KARACHI, Nov 27: Top seed Frenchman Thierry Lincou tumbled out of the Qatar Classic squash after losing a dramatic five-game semifinal to Australia’s David Palmer at Khalifa International Squash Complex in Doha on Saturday.

According to details of the US$125,000 event, world No1 Lincou took the opening game against Palmer but was taken to tie-breaks in the next two games and was edged out of both of them by the third-seeded Australian.

The Frenchman fought back to level the match, but Palmer dropped just a single point in the decider to secure a 5-11, 11-10, 11-10, 8-11, 11-1 victory in 82 minutes, his first win over Lincou in three PSA Tour meetings this year.

Palmer will now face eighth seed James Willstrop, the Englishman who avenged his loss to Anthony Ricketts in last month’s British Open final by beating the Australian in four games.

England’s Vicky Botwright kept up her giant-killing run in the women’s event - following her shock quarterfinal defeat of world No1 Rachael Grinham by clinching a five-game victory over world No3 Nicol David.

In the first WISPA Grand Prix final appearance of her career, Botwright will face defending champion Vanessa Atkinson, the second seed who dispatched Australia’s fourth seed Natalie Grinham in straight games.

Results:

Men’s semifinal: David Palmer (AUS) bt Thierry Lincou (FRA) 5-11, 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (2-0), 8-11, 11-1; James Willstrop (ENG) bt Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 11-5, 4-11, 11-4, 11-6.

Women’s semifinals: Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt Nicol David (MAS) 9-6, 2-9, 9-7, 4-9, 9-6; Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Natalie Grinham (AUS) 9-6, 9-5, 9-5.—Agencies