May 14, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1429

LIVERPOOL (England), May 13: Australia’s David Palmer, the American-based fifth seed, won the men’s squash British Open title after a thrilling battle against the fourth-seeded Englishman James Willstrop 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 13-11.

In the process, Palmer made a case with his epic victory for being considered the finest player since the end of the Khan era more than a decade ago after a gut-wrenching 112-minute encounter that him his fourth title at the world’s oldest tournament.

Add that to Palmer’s two World Open successes, and he has a significantly better record in the major events than either the Canadian, Jonathon Power, or the Briton, Peter Nicol, the two other great players of modern times.

But it is the character of the New South Wales battler which makes his achievements all the more remarkable. Typically, he saved a match point against Willstrop, surviving two long rallies which ended in lets before winning the third after a desperate scramble by both men in the top left corner.

It is all the more remarkable that Palmer retains that trait, because at the age of 31 he appeared to have begun a new phase of his life six months ago, when he moved to a coaching job at the university club in Boston and took his family with him.

It made Palmer wonder whether he could play again at this level.

“There has been a lot do to settle in and I’ve been used to working with my coach Shaun Moxham for 10 years twice a day, and now I’ve been having to figure things out for myself.

“I’ve changed racket companies also, and have been working with a new racket. I only came here wanting to find out whether I could still compete at this level any more.”

Even those who felt that he could, had doubts about Palmer being able to last a tough tournament, or a really long match, and many people made Willstrop the favourite to win the final.

The in-form Yorkshireman has reached finals six times in his last seven tournaments, and when he recovered from two games down to lead 9-6 in the fifth and gained a match point at 10-9 with a penalty stroke decision which made Palmer hold his head in disbelief, it looked odds on a Willstrop win.

But tired though Palmer was, and interminable though the rallies must have seemed, he came through a seven-rally tie-break the more resilient player.

He concluded it with yet another brave lunge to reach a tight drop shot and somehow projected a slightly mis-hit forehand into the open spaces beyond even the tall Willstrop’s reach.

Nicol David, meanwhile, won back the women’s title she lost in such an upsetting fashion last year.

David triumphed 9-1, 10-8, 9-0 against Jenny Duncalf, the surprise finalist from England, making up for her defeat from match point up in last year’s final.

That was against Rachael Grinham, the World Open champion from Australia, who was this year halted by Duncalf. But there was no way David was going to allow the giant-killer a follow-up.

The world No 1 from Malaysia was as superbly nimble as ever, and gave further evidence that she is developing into a better all round player, as she started and finished superbly.

In between David had to save a game point, but that was the only crisis moment in a match which she mostly dominated.—AFP