WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Merredin Squash Open, Merredin, WA, Australia

1st round:
[1] Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt [Q] Andre Haschker (GER) 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (5-3)
Joseph Desira (AUS) bt [7] Shahril Shahidan (MAS) 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-2
[3] Simon Carruthers (AUS) bt [Q] Kristen Johnson (SCO) 11-2, 11-8, 11-10 (2-0)
[Q] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) bt [6] Kirby Sinclair (AUS) 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7
[8] Carl Hampson (AUS) bt Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-4
[4] Jason Mudge (AUS) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 11-1, 11-8, 8-11, 9-11, 11-7
[5] Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt Neeraj Aggarwal (AUS) 11-1, 11-2, 11-5
[Q] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [2] Mark Price (AUS) 11-2, 11-9, 11-4
    Quarter-finals:
[1] Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt Joseph Desira (AUS) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7
[Q] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) bt [3] Simon Carruthers (AUS) 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9
[4] Jason Mudge (AUS) bt [8] Carl Hampson (AUS) 11-3, 11-8, 11-5
[Q] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [5] Steve Finitsis (AUS) 11-2, 11-4, 11-7
    Semi-finals:
[Q] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) bt [1] Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-4
[Q] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [4] Jason Mudge (AUS) 11-7, 11-5, 11-4
    Final:
[Q] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [Q] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) 11-5, 11-4, 11-3

Boswell Celebrates Tour Comeback Hat-Trick

The crowd at the Merredin Squash Open in Merredin, Western Australia, were treated to a rare climax of a PSA Tour event - a final featuring two qualifiers.

Australian Stewart Boswell and England's Laurence Delasaux both fought through two rounds of qualifying before making it to the first round of the Satellite event.

Delasaux, a former European Junior champion from Yorkshire, beat a trio of Australians on his way to the final - creating the biggest upset in the semi-finals when he downed top seed Wade Johnstone 11-7 11-7 11-4.

Boswell was continuing to demonstrate the flair that took him to number four in the world rankings before he was struck down by a mystery back ailment some two years ago.  The 26-year-old from Canberra picked up two PSA Tour titles on his comeback trail in New Zealand last month - and began his charge to the Merredin final after toppling second seed Mark Price in straight games in the first round.

The experienced Australian was too good for 19-year-old Delasaux in the final, soon wrapping up an 11-5 11-4 11-3 victory to claim his third PSA title in five weeks, and the tenth of his career.  The win marked not only Boswell's 16th successive match win since beginning his comeback in Christchurch, but also his 16th consecutive straight games victory!