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Friday 8th, Semi-Finals: |
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"It
was a great match, much more fluid than the other matches with
him, and I’m happy I have eventually beaten him.
"When
I was up 10/4 in the fourth, I tried pushing that little extra
to try and get the game finished as quickly as possible, and
that little extra cost me a lot, the match probably. As I wasn’t
able to finish it quickly, I had to play 8 extra points.
POWER
AT HIS BEST…
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LA FORCE TRANQUILLE… Which I’m sure you would have read in your language as “the tranquil force”. In my view, that describes perfectly Lee Beachill's game. He very rarely plays flamboyant shots like White or Shabana, he doesn’t play that many deceptions, he takes the ball later rather than earlier, but tranquilly, quietly, he grinds your game, imposes his rhythm on you, his length, his precision, makes you look out of synch, pushes you out of your comfort zone…  In
other words, Peter Nicol made the show, and Lee scored the points…Nicol played superbly tonight. In the first game in particular, where he battled with his friend in seesaw rallies. He used the simple forehand boast as a lethal weapon, as always his lob to get out of trouble, retrieved everything from here to New-York… No he really did… He seemed 23 again, fresh and willing and smiling at Lee often. It was a great feeling to see those two battling hard, but also having the good humour and spirit to “play tricks” on each other…. a deep cross court for Lee, Peter saves it off the backwall, the same shot again for Lee, the same defence for Peter, and three or four times… And at the end of the rallies, a little smile, a little tap with the racquet… Hatred and aggression were not on the menu tonight… But Lee was controlling the rallies too well. Always standing in front of his opponent, he moved so quickly on Peter's although superb attacks that he was able to pick the short attacks “easily”, and sent his friend on a little walk all around the island… Again and again… Clever… At 10/9 game ball for Lee, I remember thinking “this is match ball, if Peter doesn’t get a first game this long, he won’t be able to come back…” Unfortunately I was right. Twenty-two minutes is a long time for a first game, and just took most of Peter’s reserves.  The
second was Lee’s. But in the third, Peter came back with a vengeance. “I
said to David [Pearson], I’m going to go for it,” he told me. Lee was
always slightly in front score wise, but not too far, just enough to put
the pressure on, but not enough for Peter to mentally give up.2/4. 3/5. 3/6. Ah! Is that the end? 4/6. 5/7. 6/7. Is Peter going to get this game, and then, who knows, everything could be possible… 6/8. 6/9. It’s all over… 7/9. Maybe not. 8/9. … Peter is giving it all, literally throwing himself on the floor, flying more than walking, retrieving, attacking… But an amazing winner, a backhand volley kill nick from Lee. Match ball. And a little tin for Peter. It’s over. A last smile between the two friends. And Peter who accepts to come back and talk with Robert and Lee. What a champion. What an ambassador for the game. Lee is in the final for the second year in a row. And you know what. He looks pretty fresh too… [2] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt [3] Peter Nicol (Eng) 11/9, 11/6, 11/8 (47m)
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"He
made me work too hard in the first game, and after that, I was not
mentally or physically fit enough to win the match… He controlled it,
and he deserves it…
"I
played well I think, and I didn’t give him many openings.
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