross defied a cut hand to overcome Channel Islander Simpson.  In the final qualifier, Frankcomb fought back from two games down to beat Brazil’s Rafael F Alarcon in 75 minutes.

 

 

 


________________________________________________________________________



 


 

Alan Thatcher Previews
Further information from Alan Thatcher
Tel: 07971 639 829
Email: alan@squashuk.com
 

1st Day Report
English trio James Willstrop, Lee Beachill and Adrian Grant advanced to the quarter-finals of the ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic after an eventful first round at the stylish East Wintergarden venue.

Number three seed Willstrop was made to fight all the way by Essex qualifer Daryl Selby before edging home 11-2, 7-11, 11-7, 15-13 in 62 minutes.

Selby gave a great account of himself on his debut performance in the tournament and thrilled the packed gallery with a succession of stuinning shots, including two dazzling overhead volley kills.

Sadly he conceded the match on a mis-hit volley as Willstrop served for the match. In Wednesday's quarter-fionals, Willstrop is now hunting his first ever victory over his Pontefract and England team-mate Beachill, who eased past Canadian Shahier Razik in straight games.

Londoner Grant was made to fight all the way by Frenchman Renan Lavigne. In the longest match of the night, Grant finally triumphed 9-11, 11-4, 11-13, 11-5, 11-4 in 75 minutes of high quality squash.

Top seed Thierry Lincou, Lavigne's French compatriot, was surprised in the opening game by Australian qualifier Aaron Frankcomb before taking control to win 9-11, 11-3, 11-1, 11-8.

 

LINCOU NEW TOP SEED AS SHABANA WITHDRAWS
Reigning champion Thierry Lincou is favourite to retain next week’s ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic title after top seed Amr Shabana pulled out with an injury.

The Egyptian world No.1 withdrew because of a wrist injury after winning the Tournament Of Champions in New York. Ironically, Australia's Anthony Ricketts conceded with an elbow injury in the final at Grand Central Station.

New Canary Wharf top seed Lincou is scheduled to meet Ricketts in the semi-finals on Thursday evening on the Harris Brushes ProCourt at the East Wintergarden venue.

Shabana’s withdrawal resulted in a redraw of the tournament and British stars James Willstrop, Lee Beachill and British Open champion Nick Matthew will have to battle it out in the bottom half of the draw.

Pontefract team-mates Beachill and Willstrop, the new national champion, are due to meet in the quarter-finals with the Sheffield-based Matthew waiting in the semis.  

London-based Adrian Grant, who had originally been due to meet top seed Shabana in the first round, now meets Frenchman Renan Lavigne, who has moved up from the qualifying competition to fill the vacant slot.



Wild card Bradley Ball, from Ipswich, faces No.2 seed Matthew in the opening round, which is spread over Monday and Tuesday next week.

The qualifying competition is being staged this weekend at Wimbledon Rackets and Fitness Club.
Tickets can be purchased from the Ticketmaster hotline 0870 534 4444, or online at
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Superb corporate hospitality packages are also available enabling spectators to wine, dine and watch all the gripping squash action from the Gallery restaurant within the East Wintergarden.

BRITISH STARS AIM FOR
REVIVAL AT WHARF
New national champion James Willstrop is aiming for success in next month's ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic to give a lift to the British squash scene.

Willstrop beat big-hitting Scot John White to win the British Nationals in Manchester and is aiming to maintain that form in front of packed and expectant home crowds at Canary Wharf in March.

This star-studded PSA Five Star world ranking tournament takes place on the all-glass Harris Brushes Procourt inside the stunning glass atrium venue, the East Wintergarden at Canary Wharf, from March 19-23. 

Willstrop won the inaugural Canary Wharf title in 2004, beating former world champion Thierry Lincou in a dramatic, groundbreaking final played over the best of seven games.

Willstrop and England team-mates Nick Matthew and Lee Beachill have all suffered from injuries this season - although Matthew provided the domestic highlight of the season so far when he won the British Open title in Nottingham in September.

Matthew beat reigning Canary Wharf champion Lincou in the British Open final to become the first English-born winner for 67 years. He is now looking to deliver something special at Canary Wharf, despite a damaged hamstring ruining his start to the year. His injury in the Canadian Classic in Toronto forced him to withdraw from the Chicago Open and he was unable to defend his national title in Manchester.

Co-promoter Peter Nicol, now retired from the world tour, said All of the British players will be looking for good performances, especially on home soil. Injuries are the worst thing in sport and James, Nick and Lee will all want to do well in front of a passionate home crowd.

The audiences at Canary Wharf are always knowledgeable about the game and really get behind the home players. James and Nick have had a tough time with injuries and fitness this season but they are tremendous athletes and will have learned from their setbacks.

It was a shame that Lee had to withdraw from the Nationals with a twisted neck but he is still playing extremely well and recently reached the final in Richmond, Virginia, where he lost to Anthony Ricketts.


EGYPTIAN STARLET SET TO THRILL CROWDS
A NEW ERA is dawning in top-class professional squash, and London crowds are drooling at the prospect of seeing the amazing young Egyptian Ramy Ashour (left) in action at the ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic in March.

Ashour has rocketed into the world top six after a devastating rise through the rankings in the past six months. And former world champion Peter Nicol is looking forward to seeing the precocious 19-year-old parade his dazzling skills on the all-glass Harris Brushes Procourt inside the East Wintergarden atrium at Canary Wharf from March 19-23.

Ashour has begun the year in tremendous style, winning the Canadian Classic in Toronto and reaching the semi-finals of the Chicago Open.

Ashour overcame Australia’s world champion David Palmer in straight games in the Toronto final and Canary Wharf co-promoter Nicol said: “Ramy is working hard and he is immensely talented. To achieve results like those is simply astonishing for such a young man. He has developed at an amazing rate, physically, tactically and mentally.

“He retained the world junior title a few months ago and has made an incredible impact in his first full season on the senior professional circuit.

“He has just gone on court and shown he has got what it takes to beat the top guys in the world, and you cannot underestimate the immense physical ability he has developed.

“What most people love about him is his personality. He clearly loves what he is doing, he plays with a smile on his face most of the time and is an exceptional young man.”

That’s high praise indeed from a professional thoroughbred like Nicol, who dominated the sport for most of the past decade, much of which was defined by his intense rivalry with Canadian Jonathan Power.

Now both have retired there is immense competition at the top of the rankings. Ashour’s compatriot Amr Shabana has taken over the top spot in a top ten that boasts a third Egyptian, Karim Darwish, who reached the semi-finals at Canary Wharf last season. 

Reigning Canary Wharf champion Thierry Lincou is no longer even the leading Frenchman in the PSA world rankings, with his compatriot, the stylish Gregory Gaultier, now one place above him at number three.

Gaultier was runner-up in the World Open in Egypt in September, losing to Palmer in an open-air amphitheatre in front of the Great Pyramids, having earlier removed top seed Shabana. He repeated that success when he achieved a major career milestone by winning the US Open in November, beating Shabana in the final in Boston.

The 2006 ISS Canary Wharf runner-up, Australia’s Anthony Ricketts, is looking to go one better this year. He reached the final in Chicago, having finally put a stop to Ashour’s charge in the semi-finals, but lost in straight games to a supercharged Shabana.

The ISS Canary Wharf Classic line-up is sure to provide a mouthwatering feast of squash and the joint promoters, Eventis Sports Marketing and SquashUK, are looking forward to a further week of sell-out crowds.

As well as seating round the all-glass Harris Brushes Procourt, superb corporate hospitality packages are available with spectators able to wine, dine and watch the action from the best vantage point in any squash arena, the Gallery restaurant at the East Wintergarden.

GIFT WRAPPED, THE WORLD’S LEADING SQUASH STARS
Sports fans searching for the perfect Christmas present can gift-wrap the ideal seasonal offering, tickets for the star-studded ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic.

The world’s leading squash stars will be competing in this dazzling sports event, with action on the all-glass Harris Brushes Procourt inside the stunning East Wintergarden atrium at Canary Wharf from March 19-23.

Co-promoter Peter Nicol, the former world champion, said: “I can’t think of a better gift for the sports fan, whether they are a squash player or not.”

Tickets can be booked from the Ticket Hotline 0870 534 4444, or online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Nicol added: “We are all looking forward to the next ISS Canary Wharf tournament in March. We have fantastic sponsors who have enabled us to develop the tournament into a real London showpiece featuring the sport at its very best in a superb venue.

“Squash is a fantastic spectator sport, combing physical and mental agility from the players, with a mixture of dazzling skill, powerful, attacking shots and breathtaking retrieving.

“The top speed for hitting a squash ball was recorded at Canary Wharf two years ago when Scotland’s John White was timed bashing the ball at a phenomenal 172mph. That’s more than 20mph faster than the top speed recorded in tennis.”

Nicol, who retired earlier this year after dominating the squash world for a decade, added: “To retrieve the ball travelling at that pace you have to react incredibly quickly. I’m just glad I don’t have to put my body through that any more!”

This season’s competition is again a Five-Star ranking tournament on the PSA world circuit, thereby guaranteeing the presence of the world’s top players.

Frenchman Thierry Lincou is looking forward to retaining his ISS title after a successful year in the UK in which he collected a hat-trick of major tournament wins, including the Liverpool Open and Mamut English Open in Sheffield.

However, Nicol knows that competition will be tough. He added: “When you look at the world top ten there are so many fine players – David Palmer and Anthony Ricketts from Australia, Amr Shabana, Ramy Ashour and Karim Darwish from Egypt, Lincou and Gregory Gaultier from France, plus the British contingent of James Willstrop, Lee Beachill and new British Open champion Nick Matthew, who are all capable of winning any event.

“It all comes down to who feels fit and fresh, who is playing well and who can play consistently well in any part of the world.

“With that kind of quality line-up, we are all looking forward to another fantastic tournament.”

As well as seating round the all-glass Harris Brushes Procourt, superb corporate hospitality packages are available with spectators able to wine, dine and watch the action from the best vantage point in any squash arena, the Gallery restaurant at the East Wintergarden.


ISS CANARY WHARF SQUASH CLASSIC:
A REAL TREAT FOR SPORTS FANS

Sports fans searching for the perfect Christmas present can gift-wrap the ideal seasonal offering, tickets for the star-studded ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic.

The world’s leading squash stars will be competing in this dazzling sports event, with action on the all-glass Harris Brushes Procourt inside the stunning East Wintergarden atrium at Canary Wharf from March 19-23.

Co-promoter Peter Nicol, the former world champion, said: “I can’t think of a better gift for the sports fan, whether they are a squash player or not.”

Tickets can be booked from the Ticket Hotline 0870 534 4444, or online at
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
 


Further information from Alan Thatcher
Tel: 07971 639 829
Email: alan@squashuk.com