Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 11-9, 11-5, 4-11, 8-11, 11-7 (83m)
That was a tough match. Come on, there are like 3 Swiss players on the Tour, and two of them were playing in Round One. That’s tough. Completely different style I thought. Dimitri, all in burst of energy, flamboyance, sometimes a bit too much aggression, but a panache kind of game. Yannick, the Energy Tranquille… Accurate, mid pace, all around excellent player, composed, determined but with a quiet force.
I truly enjoyed both styles tonight. I feel that Yannick managed to impose his style in the third and fourth, with Dimitri sort of waking up and putting it on the court in the fifth. Suddenly, the pace picked up, the rallies became frantic, a bit of a streetwise squash coming from Dimitri. Yannick did his best to contain his compatriot, but the burst of energy coming from Dimitri’s racquet was just unstoppable today. Still, good, very good battle.
Just a last quick word, a blattant no let on match ball, that in the view of the players watching – and myself – seemed an obvious stroke. But what do we know…
Dimitri
These are just not good enough conditions for squash at that level.It was dangerous I feel, and it’s not up for standard to the kind of squash we want to play. To be honest, I was struggling to move. When you are slipping going to the ball, you cannot be balanced on the shot.
I let him in the third. I let it go to my head that I slipped a couple of times to the front, I was anxious to get to the front, to really take the ball in, I was just wacking the ball crosscourt, while Yannick played some good squash.
I don’t think I played good squash myself, but I’m glad to be through.
I wanted to speed up the pace in the 5th, but I didn’t feel comfortable moving, I slipped twice in a single rally just on the first step on the T, sorry for ranting!!!
I am playing Paul Coll next round, I played him in Detroit, got a match ball, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m pretty sure he has watched the match a couple of times, and will change certain things, I’ll have to figure out what kind of changes he will bring to the table. I’ll give it a good fight.”
