________________________
_________________________
________________________
________________________
______________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
by Matthew Lombardi
To quote Mitt Romney, "This ain't beanbag." And to quote James Willstrop,"This game is so mental it's ridiculous." Last night's ToC final between Willstrop and Nick Matthew was a highly tense, fiercely competitive a battle, with Matthew demonstrating decisively that he was the fiercer competitor.
Both players began the match with caution, driving ball after ball to the back of the court. When they began to loosen up, Willstrop took the first game through a combination of slightly more subtle play at the front, a well-timed back-wall nick, and a couple of "no let" decisions in his favor.
At that point it seemed Willstrop's high-quality shot-making might give him the edge in the match, and he did nothing to dispel the notion at the beginning of the second, getting out to a 5-2 lead. But Matthew pushed through, sometimes literally, punishing Willstrop both by running him ragged and using let situations as an opportunity to apply some physical contact. It appeared to take its toll on Willstrop both mentally and physically; at the crucial conclusion of the second he tinned a shot that would have brought him to game ball, then surrendered two strokes in the front right corner to give Matthew the game.
The score was one all, but Matthew had the upper hand and would never really relinquish it.
[Read more..]SCHEDULE OF PLAY
| January 18-19 Men's Qualifying | |
| January 19 Lexington Partners Legends Showdown | |
| January 20 Men's 1st Round | |
| January 21 Men's 1st Round/Women's Qualifying | |
| January 22 Men's 2nd Round/Women's Qualifying | |
| January 23 Men's Quarterfinals/Women's 1st Round | |
| January 24 Men's & Women's Quarterfinals | |
| January 25 Men's & Women's Semifinals | |
| January 26 Men's & Women's Finals | |
| ** | SEMIS & FINALS BROADCAST LIVE ON ESPN3.COM |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
