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 Manchester
Northern Open
20-Nov to 23 Nov 2007
Men Only | The Northern | Peter Billson | 2007
Event
2006 Event |
Whipp
takes Manchester title
It was a home victory in the third edition of the Manchester Northern Open,
with Andy Whipp picking up the trophy without having to go on court
for the final. Clearly he should do something to earn his prize money, so
here are Andy's reports from the final stages ...
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Mr Whippy leads the "Race
to Ipswich" ...
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Quarter-Finals:
Pete Billson bt Simon Parke
9/11 11/5 10/2 rtd (32m)
This was a weird match, at times Parky looked like he was struggling to move
to some balls and gave up on them, and at other times he was tearing around
the court like the maniac we all know and love him for.
This was difficult for Pete to know what to do, even though he was full of
confidence after playing pretty well the day before to dispatch an
impressive Adrian Waller. After losing the first game Pete resorted to a
more of a whacking to the back game plan which was working, and after Pete
comfortably went 2-1 up Parky shook his hand and conceded the match.
A good win for Pete, and unfortunate for Parky who of late has been ill and
slightly injured.
John Rooney bt Steve Meads
11/5 11/6 10/12 12/10 (62m)
A long match which was always going to be that. Two players who were going
to draw out the rallies playing patient squash. John is playing very well of
late reaching the final of the last BSPA in Glasgow playing accurate,
measured squash.
John was just that bit too good for Meadsy who can still impressively
compete at this very high level after all these years.
Chris Simpson bt Alex Stait
14/12 11/6 11/7 (35m)
Chris was playing very well, keeping the ball tight and taking it in very
well any time he had a loose ball. He didn't give Staity too much of a
chance, playing excellent squash to always stay on top.
Staity was definitely playing better though that what he has done at times
this season which is always a good sign as he's a class player.
Andy Whipp bt Joel Hinds
11/6 11/7 11/9 (33m)
A high paced match would have been expected and a good high paced match was
delivered. Two players who are always looking to keep the pace high and to
attack when the opportunity presents itself.
Whippy was playing very well, hardly making any mistakes to Joel's
frustration. Mistakes started to creep in to the game in the third but Joel
looked like a bit of a beaten man at that stage and Whippy moved into the
semi against Chris.
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Semi-Finals:
Whippy bt Simpo
11/8 7/11 11/8 11/9 (47m)
This started off and continued in the same vein throughout. An entertaining
match with some excellent rallies and attacking play. Both players were
confident, Whippy always produces the goods in BSPA's and Chris was playing
really well.
After Whippy took the first game, it all started happening. First Chris
broke his only racket, so then borrowed Whippy's Head racket before settling
upon Pete's Dunlop. He seemed to quite like the Dunlop to Whippy's dismay!
Then Whippy's right shoe fell apart, so had to run to his car to pull out
his emergency pair, the 1960 Hi-Tec Classics almost everyone has looked and
laughed at, at least once in their life. Tensions became high as Chris
levelled the match at one game all.
The quality remained very high though as both players where still charging
around and attacking whenever the situation presented a half chance. Whippy
prevailed the 3-1 winner in a good match enjoyed by all. Whippy marches into
yet another BSPA final.
Rooney bt Pete
7/11 11/7 11/9 7/11 11/3 (53
Pete set off like lightning hitting some great shots like he does. He raced
to a one love lead. Rooney then steadied the ship playing his accurate,
tight squash, not giving Pete much to hit at. This makes it hard for an
attacking player like Pete but is also tough for John to play as it takes
very high levels of concentration and discipline.
John went 2-1 ahead and it was up to Pete to find an answer, and of course
he did. He came out firing in some trademark shots to the front and soon it
was two games all. Unfortunately Pete needed to capitalise and make a good
start, which he did not! He started to get bad cramp and Rooney took
advantage and raced to a 6-1 lead, a lead just too big for a cramping Pete
in the fifth.
John goes into the final in a repeat of the BSPA Glasgow final. Could he
reverse the result of 3 weeks ago where he lost out 3-1 ...
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 Final:
No! John phoned up in the morning to say he was pulling out of the final. He
had tweaked his hamstring when he had got home last night! So a
disappointment for everyone involved that there was not going to be a final
at all, so a slightly deflated Whippy wins the final by a walk over.
Another great tournament for the man from Manchester none the less, a
deserved winner after coming through a potentially very tough Saturday
relatively comfortably.
A great tournament again as the Manchester BSPA in its third year shows it's
a very welcome fixture in the BSPA season.
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Final: Andy Whipp bt John Rooney w/o
Semi-Finals:
J Rooney bt P Billson
7/11 11/7 11/9 7/11 11/3 (53 mins)
A Whipp bt C Simpson
11/8 7/11 11/8 11/9 (47 mins)
Sat 22nd, Quarter-Finals:
P Billson bt S Parke
9/11 11/5 10/2 Rt'd (32 mins) Achilles
J Rooney bt S Meads
11/5 11/6 10/12 12/10 (62 mins)
C Simpson bt A Stait
14/12 11/6 11/7 (35 mins)
A Whipp bt J Hinds
11/6 11/7 11/9 (33 mins)
Fri 21st, Round
Two:
S Parke bt P Bell
11/8 11/6 10/12 11/7 (40 Mins)
P Billson bt A Waller 12/14 11/6 11/3 11/9 (44 Mins)
J Rooney bt S Crawford 11/5 11/8 11/6 (26 Mins)
S Meads bt S Siveter 11/6 11/8 11/4 (33 Mins)
A Stait bt R Thompson 5/11 13/11 11/9 11/5 (49 Mins)
C Simpson bt D Lewis 11/2 11/4 11/4 (24 Mins)
J Hinds bt A Widdison 11/6 11/1 11/9 (22 Mins)
A Whipp bt L Walters 11/6 11/6 11/7 (32 Mins)
Round
One:
S Parke bt M Hibberd 11/1 11/6 15/13 (32 mins)
P Bell bt A George 9/11 6/11 11/6 11/9 11/9 (53 mins)
A Waller bt M Fuller 8/11 11/3 11/5 11/6 (46 mins)
P Billson bt P Frank 11/6 15/13 8/11 13/11 (41 mins)
J Rooney bt J Jacobsen 11/4 11/8 11/4 (24 mins)
S Crawford bt R Birks 11/8 11/3 11/5 (19 mins)
S Siveter bt M Biggs 11/9 11/7 11/8 (27 mins)
S Meads bt A Gorrie 11/4 9/11 11/3 11/2 (32 mins)
A Stait bt K Hibberd 11/8 2/11 3/11 12/10 11/8 (46 mins)
R Thompson bt B Jones 11/9 11/8 11/2 (32 mins)
D Lewis bt A Birks 4/11 11/2 11/6 11/6 (35 mins)
C Simpson bt C Fuller 11/5 11/8 11/8 (40 mins)
J Hinds bt A Murrills 11/3 11/7 11/4 (25 mins)
A Widdison bt J MacAuley 11/4 11/8 10/12 7/11 11/8 (59 mins)
L Walters bt K Timms 11/7 11/8 11/9 (38 mins)
A Whipp bt C Tasker-Grindley 11/7 4/11 11/9 11/3 (29 mins)
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Manchester Northern Open – Qualification
Thursday 20th November 2008
Morgan Hibberd bt Mike Pearson
11/4, 11/5, 12/10 (31m)
Paul Bell bt Jonah Attah
11/5, 11/7, 11/9 (18m)
Mark Fuller bt Nick Bradley
11/6, 11/6, 11/9 (31m)
Paul Frank bt Richard Underhill
11/6, 11/8, 11/6 (23m)
Jamie Jacobsen bt Oliver Hudson
W/O
Ky Hibberd bt Tristian Eysele
11/5, 12/10, 12/10 (26m)
Ben Jones bt Kavin Jayawardhana
11/7, 11/4, 11/7 (20m)
Chris Fuller bt Tom Javanaud
12/10, 11/6, 11/2 (29m)
Adam Murrills bt Lyall Paterson 3/11, 7/11, 11/9, 11/3, 11/8 (48m)
Jamie Macaulay bt Imran Khan
11/1, 11/5, 11/3 (17m)
Lewis Walters bt Alex Phillips
W/O
Chris Tasker-Grindley bt Simon White
12/10, 11/7, 11/5 (28m)
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