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Wed 12th March, Quarter-Finals:
[3]
Lee Beachill (Eng) bt Joey Barrington (Eng)
11/8, 13/15, 11/9, 11/2 (76m)
[2] James Willstrop (Eng) bt
[6] Alex Gough (Wal)
11/3, 12/10, 4/11, 11/2 (42m)
Alister Walker (Eng) bt [8] Renan
Lavigne (Fra)
5/11, 11/7, 11/6, 11/4 (56m)
[7] Cameron Pilley (Aus) bt [4]
Peter Barker (Eng)
11/1, 6/11, 11/9, 11/8 (66m)
Quarters roundup from Alan Thatcher |
Pilley denies English clean sweep at Canary Wharf
...
Steve Cubbins
reports
Five Englishmen bid for semi-final places tonight, with Lee
Beachill, James Willstrop and Peter Barker all favourites to do so,
and last night's giant-killer Alister Walker up against a second
consecutive Frenchman.
The fist three legs went according to the English plan with
Beachill, Willstrop and Walker advancing, but in the last match of
the day Cameron Pilley gained some revenge for his loss to Peter
Barker in the world team final to foil the clean sweep ...
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Fair Play Award,
in the press ...
Photo Galleries |
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Malcolm Willstrop on the Quarters
 Quarter-finals
night at PSA events are always great value and nobody in the packed
house at Canary Wharf will have felt shortchanged last night.
First on were Lee Beachill and Joey Barrington, who had put
out Olli Tuominen. Beachill, after his hernia operation in January,
had done well and his movement looked as good as it has been since
then. Barrington worked hard, as he always does, but Beachill always
seemed to have control and he won 3/1, the fourth very easily as
Barrington crumbled.
 James
Willstrop, the defending champion, took the first game in style
off Alex Gough, but the veteran got away in the second as
Willstrop lot his accuracy. Gough, moving well now, deserved to win
the second, but Willstrop won t and although Gough took the third,
like Beachill against Barrington, the fourth was over very quickly.
The Pontefract pair meet in the semi-final, not a situation either
enjoys, but the supportive Canary Wharf crowds will help to create
an atmosphere sometimes lacking in Manchester where they have played
each other in front of a lot of Pontefract supporters. It's a match
that should please the purists.
 Alister
Walker's sensational win over world no 3 Gregory Gaultier proved
the often made point that there are many capable players who can
trouble the top ten if the latter are not at their best or take
opponents less than seriously.
Walker looks to be in the form of his life and the crowd has taken
to him, as he disposed of another Frenchman Renan Lavigne
3/1.
Lavigne began well, won the first as Walker tried to come to terms
with his previous night's win. Two things turned the match: National
Coach David Pearson was in Walker's corner and Lavigne made the
serious mistake in the second game of turning the crowd – who mostly
wanted Walker to win anyway – against him. Pearson told Walker after
the first game to raise the tempo and to play less in straight
lines, and to his credit the player responded.
 The
last match of the night promised much – local Peter Barker,
now at ten in the world, and the likeable Australian Cameron
Pilley. Although Barker beat Pilley convincingly to win the
World Team title for England in December, his superior experience
stood him in good stead there, and some shrewd judges thought that
Pilley had improved enough to trouble Barker this time.
So it proved, as Pilley won well 3/1 to earn the right to play
Walker, which should be a match to watch.
I have always been an admirer of Pilley and his late development is
due to the fact that young Australians arrive on the world scent
late. There is more to come from him for sure. Barker, who seemed to
be returning to form, looked very disappointed after his loss and
will probably have had a sleepless night to make matters worse.
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[3]
Lee Beachill (Eng) bt Joey Barrington
(Eng)
11/8, 13/15, 11/9, 11/2 (76m)
Still there for Beach
 The
first - all-English - quarter-final proved, if proof were needed,
that Lee Beachill is back, and playing well. Joey Barrington gave
him a tough test, but after an hour plus of play the work that Lee
was making him do finally took its toll as Joey subsided in the
fourth game.
It was a cagey opening by both playing, long rallies with the ball
mainly at the back, and in the first Joey paid the price for a few
errors in the middle of the game that gave Beach a gap he never
relinquished. A tense ending to the second - Joey saved four game
balls to take it into extra points, and four consecutive strokes to
take it to 12-all - saw Joey deservedly level with almost an hour
gone.
The third was level all the way to 9-all, and the court was opening
up more now as both played more adventurously, but Beach sneaked it,
and that was the end for Joey, who could put up only token
resistance in the fourth.
 "Joey
started late, but he's improving in leaps and bounds, he's difficult
to beat and I had to play pretty well to win tonight.
"It was a bit scrappy at times, we were both going for the same
space, but I had to move well and that's pleasing. for me."
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 "Lee
is so difficult to play, he's so accurate and there's a little dink
in his swing, you know the ball will go deep but you have to cover
it going short just in case, and an hour of doing that takes its
toll on you in the end.
"I'm disappointed, but Lee's a class player, you don't forget how to
hit the ball like that, so he's always going to be tough to beat.
"I'm starting to enjoy my squash now, playing on the glass court
more. It's the first time I've played here, what a fantastic venue,
and a great crowd."
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[2]
James Willstrop (Eng) bt [6]
Alex Gough (Wal)
11/3, 12/10, 4/11,
11/2
James buckles down
Playing Alex Gough is always a potential banana skin for any
of the top players - ask his Bermuda World Open victims - but more
so in the first round when the Welshman is fresh.
Tonight James Willstrop was grateful that Alex had that
five-setter with Shorbagy in his legs, as the sixth seed started
slowly, dazzled with his deft shots and skills in the middle, then
faded at the end.
 James
dominated the start and the end then, but in the middle it was an
entertaining match with both players going for their shots, plenty
of skilful, short sharp rallies, and some friendly banter between
themselves and the refs mixed in too. Alex was close to winning the
second, started the third with a barrage of tricky winners, but
couldn't maintain it in the fourth.
So the defending champion moves on, to face another meeting with his
Pontefract stablemate Lee Beachill - a repeat of last month's
Nationals final ..
 "Neither
of us played particularly well there, but he was struggling to get
forward in the first game and a half, but once he loosened up he
made it very hard for me. We were both playing it short, angles
everywhere, not much in the way of tactics, and he's good at that
sort of game.
"I had to try to get a bit more structure into the game, bury him at
the back when I could, he was getting better and quicker as it went
on, and I managed to do that in the fourth."
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"I'm pretty pleased with how I played and pleased to take a game, I
could have won the second too.
"His racket skills are so good, you have to work hard to stay with
him.
"If anyone had asked me if I'd be playing at 37 I'd have said 'no
chance', so don't ask whether I'll be playing next year, I don't
know myself ..."
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Alister Walker (Eng) bt [8] Renan
Lavigne (Fra)
5/11, 11/7, 11/6, 11/4 (56m)
Another one for Walker
 A
second French scalp in two days for Alister Walker, as he became the
third Englishman to reach the semi-finals to the delight of another
packed house at Canary Wharf.
Renan Lavigne certainly started the better, taking the first game
with some ease, and an early lead in the second, but once Alister
had pulled it back to take the lead at 4/3 he never relinquished it.
Renan made him work for it though, as he does, and second and third
games were tough, with a few discussions with the referees after
well-contested rallies. Although the Englishman, playing determined,
controlled squash, was generally on top, it wasn't until Alister
pulled out the first six points of the fourth game that the result
looked decided.
Decided it was soon enough, and having initially being disappointed
to get the top seed rather than having to qualify, Ali probably
can't believe he's in the semis, but he deserves to be, sure enough
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 "That
was really difficult mentally, going into your first match with
nothing to lose, having a good win an the dealing with thinking you
have a real chance in the next match.
Renan's really tough, he made it hard all the way. I was probably
suffering a bit of a hangover at the start, it took me a while to
adjust to the pace, but I got there in the end.
"It's fantastic to get three English players through to the semis,
hopefully Pete can make it a full house ..."
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 "I
was feeling good out there, 1-0 up and up in the second, playing the
right game, but from that moment on, half way through the second
game and for the rest of that second game, I really think not one
decision went my way which I thought was really unfair.
"Tell me if I am wrong, but do you know any other sport than squash
played professionally where you have referees with the same
nationality as one of the players in action? Do you think that is
fair? I am happy with the 3-referee system, it is good for the game
but not with that nationality ambiguity.
 "I
remember 5 years ago in the European Teams Championships in England,
they put 4 English referees for the 4 matches in the final
against...England. We found this out before the start and refused to
play if they did not do anything about that so, in the end, they
changed 2 of them.
"After those decisions in the second game, I lost my head and could
not get back into the match and for that, I can only blame myself.
Even after all those years, it is a good experience, and it is
unforgivable to let a match go just because you think decisions went
against you. You should know there is always a possibility of that
happening and get ready to deal with it."
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[7]
Cameron Pilley (Aus) bt [4] Peter
Barker (Eng)
11/1, 6/11, 11/9, 11/8 (66m)
Pilley stops English run
 It
was some measure of revenge for Australia's defeat in the World
Teams final in December, and it prevented an all-English semi-final
lineup, but neither of those were foremost in Cameron Pilley's mind,
he simply wanted to do as well as possible for himself.
And he did really well at the start, recording his third 11/1 game
of the tournament before Peter Barker had realised a game was on.
The Englishman came back strongly to lead 9/1 in the second, and
from then on it developed into a real match, a real battle.
Cameron sneaked the third from 9-all, but at 4/7 in the fourth a
decider looked on the cards. But from there a run of six points -
including a conduct stroke as Peter threw his racket to the floor
after receiving a no let - put Cameron on match ball.
One was saved, two were replayed as Peter desperately chased the
ball into the back corners, taking Cameron with him, but there was
to be no comeback.
 "We
couldn't have it all-English, could we!
"I was hitting the ball well in the first, but it became much
tighter after that.
"I was pretty tired on match ball, it was getting very tense and I
thought I'd hit a good shot on one of those lets, but thankfully I
managed to pull through. He's probably regretting throwing his
racket now, but I'll take cheap points like that any time.
"I went back to Australia for a couple of months and worked on a few
things, an it seems to be going pretty well at the moment, I just
hope I can keep it going tomorrow. I've played Ali a couple of times
and it's been pretty even so far ..."
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English trio reach last four at Canary
Wharf
Quarter-final roundup from Alan Thatcher
 Yorkshire's
Lee Beachill overcame Joey Barrington to reach the semi-finals
of the ISS Canary Wharf Classic before a sell-out crowd in London
tonight. Barrington, son of squash legend Jonah, fought valiantly
and won the second game after a prolonged tiebreak to draw level at
one game all. However, Beachill's vast experience told in the end as
he edged the third game and powered home 11-2 in the fourth.
Beachill admitted: “It was a bit scrappy at times, probably because
we were both trying to go for the same space on court, but I was
moving well and that’s the pleasing thing for me.”
Beachill, president of the PSA, the governing body of the men’s
world tour, said he was delighted to see every seat sold at the
fabulous East Wintergarden venue at Canary Wharf.
“This is one of the world’s great squash venues and it’s fantastic
to see the place absolutely full. If any of those people who say the
sport is dying were to come here and see the world’s top players
they would soon change their mind. The product is fantastic and the
presentation of the sport is getting better all the time with venues
like this and the giant screen above the court.”
 James
Willstrop now faces his Pontefract team-mate Lee Beachill in the
semi-finals after beating Welsh veteran Alex Gough in four games.
Gough produced an inspired spell in the middle of the match to run
Willstrop close during the second game and take the third with some
ease, but Willstrop regained control to win the fourth for the loss
of just two points.
Willstrop is hot favourite for the tournament following last night’s
shock defeat of top seed Gregory Gaultier by the unseeded Englishman
Alister Walker, but the world No.4 Willstrop refused to believe it
made his task of winning the tournament any easier.
He said: “The depth of ability in this game is so high that anybody
can win the tournament. It would be ridiculous of me to think any
other way. Every player in this tournament is a quality performer
and I respect every one of them.”
Willstrop, who has won four of his last five tournaments, achieved
his first career victory over Beachill on his way to winning last
year’s Canary Wharf title and he added: “I am just enjoying the way
I am playing at the moment and taking each match as it comes.”
 The
unseeded Alister Walker continued his march through the ISS
Canary Wharf Classic and removed a second French opponent to reach
the semi-finals. Having beaten top seed Gregory Gaultier last night,
Walker produced another stylish and determined performance to
overcome No.8 seed Renan Lavigne from Marseille.
The more experienced Lavigne won the opening game but Walker
admitted his concentration had been affected by the previous
evening’s match highlights being replayed on the giant screen above
the glass court.
Walker said: “I know the crowd enjoyed but I was trying to blank it
from my mind and concentrate on this match. Renan is a great pro and
I knew it was going to be a difficult match.
“It’s a great feeling to be in the semi-finals and I just hope I can
continue to move well and play well.”
 Australian
Cameron Pilley ended hopes of an all-English semi-final
line-up when he beat England’s No.4 seed Peter Barker in four games.
Pilley began like lightning, striking the ball crisply and finding
plenty of nicks at the side of the court as he won the opening game
for the loss of just one point.
Barker slapped the wall in frustration at the end of the game but
came out firing in the second. He advanced to 9-1 and weathered a
five-point run from Pilley before taking it 11-6.
The third game was a tense affair with Pilley clinching the big
points at the end to nick it 11-9. Barker led 7-4 in the fourth but
lost his concentration and was docked a conduct stroke for throwing
his racket in anger. The tall, athletic Pilley launched a huge
recovery to win seven of the final eight points to clinch a place in
the semi-finals against the underdog Walker.
Radar Gun Top Speeds: Pilley 140mph, Beachill 127,
Willstrop 125, Barrington 124, Walker 119, Lavigne 118, Gough 110,
Barker 109.
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