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Tournament Dates: 1st - 7th May 2006 Prize Money $60,000

Final:

[3] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [1] David Palmer (AUS)      
3-11, 10-11 (0-2), 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (83m)

 

Semi-finals
Thierry Lincou bt Karim Darwish
11-8, 5-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6 (60m)
David Palmer bt Lee Beachill
11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6 (57m).
 

Liverpool 08 Women's Invitation Tournament
Semi-finals:

Laura-Jane Lengthorn (Lancs) bt Emmeline Goulden (Merseyside) 9-1, 9-5       

Georgina Stoker (Merseyside) bt Kirsty McPhee (Yorks)
9-5, 2-9, 9-8

Final:  
Laura-Jane Lengthorn (Lancs) bt Georgina Stoker (Merseyside) 9-2, 9-7 (19m)

Reports
Lincou Triumphs As Palmer Chokes In Liverpool 08 Final

France's Thierry Lincou claimed one of the most dramatic victories of his career when he fought back from two games down to defeat Australian favourite David Palmer in the final of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship at St George's Hall in the heart of Merseyside.

 

The 83-minute encounter provided a sensational climax to the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years, which attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court. 

 

In a notable breakthrough for the inaugural event, staged to highlight Liverpool's status as the 2008 European Capital of Culture, the final was broadcast live on Sky TV.

 

Palmer, who boasts a 7/2 head-to-head career against the Frenchman, started off at a blistering pace – taking the first game after 11 minutes.  In the second, Palmer led 9-6, but Lincou caught up to earn the first game ball.  Palmer, however, saved it and went on to extend his lead to 2/0 by winning the tie-break.

 

The 30-year-old world No3 from Marseille adopted a completely different tactic in the third, mixing up the pace and clearly unsettling his opponent.  Lincou took the game to reduce Palmer's advantage, but the 29-year-old from New South Wales raced to a 5-0, then 8-5, lead in the fourth – and again it looked as if the title was heading to Australia.

 

But in a single hand, Lincou secured the game to draw level – and 19 minutes later, in a fifth game decider in which Palmer was awarded a conduct stroke against him for hurling his racket out of the court in frustration, the Frenchman raised his hand in triumph in celebration of a remarkable 3-11, 10-11 (0-2), 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 victory in 83 minutes.

 

"That was the worst choke of my life, without doubt" said a despondent Palmer afterwards.  "It's ridiculous to lose from that position – but all credit to Thierry," added Palmer – who, in his 40th international final, had never before lost after winning the first two games.

 

Despite the final lacking any home interest, Lincou surprisingly acknowledged help from his great rival Peter Nicol, the Englishman who topped the world rankings for 60 months and won two Commonwealth Games gold medals in Melbourne in March.

 

"After losing the first two games, I thought about what Peter Nicol would do at this stage – he has staged some fantastic comebacks, lobbing the ball and trying to break up the pace.

 

"Peter is so clever – he has this capacity to drive me crazy and gets me really frustrated, so I thought I would try and do this to David!" said the victorious Frenchman afterwards.

 

"But at the beginning of the game, I just couldn't handle the pace that David was playing at – he was so quick on the ball."

 

The Liverpool Open 08 Championship, presented jointly by Squash UK and the Liverpool Culture Company, was conceived to celebrate "Liverpool Performs" year – the third themed year in the build up to 2008 when the Merseyside city is the European Capital of Culture.

 

The year focuses on sport and arts – and presented alongside one of the biggest international squash events of the year were performances by rock band Lost for Words (featuring squash players Lee Beachill and James Willstrop); dance company X-TENSION; samba reggae band Batala; and keyboard player Peter Olude.

 

"The Liverpool 08 Open gave us a perfect opportunity to bring together sport and arts in an iconic venue," said John Moore, Creative Sports Manager for the Liverpool Culture Company.

 

"The event has been a huge success – beyond our expectations.  And today's final was just the icing on the cake, a simply magnificent climax to a great week at St Georges Hall.

 

Tournament promoter Alan Thatcher added: "I'm sure that this match will be talked about in and around the city of Liverpool for months to come – with the result that fans will be clamouring to have the event brought back again to St George's Hall in a year's time."


Palmer Denies Beachill Liverpool Final Berth

Australia's David Palmer dashed hopes of a home finalist in the biggest ranking event in England for five years when he beat Yorkshire's Lee Beachill in four games in the semi-finals of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship at St George's Hall in the heart of Merseyside.

 

Event favourite Palmer was in blistering form in the first game to take the early advantage.  But Beachill, the fifth seed who is rediscovering his form after dropping to a four-year low world No11 this week, bounced back to draw level.

 

Admitting later that he wrongly pushed too hard in the second game, Palmer refocused in the third and ultimately strode to an 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6 victory in 57 minutes.

 

"I didn't play badly, but he played more winning shots against me than he's ever done before " which shows how relaxed he is and how well he's playing at the moment," conceded Beachill, the 28-year-old former world No1 from Pontefract.

 

"We've had a lot of very hard matches over recent years, and some which were not very good to watch, but tonight's was a very good match, with very few incidents," explained the Englishman.

 

"He played well " but then he had to beat me."

 

Palmer agreed that winning the first game had been crucial.  "I had a really good start " which was important as to have had to come back after losing the first game would have been tough.

 

"Over the past six months or so, Lee seems to be making more errors than he used to " in the middle of the third and fourth games he gave me some easy points," added the 29-year-old from Lithgow in New South Wales, also a former world No1.

 

"But I've sensed a keenness in his approach here in Liverpool," said Palmer.  "But he always plays well in England, he's always more tough to beat at home."

 

In the 40th major final of his career, Palmer goes on to face Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the third seed who beat Egyptian Karim Darwish 11-8, 5-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6 in the other semi-final.

 

Lincou resisted a spirited fight back by eighth seed Egypt's Karim Darwish, winning in four games to reach his 30th major international final.

 

The former world No1 from Marseille took early control of the match on the all-glass court at St George's Hall to open up a 1/0 lead after 15 minutes.  But Darwish romped away with the second game and quickly established a 9-3 lead in the third.

 

The 24-year-old underdog from Cairo, who has lost all of the previous five PSA Tour encounters with Lincou, soon reached game ball at 10-6 " one point away from a two-games-to-one lead.

 

But in a classic do-or-die effort from the Frenchman, Lincou kept up the pressure, saving three game balls before converting his own in the tie-break.  Lincou led throughout the fourth before clinching his 11-8, 5-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6 victory in 60 minutes.

 

"He's improved a lot over the past six months " with some good scalps and a good run of results," said Lincou of the world number ten.  "He's certainly capable of beating anyone " and even though our previous record was in his favour, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy match.

 

"I feel I played the right shots at the right time, particularly from the third game onwards, but I got tired and had to slow the pace down.

 

"I had to keep the play on his back hand as he's got such a strong forehand," added Lincou, the world No3.

 

A despondent Darwish felt he didn't deserve to win:  "I was controlling the game at one point, but then he began to play so well, getting everything back.  I was just in too much of a hurry.

 

"After that my brain went," added the Egyptian.

 

Quarter-finals

Willstrop Wiped Out
By Devilish Darwish

Hopes of an English finalist from the bottom half of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship draw were dashed today (Friday) when Egypt's Karim Darwish upset second-seeded Yorkshireman James Willstrop at St George's Hall in the heart of Merseyside.

 

Darwish, the No8 seed, was in devastating form as he defeated the lacklustre England number one 11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 11-8 in 43 minutes, later declaring it to be "one of my best ever performances."

 

A surprisingly relaxed Willstrop afterwards conceded that he simply wasn't able to make enough impression on the encounter.  "I can't really explain it, I'm not unhappy with my game, but I just wasn't right mentally.

 

"Karim outlasted me and demoralised me, he was just too good," said the 22-year-old from Pontefract who celebrated a career-high world No2 ranking last December.

 

Darwish was delighted with his approach to the match:  "I always feel I struggle with James, but today I was really focussed on winning. 

 

"I was pretty confident, my shots were great and I felt I was controlling the match," said the 24-year-old from Cairo who last week won the Egyptian national title for the second time.

 

Darwish will meet Thierry Lincou in Saturday's first semi-final after the third-seeded Frenchman gained revenge for his unexpected defeat by Gregory Gaultier in the French National Championship final in February by beating his fellow countryman in the day's opening match.

 

But it wasn't achieved in the style he would have liked, as Gaultier, after taking the second game to draw level with his higher-ranked French team-mate - fell awkwardly in the first rally of the fourth game and badly twisted his ankle.

 

After an 11-minute injury break, it was clear that the 23-year-old No7 seed was not going to be able to carry on, and duly conceded the match 11-5, 4-11, 11-3, 0-0 (ret.) to Lincou after 66 minutes.

 

Olli Tuominen, the Finn who caused the tournament's first upset when he beat Scotland's sixth seed John White in the previous round, was unable to produce the same giant-killing display in the quarter-finals against top seed David Palmer.

 

After losing the first game, the ninth seed from Helsinki fought back from 5-8 down in the second to lead 9-8, then had the first game ball in the tie-break.  But Palmer ultimately clinched the game to go 2/0 up, then ran away from 7-all in the third to take the match 11-6, 11-10 (4-2), 11-7 in 44 minutes.

 

It was sweet revenge for the 29-year-old Australian from Lithgow in New South Wales who suffered a shock defeat to the Finn in their last meeting, in the first round of the English Open in August 2005.

 

The final match of the day saw a significant renaissance for fifth seed Lee Beachill who beat his England team-mate and fellow Yorkshireman Nick Matthew in a decisive straight games encounter.

 

Beachill, the three-times British National champion from Pontefract who lost his title to Matthew in February in his record sixth successive appearance in the final, has suffered mixed fortunes over the past year, a fact cruelly marked by a drop to 11 in the world rankings this month, his first absence from the top ten for four years.

 

"But even when I walked on court, I was so confident about winning," said the 28-year-old after his 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 triumph over fifth seed Matthew in 39 minutes, the shortest quarter-final of the day.

 

"I seemed to just get out of the habit of winning over the last year or so, but tonight I played some really good squash, pushing Nick hard, then capitalising on his errors," said a buoyant Beachill.

 

"If I continue to play like that, I feel I can beat anyone in the world."

 

A despondent Matthew admitted that he was almost embarrassed by the way he played in parts of the game:  "I felt as if I hardly broke sweat," said the 25-year-old who is four positions higher than his opponent in the world order.

 

"He's clearly got his appetite back, but I really wanted to go out on a high in the last ranking event of the season, but Lee just didn't let me.  If you want to be the best in the world, you can't afford to play like that," conceded Matthew.

 

Beachill will face Palmer in Saturday's second semi-final at 6.00pm, which will be broadcast live on Sky TV.

 

 

 

Flying Finn Flays Scot At St George's Hall

Finland's Olli Tuominen produced the first upset in two days of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship when he despatched Scotland's sixth seed John White in today's (Thursday) second round at St George's Hall in the heart of Merseyside.

 

White, one of four former world number ones competing in the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years, is renowned as the hardest hitters of the ball " with a world record 172 mph smash to his name!

 

But the flying Finn from Helsinki matched White shot for shot - and after 49 minutes wrapped up the shock 11-7, 11-6, 11-10 (2-0) win which takes the ninth seed into a surprise quarter-final.

 

"I really saw the opportunity," said the smiling Tuominen, who admitted that the head-to-head record between the pair was relatively even.  "I had a good run in last week's European Championships " and that was ideal preparation for this event at St George's Hall."

 

The 27-year-old world No14 spends most of his training time in Helsinki.  "It may not be where a lot of squash players are based " but it's home," explained Tuominen.

 

His next opponent will be the PSA Super Series event's top seed David Palmer, the world No2 from Australia.  The experienced three-times British Open faced the event's only teenager, 18-year-old world junior champion Ramy Ashour.

 

The remarkably assured Ashour seemed far from overawed by the highest-ranked player he had ever faced on a court, but Palmer soon imposed his authority on the match and cleaned up 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 in 32 minutes.

 

"I knew he was going to be sharp from the start, he's a great shot player and moves well - in fact, for 18, he's unbelievable," said Palmer, 29, from New South Wales.

 

"If he was smart, he would look at Shabana's game " his improved length and fitness are what have made him the player he is today.  Ramy will be in the world top ten, one day, for sure " but he'll get there a lot quicker if he models himself on his countryman."

 

Ashour was disappointed with his performance:  "I wasn't patient enough " I just wasn't playing well enough today.  But wait till the World Open in September by the pyramids in my home country.  I'll do well there " I promise!"

 

Earlier in the day, England's second seed James Willstrop struggled to a four-game victory over 14th seed Shahid Zaman, then admitted:  "He's tricky " I don’t enjoy playing the guy."

 

 

The England number one seemed to be cruising to a straight games win over Zaman when the Pakistan number one took the upper hand in the third game.

 

"I just went dull " my game lacked sparkle - I was a bit loose," said the 22-year-old from Pontefract who went on to win 11-4, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4 in 48 minutes.

 

Willstrop, who led England to success in last week's European Team Championship title in Austria, will meet Egypt's Karim Darwish for a place in the last four of the international circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years.

 

Darwish, the eighth seed, ended hopes of an all-English quarter-final when he beat 16th seed Peter Barker 11-10 (3-1), 11-6, 11-5 in 37 minutes.

 

The Egyptian beat Willstrop the last time they met, in the Canary Wharf Classic in London in February.  "Karim's in great shape at the moment, so I'm going to have to be on top of my game to beat him," conceded Yorkshireman Willstrop.

 

Two marathon encounters earlier set up an all-French quarter-final on Friday.  Seventh seed Gregory Gaultier, from Aix-en-Provence, beat Australia's 12th seed Stewart Boswell 11-6 11-9 11-6 in 63 minutes, and Marseille's third seed Thierry Lincou recovered from a game down to overcome Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee 5-11, 11-8, 11-10 (3-1), 11-8 in 76 minutes.

 

Beng Hee, the tenth seed who is enjoying something of a renaissance since plunging out of the top 20 after reaching a career-high world No7 five years ago, was pleased with his performance against Lincou, the new world No3.

 

"Not winning is a bit of a disappointment, but I really felt I pushed him " and if I can play like that again, I'd be quite happy," said the 26-year-old from Kuala Lumpur.

 

Gaultier, the fast-improving French number two, had to battle hard to keep Boswell at bay.  The 27-year-old from Canberra fought back from 299 to 20 in the world rankings in 2005 after a long layoff with a mystery back ailment.  In the past five months, his progress has been somewhat slower, to 15 in the world.

 

"I need to improve some things if I'm going to play at that level," said Boswell after his Gaultier defeat.  "I feel as if I'm playing to top 16, but the next level just isn't happening for me at the moment."

 

Gaultier added:  "I knew I had to play at a fast pace today. But I'm confident with my skills " I didn't ever have my head down, I was feeling strong throughout the match."

 

He and Lincou meet on Friday for the first time since Gaultier claimed his first victory over his fellow countryman in February's French National championship final.  "I consider Greg first as a friend, and secondly as a good player in the world's top eight.  It's logical that meetings between us will happen more and more."

 

England team-mates and fellow Yorkshiremen Nick Matthew and Lee Beachill secured the final two quarter-final places at the end of the evening's second round session.  Matthew, the fourth seed from Sheffield, beat compatriot Adrian Grant, the 11th seed from London, 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 11-10 (3-1) in 68 minutes, while Beachill, the fifth seed from Pontefract, defeated Welsh number one Alex Gough 11-6 11-7 11-5.

 

England Team-Mates Through, But Matthew Stretched In Liverpool 

Just four days after securing the European Team Championship title in Austria, England team-mates James Willstrop, Peter Barker, Nick Matthew and Lee Beachill successfully negotiated their first round opposition in the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship, the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years.
 

Staged in the spectacular St George's Hall in the heart of Liverpool, the PSA Super Series championship has attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.

 

Nick Matthew, the British national champion from Sheffield, was taken the full distance by newly-crowned Italian champion Davide Bianchetti before prevailing in 83 minutes – the longest match of the day.

 

The 25-year-old Yorkshireman recovered from a game down to take a 2/1 lead – then squandered leads of 6-2 and 9-6 in the fourth to allow Bianchetti to force the match into a fifth game decider.

 

It was nip and tuck throughout the game before Matthew, the fourth seed, took the final three points in a row to claim his 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 win.

 

"Davide was quite consistent, and plays better on a glass court than he used to," said the world No7 afterwards.  "I felt I was playing all right, but only in patches.  All the ingredients were there, but not all at once."

 

Willstrop, the No2 seed from Pontefract, beat Indian qualifier Ritwik Bhattacharya 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (3-1), 11-5 in 39 minutes, then declared that the game could not have been more different than those last week in Vienna.

 

"It's like tennis players going from clay to grass – it becomes almost a different sport," explained the 22-year-old Yorkshireman, comparing the difference between the all-glass court and the conventional plaster courts on which the European championships were played.

 

"I was a bit rusty to start with, and the first two games were close - but then I got into a better rhythm.

 

"But St George's Hall is a spectacular setting – we're lucky to be able to stage squash events in sensational buildings.  That's the beauty of the game, you can put a glass court almost wherever you want."

 

Peter Barker, the 22-year-old from Upminster in Essex who made his England debut in last week's European Championships, beat Australia's experienced former world No10 Joseph Kneipp 11-3, 11-6, 11-7 in 31 minutes.

 

France's Thierry Lincou, one of four former world number ones in the Liverpool field, continued where he left off in the European Championships with another win over an Englishman.  The 30-year-old from Marseille defeated England No1 James Willstrop in a hard-fought European final, then enjoyed a more straightforward 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 win over Surrey qualifier Stacey Ross at St George's Hall.

 

"It's always good beating an Englishman," said the world No3 afterwards – quickly adding "in a team competition," when mindful of possible misinterpretation by the largely English inquisitors!

 

In the final match of the day, Yorkshireman fifth seed Lee Beachill completed the quartet of England team winners when he beat Australia's Cameron Pilley 11-5, 11-4, 5-11, 11-2 in 49 minutes.
 

Upsets Abound In Liverpool 08 Open Qualifying Finals 

Upsets littered the final qualifying sessions at the Liverpool Cricket Club on Merseyside as seven Englishmen and players from a further eight countries battled for places in the main draw of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship.

 

The international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years gets underway tomorrow (Wednesday) at St George's Hall in Liverpool, leading to the final on Sunday (7 May).  The PSA Super Series championship, boasting a $77,500 prize fund, has attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.

 

Three Englishmen upset higher-ranked compatriots to earn unexpected places in the first round.  Essex's Lee Drew caused the biggest upset of the day when he survived an 83-minute marathon against Lincolnshire's Mark Chaloner, saving a match ball in the fifth game to beat the former England international 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0).

 

"It was an excellent match, and my first PSA win over Mark, so I feel good about it," said the 29-year-old from Colchester, ranked more than 40 places lower than his illustrious opponent.  When reminded that Chaloner is President of the Professional Squash Association (PSA), the players' body, Drew added: "He seemed OK about it afterwards – I hope it doesn't affect my membership!"

 

There was another Essex success later when 23-year-old Daryl Selby, from Witham, defeated Germany's newly-crowned European Junior Champion Simon Rosner 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 in 37 minutes.

 

An all-Surrey clash between Ben Garner and Stacey Ross, ranked 40 and 48, respectively, in the world, produced a first-time Tour upset for Ross when he recorded an 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 victory in 35 minutes.  The 32-year-old from Sutton was then drawn to face France's former world No1 Thierry Lincou, the No3 seed, in the first round on the all-glass court at St George's Hall.

 

Australia's Dan Jenson headed the international delegation that claimed qualifying places in the main draw.  The 30-year-old former world No5 from Adelaide beat hometown compatriot Paul Davis 11-3, 11-4, 11-2 in 32 minutes, and will now face French ace Gregory Gaultier, the seventh seed.

 

The event's two top seeds now know their fate after the completion of the qualifying competition.  Favourite David Palmer, the three-times British Open champion from Lithgow in New South Wales, will face Australian-born Irish qualifier Liam Kenny, a straight games victor over Zimbabwean Jesse Engelbrecht.

 

James Willstrop, the 22-year-old from Pontefract in Yorkshire who led England to success in last week's European Team Championships – and, seeded two, heads domestic interest in the Liverpool 08 Open – will meet Ritwik Bhattacharya.   The Indian number qualified in impressive style by beating France's higher-ranked Jean-Michel Arcucci 11-8, 8-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-2 in 72 minutes.


Davis & Engelbrecht In Early Liverpool 08 Open Upsets

Zimbabwe's Jesse Engelbrecht and Australian Paul Davis pulled off early upsets on the first day of qualifying in the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship at the Liverpool Cricket Club on Merseyside.
 

The Liverpool 08 Open, at St George's Hall in Liverpool from 3-7 May, is the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years.  The PSA Super Series championship, boasting a $77,500 prize fund, has attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.

A full field of 32 players from 12 countries competed in today's first qualifying round, with Surrey-based Engelbrecht causing the first upset when he defeated India's Leeds-based Saurav Ghosal, ranked 13 places higher in the world rankings, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 in 31 minutes. The Zimbabwean will now face Ireland's Liam Kenny for a place in the main draw.

More than 40 ranking positions separated Davis and Pakistan's
Arshad Iqbal Burki – but the Australian despatched the favoured Burki 11-5, 11-8, 11-5 in 34 minutes to earn an unexpected place in Tuesday's qualifying finals.  Davis will meet fellow Australian Dan Jenson, the former world No5 who is also from Adelaide.

After helping organisers to prepare the Liverpool Cricket Club for the start of today's (Monday) qualifying competition, club champion Andrew Breen might have expected to be rewarded with a good position in the draw, in which he was the recipient of a 'local' wild card place.

But the 22-year-old from Merseyside was drawn to face the most experienced player in the preliminary competition, ex-England international Mark Chaloner, ranked 35 in the world.  The 33-year-old from Lincolnshire, a former world No7, made his name over ten years ago when he clinched victory for England for the first time in the 1995 World Championships in the decisive final match against holders Pakistan.

Breen, playing in his first international event, was no match for the experienced Chaloner, who wrapped up an 11-2 11-5 11-4 victory in just 16 minutes to earn a place in Tuesday's qualifying finals.

"It was a great experience," said the local hero afterwards.  "But Mark was about ten times faster than anybody I've ever encountered before," added Breen, before heading over to Liverpool's St George's Hall to help with the final stages of the construction of the state-of-the-art all-glass court which will stage the main draw action of the PSA Super Series event from Wednesday through to the final on Sunday.

Two-times Merseyside county champion Keith Thomason was also in qualifying action at the Liverpool Cricket Club.  The 23-year-old from New Brighton who is a website developer at Liverpool University faced recently-crowned European Junior Champion Simon Rosner, the 18-year-old world No72 who made his senior debut for Germany in last week's European Team Championships.

Despite strong local support from the packed club crowd, Thomason went down 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 to the German teenager who is competing in his first Tour event in the UK.

Mark Chaloner leads a strong English contingent through to the qualifying finals, including Lee Drew, from Colchester in Essex; Ben Garner and Stacey Ross, both from Surrey; Scott Handley from Oxfordshire;   Daryl Selby, from Witham in Essex; and Gloucestershire's Alister Walker, from Leeds.

Final:

[3] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [1] David Palmer (AUS)      
3-11, 10-11 (0-2), 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (83m)

 

Semi-finals
Thierry Lincou bt Karim Darwish
11-8, 5-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6 (60m)
David Palmer bt Lee Beachill
11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6 (57m).
 

Liverpool 08 Women's Invitation Tournament
Semi-finals:

Laura-Jane Lengthorn (Lancs) bt Emmeline Goulden (Merseyside) 9-1, 9-5       

Georgina Stoker (Merseyside) bt Kirsty McPhee (Yorks)
9-5, 2-9, 9-8

Final:  
Laura-Jane Lengthorn (Lancs) bt Georgina Stoker (Merseyside) 9-2, 9-7 (19m)

Reports
Lincou Triumphs As Palmer Chokes In Liverpool 08 Final

France's Thierry Lincou claimed one of the most dramatic victories of his career when he fought back from two games down to defeat Australian favourite David Palmer in the final of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship at St George's Hall in the heart of Merseyside.

 

The 83-minute encounter provided a sensational climax to the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years, which attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court. 

 

In a notable breakthrough for the inaugural event, staged to highlight Liverpool's status as the 2008 European Capital of Culture, the final was broadcast live on Sky TV.

 

Palmer, who boasts a 7/2 head-to-head career against the Frenchman, started off at a blistering pace – taking the first game after 11 minutes.  In the second, Palmer led 9-6, but Lincou caught up to earn the first game ball.  Palmer, however, saved it and went on to extend his lead to 2/0 by winning the tie-break.

 

The 30-year-old world No3 from Marseille adopted a completely different tactic in the third, mixing up the pace and clearly unsettling his opponent.  Lincou took the game to reduce Palmer's advantage, but the 29-year-old from New South Wales raced to a 5-0, then 8-5, lead in the fourth – and again it looked as if the title was heading to Australia.

 

But in a single hand, Lincou secured the game to draw level – and 19 minutes later, in a fifth game decider in which Palmer was awarded a conduct stroke against him for hurling his racket out of the court in frustration, the Frenchman raised his hand in triumph in celebration of a remarkable 3-11, 10-11 (0-2), 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 victory in 83 minutes.

 

"That was the worst choke of my life, without doubt" said a despondent Palmer afterwards.  "It's ridiculous to lose from that position – but all credit to Thierry," added Palmer – who, in his 40th international final, had never before lost after winning the first two games.

 

Despite the final lacking any home interest, Lincou surprisingly acknowledged help from his great rival Peter Nicol, the Englishman who topped the world rankings for 60 months and won two Commonwealth Games gold medals in Melbourne in March.

 

"After losing the first two games, I thought about what Peter Nicol would do at this stage – he has staged some fantastic comebacks, lobbing the ball and trying to break up the pace.

 

"Peter is so clever – he has this capacity to drive me crazy and gets me really frustrated, so I thought I would try and do this to David!" said the victorious Frenchman afterwards.

 

"But at the beginning of the game, I just couldn't handle the pace that David was playing at – he was so quick on the ball."

 

The Liverpool Open 08 Championship, presented jointly by Squash UK and the Liverpool Culture Company, was conceived to celebrate "Liverpool Performs" year – the third themed year in the build up to 2008 when the Merseyside city is the European Capital of Culture.

 

The year focuses on sport and arts – and presented alongside one of the biggest international squash events of the year were performances by rock band Lost for Words (featuring squash players Lee Beachill and James Willstrop); dance company X-TENSION; samba reggae band Batala; and keyboard player Peter Olude.

 

"The Liverpool 08 Open gave us a perfect opportunity to bring together sport and arts in an iconic venue," said John Moore, Creative Sports Manager for the Liverpool Culture Company.

 

"The event has been a huge success – beyond our expectations.  And today's final was just the icing on the cake, a simply magnificent climax to a great week at St Georges Hall.

 

Tournament promoter Alan Thatcher added: "I'm sure that this match will be talked about in and around the city of Liverpool for months to come – with the result that fans will be clamouring to have the event brought back again to St George's Hall in a year's time."


Palmer Denies Beachill Liverpool Final Berth

Australia's David Palmer dashed hopes of a home finalist in the biggest ranking event in England for five years when he beat Yorkshire's Lee Beachill in four games in the semi-finals of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship at St George's Hall in the heart of Merseyside.

 

Event favourite Palmer was in blistering form in the first game to take the early advantage.  But Beachill, the fifth seed who is rediscovering his form after dropping to a four-year low world No11 this week, bounced back to draw level.

 

Admitting later that he wrongly pushed too hard in the second game, Palmer refocused in the third and ultimately strode to an 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6 victory in 57 minutes.

 

"I didn't play badly, but he played more winning shots against me than he's ever done before " which shows how relaxed he is and how well he's playing at the moment," conceded Beachill, the 28-year-old former world No1 from Pontefract.

 

"We've had a lot of very hard matches over recent years, and some which were not very good to watch, but tonight's was a very good match, with very few incidents," explained the Englishman.

 

"He played well " but then he had to beat me."

 

Palmer agreed that winning the first game had been crucial.  "I had a really good start " which was important as to have had to come back after losing the first game would have been tough.

 

"Over the past six months or so, Lee seems to be making more errors than he used to " in the middle of the third and fourth games he gave me some easy points," added the 29-year-old from Lithgow in New South Wales, also a former world No1.

 

"But I've sensed a keenness in his approach here in Liverpool," said Palmer.  "But he always plays well in England, he's always more tough to beat at home."

 

In the 40th major final of his career, Palmer goes on to face Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the third seed who beat Egyptian Karim Darwish 11-8, 5-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6 in the other semi-final.

 

Lincou resisted a spirited fight back by eighth seed Egypt's Karim Darwish, winning in four games to reach his 30th major international final.

 

The former world No1 from Marseille took early control of the match on the all-glass court at St George's Hall to open up a 1/0 lead after 15 minutes.  But Darwish romped away with the second game and quickly established a 9-3 lead in the third.

 

The 24-year-old underdog from Cairo, who has lost all of the previous five PSA Tour encounters with Lincou, soon reached game ball at 10-6 " one point away from a two-games-to-one lead.

 

But in a classic do-or-die effort from the Frenchman, Lincou kept up the pressure, saving three game balls before converting his own in the tie-break.  Lincou led throughout the fourth before clinching his 11-8, 5-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6 victory in 60 minutes.

 

"He's improved a lot over the past six months " with some good scalps and a good run of results," said Lincou of the world number ten.  "He's certainly capable of beating anyone " and even though our previous record was in his favour, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy match.

 

"I feel I played the right shots at the right time, particularly from the third game onwards, but I got tired and had to slow the pace down.

 

"I had to keep the play on his back hand as he's got such a strong forehand," added Lincou, the world No3.

 

A despondent Darwish felt he didn't deserve to win:  "I was controlling the game at one point, but then he began to play so well, getting everything back.  I was just in too much of a hurry.

 

"After that my brain went," added the Egyptian.

 

Quarter-finals

Willstrop Wiped Out
By Devilish Darwish

Hopes of an English finalist from the bottom half of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship draw were dashed today (Friday) when Egypt's Karim Darwish upset second-seeded Yorkshireman James Willstrop at St George's Hall in the heart of Merseyside.

 

Darwish, the No8 seed, was in devastating form as he defeated the lacklustre England number one 11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 11-8 in 43 minutes, later declaring it to be "one of my best ever performances."

 

A surprisingly relaxed Willstrop afterwards conceded that he simply wasn't able to make enough impression on the encounter.  "I can't really explain it, I'm not unhappy with my game, but I just wasn't right mentally.

 

"Karim outlasted me and demoralised me, he was just too good," said the 22-year-old from Pontefract who celebrated a career-high world No2 ranking last December.

 

Darwish was delighted with his approach to the match:  "I always feel I struggle with James, but today I was really focussed on winning. 

 

"I was pretty confident, my shots were great and I felt I was controlling the match," said the 24-year-old from Cairo who last week won the Egyptian national title for the second time.

 

Darwish will meet Thierry Lincou in Saturday's first semi-final after the third-seeded Frenchman gained revenge for his unexpected defeat by Gregory Gaultier in the French National Championship final in February by beating his fellow countryman in the day's opening match.

 

But it wasn't achieved in the style he would have liked, as Gaultier, after taking the second game to draw level with his higher-ranked French team-mate - fell awkwardly in the first rally of the fourth game and badly twisted his ankle.

 

After an 11-minute injury break, it was clear that the 23-year-old No7 seed was not going to be able to carry on, and duly conceded the match 11-5, 4-11, 11-3, 0-0 (ret.) to Lincou after 66 minutes.

 

Olli Tuominen, the Finn who caused the tournament's first upset when he beat Scotland's sixth seed John White in the previous round, was unable to produce the same giant-killing display in the quarter-finals against top seed David Palmer.

 

After losing the first game, the ninth seed from Helsinki fought back from 5-8 down in the second to lead 9-8, then had the first game ball in the tie-break.  But Palmer ultimately clinched the game to go 2/0 up, then ran away from 7-all in the third to take the match 11-6, 11-10 (4-2), 11-7 in 44 minutes.

 

It was sweet revenge for the 29-year-old Australian from Lithgow in New South Wales who suffered a shock defeat to the Finn in their last meeting, in the first round of the English Open in August 2005.

 

The final match of the day saw a significant renaissance for fifth seed Lee Beachill who beat his England team-mate and fellow Yorkshireman Nick Matthew in a decisive straight games encounter.

 

Beachill, the three-times British National champion from Pontefract who lost his title to Matthew in February in his record sixth successive appearance in the final, has suffered mixed fortunes over the past year, a fact cruelly marked by a drop to 11 in the world rankings this month, his first absence from the top ten for four years.

 

"But even when I walked on court, I was so confident about winning," said the 28-year-old after his 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 triumph over fifth seed Matthew in 39 minutes, the shortest quarter-final of the day.

 

"I seemed to just get out of the habit of winning over the last year or so, but tonight I played some really good squash, pushing Nick hard, then capitalising on his errors," said a buoyant Beachill.

 

"If I continue to play like that, I feel I can beat anyone in the world."

 

A despondent Matthew admitted that he was almost embarrassed by the way he played in parts of the game:  "I felt as if I hardly broke sweat," said the 25-year-old who is four positions higher than his opponent in the world order.

 

"He's clearly got his appetite back, but I really wanted to go out on a high in the last ranking event of the season, but Lee just didn't let me.  If you want to be the best in the world, you can't afford to play like that," conceded Matthew.

 

Beachill will face Palmer in Saturday's second semi-final at 6.00pm, which will be broadcast live on Sky TV.

 

 

 

Flying Finn Flays Scot At St George's Hall

Finland's Olli Tuominen produced the first upset in two days of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship when he despatched Scotland's sixth seed John White in today's (Thursday) second round at St George's Hall in the heart of Merseyside.

 

White, one of four former world number ones competing in the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years, is renowned as the hardest hitters of the ball " with a world record 172 mph smash to his name!

 

But the flying Finn from Helsinki matched White shot for shot - and after 49 minutes wrapped up the shock 11-7, 11-6, 11-10 (2-0) win which takes the ninth seed into a surprise quarter-final.

 

"I really saw the opportunity," said the smiling Tuominen, who admitted that the head-to-head record between the pair was relatively even.  "I had a good run in last week's European Championships " and that was ideal preparation for this event at St George's Hall."

 

The 27-year-old world No14 spends most of his training time in Helsinki.  "It may not be where a lot of squash players are based " but it's home," explained Tuominen.

 

His next opponent will be the PSA Super Series event's top seed David Palmer, the world No2 from Australia.  The experienced three-times British Open faced the event's only teenager, 18-year-old world junior champion Ramy Ashour.

 

The remarkably assured Ashour seemed far from overawed by the highest-ranked player he had ever faced on a court, but Palmer soon imposed his authority on the match and cleaned up 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 in 32 minutes.

 

"I knew he was going to be sharp from the start, he's a great shot player and moves well - in fact, for 18, he's unbelievable," said Palmer, 29, from New South Wales.

 

"If he was smart, he would look at Shabana's game " his improved length and fitness are what have made him the player he is today.  Ramy will be in the world top ten, one day, for sure " but he'll get there a lot quicker if he models himself on his countryman."

 

Ashour was disappointed with his performance:  "I wasn't patient enough " I just wasn't playing well enough today.  But wait till the World Open in September by the pyramids in my home country.  I'll do well there " I promise!"

 

Earlier in the day, England's second seed James Willstrop struggled to a four-game victory over 14th seed Shahid Zaman, then admitted:  "He's tricky " I don’t enjoy playing the guy."

 

 

The England number one seemed to be cruising to a straight games win over Zaman when the Pakistan number one took the upper hand in the third game.

 

"I just went dull " my game lacked sparkle - I was a bit loose," said the 22-year-old from Pontefract who went on to win 11-4, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4 in 48 minutes.

 

Willstrop, who led England to success in last week's European Team Championship title in Austria, will meet Egypt's Karim Darwish for a place in the last four of the international circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years.

 

Darwish, the eighth seed, ended hopes of an all-English quarter-final when he beat 16th seed Peter Barker 11-10 (3-1), 11-6, 11-5 in 37 minutes.

 

The Egyptian beat Willstrop the last time they met, in the Canary Wharf Classic in London in February.  "Karim's in great shape at the moment, so I'm going to have to be on top of my game to beat him," conceded Yorkshireman Willstrop.

 

Two marathon encounters earlier set up an all-French quarter-final on Friday.  Seventh seed Gregory Gaultier, from Aix-en-Provence, beat Australia's 12th seed Stewart Boswell 11-6 11-9 11-6 in 63 minutes, and Marseille's third seed Thierry Lincou recovered from a game down to overcome Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee 5-11, 11-8, 11-10 (3-1), 11-8 in 76 minutes.

 

Beng Hee, the tenth seed who is enjoying something of a renaissance since plunging out of the top 20 after reaching a career-high world No7 five years ago, was pleased with his performance against Lincou, the new world No3.

 

"Not winning is a bit of a disappointment, but I really felt I pushed him " and if I can play like that again, I'd be quite happy," said the 26-year-old from Kuala Lumpur.

 

Gaultier, the fast-improving French number two, had to battle hard to keep Boswell at bay.  The 27-year-old from Canberra fought back from 299 to 20 in the world rankings in 2005 after a long layoff with a mystery back ailment.  In the past five months, his progress has been somewhat slower, to 15 in the world.

 

"I need to improve some things if I'm going to play at that level," said Boswell after his Gaultier defeat.  "I feel as if I'm playing to top 16, but the next level just isn't happening for me at the moment."

 

Gaultier added:  "I knew I had to play at a fast pace today. But I'm confident with my skills " I didn't ever have my head down, I was feeling strong throughout the match."

 

He and Lincou meet on Friday for the first time since Gaultier claimed his first victory over his fellow countryman in February's French National championship final.  "I consider Greg first as a friend, and secondly as a good player in the world's top eight.  It's logical that meetings between us will happen more and more."

 

England team-mates and fellow Yorkshiremen Nick Matthew and Lee Beachill secured the final two quarter-final places at the end of the evening's second round session.  Matthew, the fourth seed from Sheffield, beat compatriot Adrian Grant, the 11th seed from London, 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 11-10 (3-1) in 68 minutes, while Beachill, the fifth seed from Pontefract, defeated Welsh number one Alex Gough 11-6 11-7 11-5.

 

England Team-Mates Through, But Matthew Stretched In Liverpool 

Just four days after securing the European Team Championship title in Austria, England team-mates James Willstrop, Peter Barker, Nick Matthew and Lee Beachill successfully negotiated their first round opposition in the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship, the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years.
 

Staged in the spectacular St George's Hall in the heart of Liverpool, the PSA Super Series championship has attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.

 

Nick Matthew, the British national champion from Sheffield, was taken the full distance by newly-crowned Italian champion Davide Bianchetti before prevailing in 83 minutes – the longest match of the day.

 

The 25-year-old Yorkshireman recovered from a game down to take a 2/1 lead – then squandered leads of 6-2 and 9-6 in the fourth to allow Bianchetti to force the match into a fifth game decider.

 

It was nip and tuck throughout the game before Matthew, the fourth seed, took the final three points in a row to claim his 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 win.

 

"Davide was quite consistent, and plays better on a glass court than he used to," said the world No7 afterwards.  "I felt I was playing all right, but only in patches.  All the ingredients were there, but not all at once."

 

Willstrop, the No2 seed from Pontefract, beat Indian qualifier Ritwik Bhattacharya 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (3-1), 11-5 in 39 minutes, then declared that the game could not have been more different than those last week in Vienna.

 

"It's like tennis players going from clay to grass – it becomes almost a different sport," explained the 22-year-old Yorkshireman, comparing the difference between the all-glass court and the conventional plaster courts on which the European championships were played.

 

"I was a bit rusty to start with, and the first two games were close - but then I got into a better rhythm.

 

"But St George's Hall is a spectacular setting – we're lucky to be able to stage squash events in sensational buildings.  That's the beauty of the game, you can put a glass court almost wherever you want."

 

Peter Barker, the 22-year-old from Upminster in Essex who made his England debut in last week's European Championships, beat Australia's experienced former world No10 Joseph Kneipp 11-3, 11-6, 11-7 in 31 minutes.

 

France's Thierry Lincou, one of four former world number ones in the Liverpool field, continued where he left off in the European Championships with another win over an Englishman.  The 30-year-old from Marseille defeated England No1 James Willstrop in a hard-fought European final, then enjoyed a more straightforward 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 win over Surrey qualifier Stacey Ross at St George's Hall.

 

"It's always good beating an Englishman," said the world No3 afterwards – quickly adding "in a team competition," when mindful of possible misinterpretation by the largely English inquisitors!

 

In the final match of the day, Yorkshireman fifth seed Lee Beachill completed the quartet of England team winners when he beat Australia's Cameron Pilley 11-5, 11-4, 5-11, 11-2 in 49 minutes.
 

Upsets Abound In Liverpool 08 Open Qualifying Finals 

Upsets littered the final qualifying sessions at the Liverpool Cricket Club on Merseyside as seven Englishmen and players from a further eight countries battled for places in the main draw of the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship.

 

The international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years gets underway tomorrow (Wednesday) at St George's Hall in Liverpool, leading to the final on Sunday (7 May).  The PSA Super Series championship, boasting a $77,500 prize fund, has attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.

 

Three Englishmen upset higher-ranked compatriots to earn unexpected places in the first round.  Essex's Lee Drew caused the biggest upset of the day when he survived an 83-minute marathon against Lincolnshire's Mark Chaloner, saving a match ball in the fifth game to beat the former England international 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0).

 

"It was an excellent match, and my first PSA win over Mark, so I feel good about it," said the 29-year-old from Colchester, ranked more than 40 places lower than his illustrious opponent.  When reminded that Chaloner is President of the Professional Squash Association (PSA), the players' body, Drew added: "He seemed OK about it afterwards – I hope it doesn't affect my membership!"

 

There was another Essex success later when 23-year-old Daryl Selby, from Witham, defeated Germany's newly-crowned European Junior Champion Simon Rosner 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 in 37 minutes.

 

An all-Surrey clash between Ben Garner and Stacey Ross, ranked 40 and 48, respectively, in the world, produced a first-time Tour upset for Ross when he recorded an 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 victory in 35 minutes.  The 32-year-old from Sutton was then drawn to face France's former world No1 Thierry Lincou, the No3 seed, in the first round on the all-glass court at St George's Hall.

 

Australia's Dan Jenson headed the international delegation that claimed qualifying places in the main draw.  The 30-year-old former world No5 from Adelaide beat hometown compatriot Paul Davis 11-3, 11-4, 11-2 in 32 minutes, and will now face French ace Gregory Gaultier, the seventh seed.

 

The event's two top seeds now know their fate after the completion of the qualifying competition.  Favourite David Palmer, the three-times British Open champion from Lithgow in New South Wales, will face Australian-born Irish qualifier Liam Kenny, a straight games victor over Zimbabwean Jesse Engelbrecht.

 

James Willstrop, the 22-year-old from Pontefract in Yorkshire who led England to success in last week's European Team Championships – and, seeded two, heads domestic interest in the Liverpool 08 Open – will meet Ritwik Bhattacharya.   The Indian number qualified in impressive style by beating France's higher-ranked Jean-Michel Arcucci 11-8, 8-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-2 in 72 minutes.


Davis & Engelbrecht In Early Liverpool 08 Open Upsets

Zimbabwe's Jesse Engelbrecht and Australian Paul Davis pulled off early upsets on the first day of qualifying in the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship at the Liverpool Cricket Club on Merseyside.
 

The Liverpool 08 Open, at St George's Hall in Liverpool from 3-7 May, is the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years.  The PSA Super Series championship, boasting a $77,500 prize fund, has attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.

A full field of 32 players from 12 countries competed in today's first qualifying round, with Surrey-based Engelbrecht causing the first upset when he defeated India's Leeds-based Saurav Ghosal, ranked 13 places higher in the world rankings, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 in 31 minutes. The Zimbabwean will now face Ireland's Liam Kenny for a place in the main draw.

More than 40 ranking positions separated Davis and Pakistan's
Arshad Iqbal Burki – but the Australian despatched the favoured Burki 11-5, 11-8, 11-5 in 34 minutes to earn an unexpected place in Tuesday's qualifying finals.  Davis will meet fellow Australian Dan Jenson, the former world No5 who is also from Adelaide.

After helping organisers to prepare the Liverpool Cricket Club for the start of today's (Monday) qualifying competition, club champion Andrew Breen might have expected to be rewarded with a good position in the draw, in which he was the recipient of a 'local' wild card place.

But the 22-year-old from Merseyside was drawn to face the most experienced player in the preliminary competition, ex-England international Mark Chaloner, ranked 35 in the world.  The 33-year-old from Lincolnshire, a former world No7, made his name over ten years ago when he clinched victory for England for the first time in the 1995 World Championships in the decisive final match against holders Pakistan.

Breen, playing in his first international event, was no match for the experienced Chaloner, who wrapped up an 11-2 11-5 11-4 victory in just 16 minutes to earn a place in Tuesday's qualifying finals.

"It was a great experience," said the local hero afterwards.  "But Mark was about ten times faster than anybody I've ever encountered before," added Breen, before heading over to Liverpool's St George's Hall to help with the final stages of the construction of the state-of-the-art all-glass court which will stage the main draw action of the PSA Super Series event from Wednesday through to the final on Sunday.

Two-times Merseyside county champion Keith Thomason was also in qualifying action at the Liverpool Cricket Club.  The 23-year-old from New Brighton who is a website developer at Liverpool University faced recently-crowned European Junior Champion Simon Rosner, the 18-year-old world No72 who made his senior debut for Germany in last week's European Team Championships.

Despite strong local support from the packed club crowd, Thomason went down 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 to the German teenager who is competing in his first Tour event in the UK.

Mark Chaloner leads a strong English contingent through to the qualifying finals, including Lee Drew, from Colchester in Essex; Ben Garner and Stacey Ross, both from Surrey; Scott Handley from Oxfordshire;   Daryl Selby, from Witham in Essex; and Gloucestershire's Alister Walker, from Leeds.


Liverpool08 and Merseyside Festival
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Thierry Lincou wins the inaugural Liverpool08 tournament defeating David Palmer in a tough 5 set final


David Palmer (above) defeated by Thierry Lincou in a tough five game final (below)


Thierry Lincou


Hopes of an English finalist from the bottom half of the draw were dashed when Egypt's Karim Darwish upset second-seeded
James Willstrop
(above)
 

 


 

“I am thrilled that Liverpool is to stage one of Europe’s biggest squash tournaments. The Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship is a prestigious addition to our ever growing portfolio of international events and further enhances the city's sporting offer in the run-up to 2008."

"Squash is a fantastic spectator sport and to have the best in the world competing will I hope act as an inspiration to our youngsters to pick up a racket. To be staged at such a fabulously unique venue will be no doubt one of the major highlight of our Capital of Culture themed year - Liverpool Performs.”

- Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council -



 

Men's final:

Paul Bell (Liverpool Cricket Club) bt Nick Jones (New Brighton) 9-7, 9-1

 

Men's Doubles final:

Paul Bell & Andrew Breen (Liverpool Cricket Club)

bt Ben Norton & Alan Gibbs (Liverpool Cricket Club)

8-9, 9-5, 9-7

 

Battle of the sexes final:

John White (Scotland) bt Emmeline Goulden (Merseyside) & Kirsty McPhee (Yorks) 11-4, 12-10

 

Men's Over 55 final:

Alan Hendry (Northern Crosby) bt Steve Noakes (Northern Crosby)
9-6, 6-9, 9-6

 

Boys' U19 final:

Alex Cunningham (Northern Crosby) bt Daniel Reed (New Brighton) 9-0, 9-2

 

Boys' U17 final:

Jason Reed (New Brighton) bt Nick Munn (New Brighton)
9-5, 4-9, 9-7

 

Boys' U15 final:

Michael Corran (Heswall) bt Andrew Corran (Heswall)
9-6, 9-5

 

Boys' U13 final:

Matthew Marks (Heswall) bt Daniel Prescott (New Brighton) 10-9, 3-9, 9-4

 

Girls' U19 final:

Rebecca Connick (Northern Crosby) bt Katie Grant (Liverpool Cricket Club)       9-4, 9-3

 

Girls' U17 final:

Charlotte Keighley (Heswall) bt Heather Wallace (New Brighton) 9-4, 6-9, 9-4

 

Girls' U15 final:

Sophie Wallace (New Brighton) v Jennifer Munn (New Brighton)9-6, 9-6

 

Girls' U13 final:

Katie Lloyd (West Lancs) v Kim Davies (Northern Crosby)9-0, 9-1

 
 
 
 
 

Draw

Liverpool
08 Open
Round One
May 03
Round Two
May 04
Quarters
May 05
Semis
May 06
Final
May 07
[1] David Palmer (AUS)
11-4, 3-11, 11-5, 11-7 (49m)
 
[Q] Liam Kenny (IRL)
David Palmer
11/7, 11/5, 11/6 (32m)
Ramy Ashour
David Palmer
11-6, 11-10 (4-2), 11-7 (44m)
Olli Tuominen
David Palmer
11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6
Lee Beachill
 
 


David Palmer
3-11, 10-11(2-0),
11-5, 11-8, 11-8
Thierry Lincou
 

[15] Ramy Ashour (EGY)
11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (28m)
Alex Stait (ENG)
[6] John White (SCO)
11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (3-1), 11-4 (47m)
Simon Parke (ENG)
John White
11/7, 11/6, 11/10(2-0) (49m)
Olli Tuominen
[9] Olli Tuominen (FIN)
11-4, 11-5, 11-7 (30m)
[Q] Scott Handley (ENG)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG)
7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 (83m)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA)
Nick Matthew
11/9, 11/8, 4/11, 13/11 (68m)
Adrian Grant
Nick Matthew
11-4, 11-8, 11-2 (39m)
Lee Beachill

 

[11] Adrian Grant (ENG)
7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (53m)
[Q] Daryl Selby (ENG)
[5] Lee Beachill (ENG)
11-5, 11-4, 5-11, 11-2 (49m)
Cameron Pilley (AUS)

Lee Beachill
11-6, 11-7, 11-5 (55m)
Alex Gough
 
[13] Alex Gough (WAL)
11-5, 11-2, 11-5 (36m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
[12] Stewart Boswell (AUS)
11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5 (56m)
[Q] Lee Drew (ENG)
Stewart Boswell
11/6, 11/9, 11/6 (63m)
Gregory Gaultier
Gregory Gaultier 11-5, 4-11, 11-3, 0-0 ret. (66m)
Thierry Lincou
Thierry Lincou
11-8, 5-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6 (60m)
Karim Darwish
 
[7] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (50m)
[Q] Dan Jenson (AUS)
[10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
11-3, 11-5, 11-8 (33m)
Renan Lavigne (FRA)
Ong Beng Hee
5/11, 11/8, 13/11, 11/8 (76m)
Thierry Lincou
[3] Thierry Lincou (FRA)
11-8, 11-2, 11-6 (35m)
Q] Stacey Ross (ENG)
[16] Peter Barker (ENG)
11-3, 11-6, 11-7 (31m)
Joseph Kneipp (AUS)
Peter Barker
11/10(3/1), 11/6, 11/5 (37m)
Karim Darwish
Karim Darwish
11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 11-8 (43m)
James Willstrop
[8] Karim Darwish (EGY)
11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (30m)
[Q] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[14] Shahid Zaman (PAK)
9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 7-6 ret. (65m)
Joey Barrington (ENG)
Shahid Zaman
11/4, 11/5, 8/11, 11/4 (48m)
James Willstrop
[2] James Willstrop (ENG)
11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (3-1), 11-5 (39m)
[Q] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND)

Qualifying
Liverpool Cricket Club
 

Qualifying finals - 2nd May

Lee Drew (ENG) bt Mark Chaloner (ENG)  9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0) (83m)

Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA)  11-8, 8-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-2 (72m)

Stacey Ross (ENG) bt Ben Garner (ENG)  11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (35m)

Liam Kenny (IRL) bt Jesse Engelbrecht (ZIM)  11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (38m)

Scott Handley (ENG) bt Alister Walker (ENG)  11-9, 11-2, 11-6 (31m)

Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)  11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 11-3 (45m)

Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Simon Rosner (GER)  11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (37m)

Dan Jenson (AUS) bt Paul Davis (AUS)  11-3, 11-4, 11-2 (32m)
 

Qualifying - 1st Round 1st May

Mark Chaloner (ENG) bt Andrew Breen (ENG)  11-2, 11-5, 11-4 (16m)

Lee Drew (ENG) bt Kris Meadows (ENG)  11-3, 11-6, 11-7 (20m)

Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) bt Chris Simpson (ENG)  2-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5 (66m)

Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt Rob Sutherland (WAL)  11-10 (3-1), 10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-2 (42m)

Ben Garner (ENG) bt Stephen Siviter (ENG)  11-9, 11-7, 11-10 (5-3) (29m)

Stacey Ross (ENG) bt Jonathan Harford (ENG)  11-9, 11-5, 11-5 (45m)

Liam Kenny (IRL) bt Jethro Binns (WAL)  11-4, 11-9, 11-9 (36m)

Jesse Engelbrecht (ZIM) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND)  11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (31m)

Scott Handley (ENG) bt Shaun le Roux (ENG)  7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 3-11, 11-8 (42m)

Alister Walker (ENG) bt Julien Balbo (FRA)  11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (34m)

Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Ryan Thompson (NAM)  11-5, 11-7, 11-8 (31m)

Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Robbie Temple (ENG)  11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (24m)

Simon Rosner (GER) bt Keith Thomason (ENG)  11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (19m)

Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Darren Lewis (ENG)  11-4, 11-3, 11-2 (29m)

Paul Davis (AUS) bt Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK)  11-5, 11-8, 11-5 (34m)

Dan Jenson (AUS) bt Tom Richards (ENG)  11-9, 11-2, 11-9 (34m)

Local Star To Face Top Name In Liverpool 08 Open Qualifying Draw
 

Andrew Breen, the Liverpool Cricket Club squash star who was offered a 'local' wild card place in the qualifying competition for the Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship, will face the highest-ranked player in the 32-man field following this morning's (Monday) qualifying draw at the club.
 

Breen will take on former England international Mark Chaloner, ranked 35 in the world, later today on the Merseysider's home courts at the Liverpool Cricket Club.  Chaloner, a former world No7 from Lincolnshire, made his name in the sport over ten years ago when he clinched victory for England for the first time in the 1995 World Championships in the decisive final match against holders Pakistan.
 

Players from 13 countries will battle it out over the next two days for the eight available qualifying places in the Liverpool 08 Open at St George's Hall from 3-7 May. 
 

The international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years boasts a $77,500 prize fund.  The PSA Super Series championship has attracted a star-studded field for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.
 

Further local hopes in the qualifying draw will be shared between Merseyside's Keith Thomason, who has been drawn to meet Germany's European Junior Champion Simon Rosner, and North West Counties league star Stephen Siviter, who faces Surrey's Ben Garner

 


Top Stars Head To Merseyside To Qualify For Liverpool Open

 

Qualifying gets underway tomorrow (Monday) for the international squash circuit's richest ranking event in England for five years.  The Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship, boasting a $77,500 prize fund, has attracted a star-studded field to St George's Hall from 3-7 May for the first ever major event on Merseyside to be played on a state-of-the-art all-glass court.

 

Fresh from leading England to a successful defence of their European Championship title in Austria this weekend, North West star James Willstrop heads domestic interest in the PSA Super Series event.  The 22-year-old, who leads the Manchester team in the Premier Squash League, is the No2 seed – and expected to face Australia's top seed and former world No1 David Palmer in the final on Sunday.

 

Willstrop and Palmer, together with another former world No1, Frenchman Thierry Lincou, face qualifiers in the opening round.  But the qualifying field itself has drawn top squash talent from countries as far afield as Australia, Egypt, France, Germany, Ireland, India and Pakistan - each eager to claim one of the eight available places in the 32-man draw.

 

The two-day qualifying competition takes place on Monday and Tuesday at the Liverpool Cricket Club – where English interest will be led by ex-international Mark Chaloner, the former world No7 from Lincolnshire.

 

Local qualifying hopes will be led by Liverpool Cricket Club star Andrew Breen and Merseyside brothers Ian and Keith Thomason.

 

Another breakthrough feature of the 2006 Liverpool 08 Open is that the event will be featured live on Sky Sports TV - the semi-finals on Saturday 6 May (6pm Sky Sports 2) followed by the final on Sunday 7 May (5pm Sky Sports Xtra).

 

England No1 James Willstrop is looking forward to the event:  "After all the travelling we do on the world tour, it’s wonderful to have a massive tournament here in the UK.  Two days of live coverage on Sky Sports is a massive breakthrough for the sport and something we look to build on in the future.  The St George’s Hall venue is truly spectacular and there is a real buzz among all the word’s top players leading up to the tournament."

 

Gawain Briars, Chief Executive of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) was also delighted with the TV breakthrough:  "The Liverpool 08 Open represents a breakthrough for the professional game in that this new tournament is the first to achieve PSA Super Series status in Europe for some years now and, most excitingly, will boast live satellite coverage on SKYTV for our dedicated squash enthusiasts.

 

"This marks a special occasion for squash in England - and Alan Thatcher, his team and the Liverpool City Council should be commended on their efforts in raising the bar of promotion for squash in the UK and Europe."
 


 



 

A Tall Story
ENGLAND squash champion James Willstrop usually faces a tall order when it comes to finding beds to fit his 6ft 5inch frame.

6ft 5in James Willstrop tries out the beds at the Liverpool Holiday Inn

But the racquets ace found he was in for a treat when he spent the night at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool City Centre.

Towering James, 23, is ranked number 3 in the world and travels thousands of miles across six continents to compete in top-flight matches.

He was in the city to prepare for the Liverpool08 Open Squash Championship 2006 which which culminates in the finals at St George's Hall on 7th May.

The seven-day event will be the biggest squash tournament in Europe and one of the top half-dozen worldwide in terms of prize money and ranking status.

James confided that the night's sleep he got at the Holiday Inn Liverpool was one of the best he has ever had thanks to its longer-than-average Queen-size beds.

And he was so impressed that he has pre-booked a room at the Holiday in for the duration of this year's Liverpool08 tournament.  

James said: "It is a rarity to find a hotel bed that actually fits me so it was a very pleasant surprise when I came to Liverpool.

"It was a real treat to find that my feet did not stick out at over the end of the bed like they do in most places.

"I would have loved to have had a long lie in. It's perfect and I'm really looking forward to coming back for the tournament itself."

James, who comes from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, revealed that his great height has been a mixed blessing throughout his life.

He added: "Being tall has its advantages and disadvantages. I have a good long reach so I can volley balls which helps put pressure on my opponents.

"But also I weigh a bit more and have to be constantly spatially aware when I carry out some of my twists and turns."

Speaking about the prospects for the tournament James added: "The Liverpool Championship is right up there among the biggest competitions in the world

"It's a Super Series event which is a major event. It's the end of the season. It's a big tournament and it means a lot.

"There's an added thing for the English guys being in our own country. It's a big incentive playing in your own country with no acclimatization problems or jet lag.

"And being sure of a good night's sleep is an extra bonus for me. I'm looking forward to making the Holiday Inn my home."

James is seeded to face Australian and former world champion, David Palmer, in the final.

But he is keeping close counsel about how far he thinks he'll go.

He added: "I don't ever really predict how I'm going to do. You can't predict the way squash is at the moment. It's so competitive.

"I wouldn't predict anyone else and I definitely wouldn't want to make predicting  myself.

"There are lots of other good players in this draw. That starts from round one. Everyone has to be taken seriously."

James has scooped five World Tour titles together with the second highest world ranking.

His proudest was leading England to victory at the 2005 World Team Championships in Pakistan.

"Winning the World Team Championship last December was my greatest moment."

The Liverpool08 Championship event is part of the run-up to Liverpool's reign as European Capital of Culture 2008.

Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Warren Bradley, said: "I’m thrilled that Liverpool is to stage one of Europe's biggest squash tournaments.

"The Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship is a prestigious addition to our ever growing portfolio of international events and further enhances the city's sporting offer in the run-up to 2008."

By Dave Himelfield


L-R Joey Barrington, James Willstrop  and Kirsty McPhee pictured outside St George's Hall

White Hot Action As Squash Stars Get Clocked In Liverpool

The Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship could see a new world speed record set next week at St George's Hall.

 

Tournament organisers Squash UK are rigging up a new radar gun to check the speed of EVERY shot struck at the sumptuous Liverpool venue.

 

And the favourite to shatter his own record is big-hitting Scot John White.

 

The world No9 was clocked striking the ball at 172 mph at Canary Wharf last year and tournament promoter Alan Thatcher has tipped White to beat his own personal best speed.

 

"Watching John White in full flow is one of the most exciting and dramatic sights in squash," said Thatcher.  "When he winds up to smack that ball, it stays well and truly smacked.  I am sure he can beat that speed and set another record."

 

Thatcher is planning to rig up the new radar gun to the tournament scoreboard so that spectators at St George's Hall can see the speed of every shot.

 

He is also feeding the radar gun speeds to the Sky Sports production crew who will be filming two days of live coverage from the semi-finals and finals next weekend, plus the groundbreaking live internet coverage produced by Horizon for the PSALive.tv website.

 

Thatcher added: "If you watch tennis and cricket on TV you see the speed of every shot struck and every ball bowled.  We need to introduce extra ingredients like this to make the TV coverage more compelling to the viewer, and especially those who are not regular squash fans."

 

Thatcher first had the idea of timing squash players after American Andy Roddick had broken the 150-mph barrier in tennis.  He added: "I always knew that squash players belted the ball harder than tennis players and wanted some evidence to prove it.  Not surprisingly John White was the man who set the new standard, 22mph faster than the best in tennis."

 

Former world No1 White, the No6 seed who is now based in the USA, meets former Nottingham team-mate Simon Parke in an intriguing first round clash at St George's Hall on Wednesday (3 May).  Parke, the grand old man of the men's tour, is still playing as competitively as ever at the age of 33.  The Yorkshireman won the Croatian Open in Zagreb last week in his 14th PSA Tour final appearance in 17 years!

 

The top three seeds - Australia's David Palmer, England's James Willstrop and French ace - all face qualifiers on Wednesday with British national champion Nick Matthew meeting Italian Davide Bianchetti.  Willstrop's Pontefract and England team-mate Lee Beachill tackles Australian Cameron Pilley, while Welshman Alex Gough meets England's Jonathan Kemp in an all-British battle.

 

England's wild card, Alex Stait, plays Egypt's 15th seed Ramy Ashour, the world junior champion, for the prize of tackling top seed Palmer in the second round on Thursday.

 

The Liverpool 08 Open Squash Championship takes place at the St George's Hall from 3-7 May, following qualifying on 1 & 2 May at the Liverpool Cricket Club

 

Liverpool lasses Georgina Stoker and Emmeline Goulden, who play for the Merseyside SRA county team, are taking part in a four-girl Invitation Tournament during the finals weekend, with Laura-Jane Lengthorn (Lancashire) and Kirsty McPhee of Yorkshire.

Willstrop Seeded To Meet Aussie Ace Palmer In Liverpool 08 Squash Final

 

England’s rising star James Willstrop is seeded to meet Australia’s former world champion David Palmer in the final of the inaugural Liverpool08 Open Squash Championship in May.

 

Willstrop, who led England to the World Team Championship title in Pakistan in December, is relishing the opportunity to claim a major PSA world tour title on home soil.

 

The 22-year-old from Pontefract has just returned home after competing in the Commonwealth Games in Australia and the Bermuda Masters.

 

“After all the travelling we do, it’s great to see such a brilliant new tournament being staged in Liverpool," said the young Yorkshireman.  "The venue at St George’s Hall looks absolutely incredible and all the players were talking about the tournament in Bermuda.”

 

Promoted by Squash UK in conjunction with Liverpool Culture Company, the Liverpool08 Open Squash Championship is a PSA Super Series Silver tournament and therefore the biggest squash event in Europe and one of the top six in the world in terms of prize money and ranking points.

 

It will also be broadcast live by Sky TV and Willstrop added:  “It’s fantastic to see a tournament reach such a high level in its first year and the organisers and sponsors have obviously done a great job in putting everything together.

 

“Getting live coverage on Sky is a tremendous boost for the sport so soon after the coverage we enjoyed during the Commonwealth Games.”

 

Willstrop faces a qualifier in the first round and is due to meet the winner of an intriguing clash between No14 seed Shahid Zaman of Pakistan and England’s Joey Barrington.

 

The world No27 is the son of squash legend Jonah Barrington, the man who was largely instrumental in creating squash’s first steps into professionalism three decades ago.  Zaman is the nephew of Qamar Zaman, a brilliant stroke maker and a career-long rival of Jonah.

 

Also in Willstrop’s half of the draw are Egyptian Karim Darwish, who beat him in a recent tournament at Canary Wharf, London, and France’s No3 seed Thierry Lincou, who spent the whole of 2005 at the top of the world rankings.

 

Willstrop’s main British rivals are all in the top half of the draw.  Yorkshire and England team-mates Nick Matthew and Lee Beachill, seeded four and five, are due to meet at the quarter-final stage.

 

Another mouth-watering clash in the same round features top seed Palmer and big-hitting Scot John White.  The two met in an absorbing World Open final in Antwerp three years ago when Palmer recovered from match ball down to take the title.

 

White is the hardest hitter in the history of squash, having been registered belting the ball at an astonishing 172mph.

 

Other Brits in the top half include Welsh No1 Alex Gough, who faces English youngster Jonathan Kemp, Kent’s Adrian Grant and Yorkshire’s world tour veteran Simon Parke, who is still playing great squash at the age of 33.

 

In all, 18 of the world’s top 20 have entered the tournament, which features qualifying rounds at Liverpool Cricket Club on May 1 and 2 before the main event moves to the beautiful surroundings of St George’s Hall from May 3-7.

 

The 32-draw first round will see eight matches at both venues on Wednesday May 3 as big-time squash arrives on Merseyside.

 

The tournament features two days of live TV coverage on Sky Sports during the finals weekend and will be preceded by a Merseyside Squash Festival on the previous weekend.

ENGLAND STARS BID FOR HOME GLORY IN LIVERPOOL
ENGLAND’S leading squash stars will be heading to Merseyside in May hoping for home glory in the inaugural Liverpool08 Open Squash Championship at St George’s Hall.

The Liverpool08 Open runs from May 1-7 and is already the biggest squash tournament in Europe and one of the top six in the world in terms of prize money and world ranking status.

It is certain to be a magnet for the world’s leading stars and England’s world team champions are fully committed to making it a roaring success.

The awesome foursome of James Willstrop, Peter Nicol, Lee Beachill and Nick Matthew are currently competing in the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

They are bidding for medals in singles and doubles to add to the World Team Championship title they collected in Pakistan in December, beating Canada in the semi-finals and Egypt in the final.

Before heading to Liverpool they will be competing in the Bermuda Open and then travelling to Vienna to defend their European Team title.

England No.1 James Willstrop, the 22-year-old rising star from Pontefract, is certainly looking forward to competing in Liverpool.

He said: “It’s always great to see new tournaments on the calendar and Liverpool is already up there with the best.

“The St George’s Hall venue looks absolutely awesome and I am sure all the players will love the atmosphere of playing on the glass court in such a fabulous building.”

Tournament promoter Alan Thatcher of SquashUK said: “We are delighted to be staging such a massive tournament in Liverpool.

“The glass court will look absolutely stunning inside such a beautiful and iconic venue and, with St George’s Hall directly opposite Lime Street Station, it could not be more convenient for attracting spectators to Merseyside. 

“We know that squash fans will be travelling to Liverpool by train from all over the UK and flying in from all over Europe.”

The entertainment value is sure to be high and Thatcher added: “Squash is a fast, thrilling game and spectators are sure to get full value for money when they watch the world’s top players in action.”

Tickets went on sale this week and he added: “We have deliberately kept the ticket prices low in year one to attract a new audience to the sport in Liverpool.”

Seats will be placed on three sides of the glass court and organisers are hoping to entice Liverpool’s business community with special hospitality packages and VIP tables at courtside.

The qualifying competition will be held at Liverpool Cricket Club on May 1 and 2 with the top eight players going into the 32-man first round draw, which will be split between St George’s Hall and the cricket club’s squash courts.

TICKET HOTLINE: 0871 230 9808. Book online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Full details from: www.squashuk.com/liverpool

 

LIVERPOOL USHERS IN NEW ERA FOR SQUASH

 10th March 2006

 

The Liverpool 08 Squash Championship will herald a new era for squash as the world’s leading players compete on the glass court at St George’s Hall in the Liverpool08 Open Championship.

 

English fans will be hoping to cheer on a home victory with James Willstrop, Lee Beachill and Nick Matthew among the top seeds.

 

We will be anticipating the mouthwatering, colourful mixture of an international cast featuring present and past world champions Amr Shabana (Egypt), French ace Thierry Lincou and Australia’s David Palmer.

 

They will be backed up by compatriots Karim Darwish, Gregory Gaultier and Anthony Ricketts, to name just a few, but sadly missing will be Jonathon Power and Peter Nicol.

 

Nicol is reducing his tournament commitments following the Commonwealth Games, and Power shocked the squash world recently by announcing first of all his withdrawal from Canada’s team for the Games in Australia, and then his retirement from the world tour itself.

 

What made Power’s announcement all the more staggering was that he had just returned to the top of the world rankings. He chose the unique setting of Grand Central Station in New York, scene of many of his greatest triumphs in the Tournament of Champions, to broadcast the news to a stunned audience.

 

His exit from the world tour brings to an end his 12-year rivalry with Nicol, who is making one final push for gold in Melbourne before giving his body a rest after a lifetime of gruelling punishment on the training courts and in tournaments.

 

With more than 100 PSA tour titles between them, and an absorbing rivalry to match that of Hunt and Barrington and the great Khans in bygone eras, the international squash scene will be a very different place without them.  

 

As we salute their enormous contribution to the game, we also fast forward to a dynamic modern era in which the names of Shabana, Ricketts, Willstrop, Gaultier, Matthew and Darwish will keep spectators spellbound for years to come.

 

By Alan Thatcher

Two weeks to go and there is a huge buzz around the inaugural Liverpool08 Open Squash Championship, which runs from May 1-7. It is the biggest squash event in Europe and one of the top six on the PSA men’s world tour in terms of prize money and ranking points.

England’s No.2 seed James Willstrop, who is due to meet Australia’s former world champion David Palmer in the final, checked out the stunning St George’s Hall venue during a flying visit to Merseyside last week.

“It looks fabulous,” said Willstrop. “It’s a beautiful building and it will look sensational with the glass court inside. With all the travelling we do it’s brilliant to have such a major tournament in the UK and I can’t wait for it to start.”
+++

 After a qualifying competition at Liverpool Cricket Club on May 1 and 2, the 32-player main event moves to St George’s Hall on May 3. Because of the size of the draw, eight first round matches will be staged at the Cricket Club as well.

Seventeen of the world’s top 20 stars will be in action as big-time squash arrives in Liverpool for the first time.

+++

 As well as checking out the venue, Willstrop had another important Merseyside mission: to test the beds at the Holiday Inn, the tournament hotel which is opposite St George’s Hall.

 At 6ft 5in, Willstrop is the tallest player on the world tour and gave the Holiday Inn beds a massive thumbs-up. The twin rooms all have two double beds and Willstrop enjoyed a pleasant nap after a hectic day of media interviews before heading off to Liverpool Cricket Club for an exhibition night.

He teamed up with fellow pro Joey Barrington, son of squash legend Jonah, to give a coaching clinic to local youngsters before taking to the court with some of Liverpool’s leading club players for some fun singles and doubles matches. Ironically, the two could be facing each other in the second round if James beats a qualifier and Joey removes No.14 seed Shahid Zaman of Pakistan.

+++

The Liverpool 08 Open will also include a Women’s Invitation Classic featuring Merseyside players Georgina Stoker and Emmeline Goulden, Lancashire’s Laura Jane Lengthorn and Yorkshire’s Kirsty McPhee.

+++

Before James and Joey played their fun exhibition match at the Cricket Club, the two enjoyed a successful trial of a new Battle Of The Sexes experiment in squash.

Emmeline and Kirsty teamed up to trial a new format of two girls on court against one male, and remained unbeaten all evening – even against Joey and James.

They played a succession of local males who were all “up for it” but quickly found that they were doing all the running as wherever they hit the ball there was a female opponent ready to send them to the opposite corner.

The brainchild of SquashUK founder Alan Thatcher, the format will be repeated on finals day at the Liverpool 08 Open.

Thatcher said: “Most tournaments feature a doubles exhibition on finals day and the format is looking a bit tired. This is something new and exciting and we are planning to develop the idea for television.”

+++

 Talking of television, site checks were being carried out this week at St George’s Hall by the Sky Sports production team who will be filming two days of live action during the semi-finals and finals on May 6 and 7.

+++

As well as the Battle Of The Sexes competition, the glass court will stage the finals of the Merseyside Squash Festival which takes place at Liverpool Cricket Club, Northern Crosby and New Brighton during the weekend of April 29 and 30, plus a racketball exhibition sponsored by Dunlop Racketball.

Full details from the official tournament website www.squashuk.com/Liverpool

 LIVERPOOL08 OPEN TICKET HOTLINE: 0871 230 9808.

Tournament website: www.squashuk.com/liverpool

 The Liverpool08 Open Squash Championship is promoted by SquashUK in conjunction with Liverpool Culture Company as part of the European Capital of Culture Sports Strategy.
Liverpool
is the European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Full details from: www.liverpool08.com

 

LIVERPOOL08 OPEN SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIP 2006

 

PLAYING SCHEDULE

 

TICKETMASTER HOTLINE: 0871 230 9808


QUALIFYING

Monday May 1st and Tuesday May 2nd:

The Qualifying competition takes place at Liverpool Cricket Club, which is located on Aigburth Road, in the South-East of the city, on the main road into town from John Lennon International Airport

 

LIVERPOOL CRICKET CLUB
AIGBURTH ROAD
GRASSENDALE
LIVERPOOL
L19 3QF

Tel: 0151 427 2930

 

Qualifying competition for PSA Super Series event has 32 draw.

First round: 16 matches.

Qualifying finals: 8 matches

(8 qualifiers go into first round draw)

 

Monday May 1:

12 noon. Qualifying draw.

 

FIRST ROUND

1.00: 4 matches.

2.00: 4 matches.

3.00: 4 matches

4.00: 4 matches

 

 

Tuesday May 2:

QUALIFYING FINALS:

8 matches. All on glassback court

1pm

2pm

3pm

4pm

5pm.

6pm

7pm

8pm

 

 

ST GEORGE’S HALL

 

Wednesday May 3:

FIRST ROUND

8 matches at St George’s Hall and 8 matches at Liverpool Cricket Club (Glass court).

(2 sessions at each venue starting at1pm and 6pm)

 

Thursday May 4:

SECOND ROUND

St George’s Hall. Glass court.

8 matches (2 sessions starting at 1pm and 6pm)

 

Friday May 5:

QUARTER FINALS

St George’s Hall. Glass court.

4 matches (Evening session)

(2 sessions starting at 1pm and 6pm)

 

Saturday May 6:

SEMI-FINALS

St George’s Hall. Glass court.

TWO SEMI-FINALS plus Women’s Invitation (2 semi-finals) and Festival finals

Day session starting at 12 noon (Doors open at 11a.m.)

 

Sun May 7:

FINALS

St George’s Hall. Glass court.

THE FINAL plus Women’s Final and third/fourth play-off.

Plus Festival finals

Day session starting at 12 noon (Doors open at 11a.m.)