08-Mar-10:
PETER NICOL BRINGS LEGENDS TOUR TO
ISS CANARY WHARF SQUASH CLASSIC
by ALAN THATCHER
 Peter
Nicol, one of the most successful British squash players in
history, will return to the court during finals night of the
forthcoming ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic. Nicol, a former
world champion who held the world No.1 position for more than
five years, is reliving his greatest achievements on the glass
court with the launch of the Squash Legends World Tour.
He set the ball rolling by playing his greatest rival, Canadian
maestro Jonathon Power, during the recent Tournament of
Champions at New York’s Grand Central Station.
Nicol enjoyed beating his long-term opponent in straight games
as the squash superstars rolled back the years and put on a
dazzling display before the full-house crowds who thronged one
of the sport’s most iconic locations.
 Now
he is looking forward to the London launch, at a similarly
spectacular venue, when he faces England’s Simon Parke, a
former world No.3, on finals day of the ISS Canary Wharf Squash
Classic on March 26.
Nicol, a co-promoter of the ISS Canary Wharf Classic, said:
 “The
East Wintergarden at Canary Wharf has followed Grand Central
Station in becoming one of the world’s leading squash venues and
we are always very keen to make sure that spectators receive a
full package of top-quality entertainment.
“It was wonderful to receive such a warm reception in New York
and I am sure the Canary Wharf audience will be equally
appreciative. Simon is one of the greatest players to wear an
England shirt and he achieved some truly remarkable performances
after he had fought back from testicular cancer.
“That shows the kind of passion he has always had for his squash
and he continues to play at an extremely high standard after
retiring from the PSA world tour.
“I am looking forward to a very tough match and I know I will
have to do some serious training to cope with his unique brand
of attacking squash.”
“Yorkshire has always been at the forefront of English squash
thanks to players like Simon, and we are seeing that trend
continue with the fantastic achievements of players like Nick
Matthew and James Willstrop, who are leading the PSA Super
Series points table in 2010 and are seeded to meet in the
semi-finals of the main draw at Canary Wharf.”
Another high-profile Yorkshireman, Lee Beachill, has
joined the Legends Tour after retiring from the PSA circuit,
although he attends most of the major tournaments in his
capacity as Operating Officer with the men’s World Tour
governing body.
Other big names joining the Legends Tour include Scotland’s
John White, who was clocked striking the ball at a
world-record 172mph at Canary Wharf three years ago.
As well as New York and London, possible future venues will
include Boston (US), Sheffield, London and Jersey, while
Jansher Khan (Pakistan), Ahmed Barada (Egypt) and
Peter Marshall (England) are some of the big names who are
aiming to come out of retirement to dust off their rackets and
feature.
One of the most outstanding victories of Nicol’s career occurred
when he beat Egyptian ace Barada in the final of the 1999 World
Open on the glass court set up in front of the Great Pyramids
outside Cairo.
There is no doubt that the Legends are still ultra competitive
and their desire to win is undiminished, however, the Legends of
Squash Tour will also be a relaxed and enjoyable environment for
squash fans to watch and meet the past champions.
Last week Nicol warmed up for his return to the glass court by
beating the double-handed Marshall in an English Premier League
match when Surrey Health and Rackets beat Bristol 5-0. Parke was
also in action for Nottingham, beating Pontefract stalwart
Beachill.
Tickets are selling steadily for the ISS Canary Wharf Squash
Classic and organisers are delighted to report a total sell-out
on finals night, with fans obviously looking forward to seeing
Nicol and Parke rolling back the years before the tournament’s
finale.
Full legends details on
legendsofsquash.com
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TICKETS
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