Sport - Squash   

Power overpowers Nicol

MANCHESTER AUG. 1. Canada's Jonathon Power upset world champion and defending titlist Peter Nicol 9-4, 4-9, 9-3, 9-0 on Wednesday to win the Commonwealth Games squash title.

Runner up four years ago, Sarah Fitz-Gerald outplayed former team-mate Carol Owens 9-5, 9-0, 2-9, 10-9 to win the women's gold.

The top seed Nicol was a strong favourite going into the final but, in a fiery match, met an opponent who gave him nothing on the court even. Power even recovered after he tumbled over Nicol's legs after a rally and collided with the side glass.

Power had won his previous three matches against the world's top player, who won the title as a Scot four years ago and, to Scotland's irritation, switched allegiance to England.

After Nicol had squared the match by taking the second game, the two players frequently exchanged angry glances and argued with some of the decisions by the umpires.

But Power maintained his composure, took the third game comfortably and then blanked Nicol in the fourth to clinch the gold.

Fitz-Gerald, also world No. 1, raced to a 4-1 lead on the way to taking the first game against Owens, who has switched to New Zealand, and then took the second without conceding a point.

The second seed hit back to take the third as Fitz-Gerald, undisputably the top woman player in the world, dropped her first game of the tournament.

But the Australian made it 10 wins in a row over Owens by winning 10-9 in the fourth on her third match point.

The results: Men: Singles: Final: Jonathon Power (Can) bt Peter Nicol (Eng) 9-4, 4-9, 9-3, 9-0. Bronze: Jesse Engelbrecht (Zim) bt Neil Frankland (Sco) 9-5, 9-5, 2-9, 4-9, 9-5.

Women: Singles: Final: Sarah Fitz-Gerald (Aus) bt Carol Owens (Nzl) 9-5, 9-0, 2-9, 10-9. Bronze: Margo Green (Can) bt Karen Anderson (Jam) 9-0, 9-5, 9-1.

— AP

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