Thu 26th Mar, Semi-Finals
[1]
Nick Matthew (Eng) 3-0 [6] Daryl Selby (Eng)
12/10, 11/6, 11/9 (55m)
[4] Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-1 [2] Peter Barker (Eng)
3/11, 12/10, 11/5, 12/10 (78m)
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Five star Matthew
Joel Durston
reports
Four-time champion Nick Matthew gave a five-star
performance to beat Daryl Selby and book his place in the
final of the Canary Wharf Classic.
Selby battled hard as ever and looked set to take it to four
games - or more - but the 34-year-old's class shone through in
the end as he came from behind to win the third.
"Sorry
to disappoint everyone - I'm sure everyone wanted a fourth game
there, but I didn't. So sorry about that," he joked.
"I thought I was having a nightmare there in the third game - I
kept hitting that tin, so I need to work on that tomorrow.
"Daryl backed up so well after last night's two-hour match,
because it's not easy, you know. People don't understand the
mental side. It's not just physically - to get back into that
level of concentration and application.
"He can be really proud of how he backed up tonight."
The first game started with both players feeling each other out
with good boasts, tight drops and solid driving finishing some
of the patient rallies.
It
was a notable change for anyone who enjoyed - or perhaps rather
endured - Selby's five-game "boxing match" in yesterday's
quarter-final with Borja Golan, which contained a whopping 67
decisions, including 36 in the fifth game alone.
At 7-7 Matthew pulled away, before Selby saved three game balls,
two with fine drop shots. But Matthew earned another game-ball
with with a good forehand drop volley and took it with a great
boast then a reaction volley drive back to where Selby had
retrieved it.
The game came to life in the second game with Matthew summoning
the level of squash which has recently saw him beat Gregory
Gaultier and Mohamed Elshorbagy on his way to the Windy City and
Swedish Opens, as he hit eight winners to just three errors to
take the game 11-6 - even if he was uncharacteristically
profligate in letting another two game-balls slip.
The game hinged on two fantastic rallies at 4-2 to Matthew, the
first of which saw Selby sprawled out on the floor after a dive
- for which Matthew was perhaps a little harshly given a stroke.
The
second saw Selby make three great retrievals off the back wall
before finally losing it - disconsolately throwing his racket on
the floor as if to say 'What can I do?'
Selby battled hard to go 9-6 up in the third, but 'The Wolf'
clawed his way back into it and won the match as Selby received
a no let call. Perhaps it was an unfortunate way to win the
game, but the correct decision.
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Rosner aims for English Hat-Trick
Alan Thatcher reports
Simon Rösner gatecrashed the party again to book a place
in the final of the Canary Wharf Classic.
After
beating the English number three James Willstrop in straight
games in the quarter-finals, he outfought home number two
Peter Barker in a brutal semi-final, and tomorrow he meets
England number one Nick Matthew in the biggest match of his
career.
Rösner was a comfortable winner against Willstrop, who was
suffering from the effects of a flu virus, let alone the fatigue
brought on by five months out of action recovering after a hip
operation.
Tonight there was not a moment of comfort in a tense, physical
battle with Barker.
There were frequent collisions in mid-court and Rösner clearly
blamed his opponent for incidents that resulted in 38 refereeing
decisions.
Rösner, the highest ranked German squash player of all time,
booked his place in the final courtesy of a steely
come-from-behind victory against number two seed and world No.8
Barker.
That
win was his first ever against the Essex man, coming just
24-hours after he claimed his first ever tour win over
Willstrop, the former world No.1 from Pontefract, and he'll be
hoping to cap a breakthrough week with a first ever tour win
over the three-time world champion from Sheffield in the finale.
"Beating James for the first time in my career yesterday, and
beating Peter for the first time in my PSA career today, at the
same tournament, is something special for me for sure and I
can't wait to play another Englishman tomorrow," said Rösner.
"I'm just really relieved and so happy to be in the final in
front of such a great crowd and in such a great venue.
"It was a little bit scrappy at times tonight but taking the win
is the main thing and I'm just going to try and relax now and
come back refreshed tomorrow.
“As for the physical issues, I wasn’t happy with a lot of it.
There is no need for that stuff on court. You can play hard, but
you always need to play fair.”
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