PARKE LIKES IT HEART POUNDING…

When the first rally lasted more than 105 shots, we all thought that this first match could be a long one. And we were right. Long and intense, that’s for sure. A young wolf quite determined to make his mark on these qualifiers, the old guard just gone 34 with all the experience and pride that goes with it, and the cocktail is fizzy at will!

First game was the longest, 21 minutes, and was touch and go all along really. There was never more than two points between those two until 8/8 where a slight drop of energy from Simon allowed his young opponent to find some nice kills to take the game 11/8.

The second followed the same pattern. Mr Parke found his second wind and was able to move his opponent quite well. More assertive, more dominant, he was the one that gave it the last push at 8/8, equalising on the same score at one game all.

But not as fit as he was last year at the same period, Simon was totally overwhelmed in the beginning of the third, and Alister got his first game ball at 10/4. Six game balls later, Sir Simon had equalised at 10/10, then got a game ball of his own, but collected a blood injury in the process, that led to a good 10 minutes break. Back on court, he was not able to concretise all the hard work he had done to come back from 10/4, and ousted the ball on Ali’s 7th game ball…

How’s that for heart pounding?

You'd think that would be enough for a match, wouldn’t you? No, not for the Heaton coach. Once again “the back was against the wall” as he declared later at 10/2 match ball for the English young hope, he clawed back to save six match balls, but would finally accept defeat on a tinned boast at 10/8.

It was a superb opening match, and like Mr Parke, I was extremely impressed by Ali’s authority on court. Super mover, he has now added a few exquisite shots to his range, especially some good forehand kills and attack boasts. His backhand is still a bit wobbly in front, as most of his unforced errors came from there today, but he is using his crosscourt lobs “Beng Hee style”, and that’s a lethal weapon…
  

GOUGHIE: EXPERIENCED AND WISE

That’s the way young Tom Richards (my God he’s so grown up!) described Alex’s game afterwards. Experienced, definitely, but not sure why, the word “wise” made me smile… The day where Goughie becomes wise will be the day he dies!

No, joke apart, I had the feeling that Alex was playing cat and mouse the whole game. Yes, Tom did find his superb attacks as he always does, some tight drives and covered a lot of ground, but most of the time, he was visiting the four corner, returning the Welshman's perfect length at the back only to be called to the front for his stunning as ever top spin.

Tough day for Tom, I tell you.

Alex Gough had to work hard today to sustain his young opponent's pace and rhythm, but still won his match rather comfortably in front of his most fervent supporter, son Jay…

"I've worked a lot this summer, but not much on-court work, and not many matches, so I felt a bit rusty. Although I was winning it was still hard work, it was a bit manic out there. "I'm almost happy to be in the qualifiers as it gives me the opportunity to get some matches in, otherwise I'd be outclassed going straight into the main draw. Of course, that counts only if I get in the main draw, otherwise, it doesn't count, does it...." "So it's good to get a few games in, especially with the worlds coming up." Alex Gough

JOE, LOST AT SEA…

No offence to Alex Stait who played at his best today, but I was expecting more from a very fit and trimmed former top 10 Australian Joe Kneipp.

A bit thrown by a few decisions from the ref that in his view seemed to go in favour of the local a bit too many times (“Do you want to come down here and hold his racquet for him as well”), Joe lost his concentration and his motivation during the match.

He reminds me of Beng Hee (I find myself talking a lot about that young man today, don't I…) when the Malaysian dropped in the depth of the world rankings.

Joe seems to have lost his way. He is mentally motivated before starting his matches, but his strength, game and brain seem to abandon him as soon as he makes a few errors. Not to mention how hard it must be to be back in the qualifying draw after having been in the main draw for so many years…

Still, a perfect performance from Alex Stait who believed in his chances today, very at ease on the court, anticipated Joe’s game rather well, and served us with some astonishing counterdrops that hurt his opponent again and again.

"A good short match !!!!!

"I was leading in every game, but my concentration seemed to vanish several times during the match. In other words, I made life difficult for myself !

"But hey, it’s my first victory in 5 in a PSA event for a very long time, so even if it was not my best performance ever, still, it’s good for the confidence…"

Welcome to Sheffield!

DARYL SOLID, BEN SLOW…

Ben Garner doesn’t train as hard he would like at the moment, and you could feel it in his game. Still strong, still blustering his winners all over the courts, but slightly too slow for his own good. And as is often the case, it was all a question of who gets the first game, and in this occurrence, although Ben had two game balls, it’s Daryl Selby who got the cake…

Daryl was perfectly in control in the second, then started to believe he had match won at 5/3 in the third, and threw in some unforced errors, giving a refill of hope and speed to his opponent who equalised 7/7, then 8/8, with a long and intense rally that could have gone either way.

But it’s Daryl who found the right shot and that burst of energy to finish it off, taking gladly a 3/0 win that will allow him to be “fresh” against experienced Mark Chaloner who had a pretty hard game against Stacey Ross today…