WORLD SQUASH NEWS
RESULTS: Bank Alfalah Pakistan Open Squash Championship, Karachi, Pakistan
2nd round:
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [12] Shahid Zaman (PAK) 8-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4 (47m)
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-5, 11-10 (3-1), 11-6 (34m)
[4] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt [14] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-4, 11-8, 11-10 (2-0) (42m)
[6] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [13] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (38m)
[8] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [16] Simon Parke (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 (38m)
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [11] Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 11-10 (3-1) (36m)
[5] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [9] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) 8-11, 11-9, 11-10 (3-1), 11-7 (53m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt Wael El Hindi (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (27m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [7] Karim Darwish (EGY) 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (2-0), 11-8 (44m)
[4] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt [6] Nick Matthew (ENG) 11-7, 11-3, 7-11, 7-11, 11-10 (2-0) (76m)
[8] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [3] Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-10 (3-1), 11-5, 11-3 (25m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [5] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-3, 11-9, 11-9 (34m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [4] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 9-11, 11-5, 11-10 (4-2), 11-3 (69m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [8] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 3-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 6-11, 11-4 (58m)
Final:
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [2] David Palmer (AUS) 11-9, 8-11, 11-1, 4-11, 11-7 (60m)
Thierry Triumphs In Karachi
Top-seeded Frenchman Thierry Lincou survived a hard five-game final against Australia’s No2 seed David Palmer to win the Bank Alfalah Pakistan Open Squash Championship in Karachi (on 29 July).
The world number one and world champion from Marseille was given a tough ride throughout the PSA Super Series Silver event – being taken to two tie-break games in his first round victory over England’s Bradley Ball; having to come back from behind twice in his five-game win over Pakistan No1 Shahid Zaman in the second round; prevailing in two tie-break games in his quarter-final defeat of seventh seed Karim Darwish; then overcoming a first game loss to fourth seed Anthony Ricketts before beating the Australian in a 69-minute semi-final.
The other semi-final saw David Palmer, the world No3 from Lithgow in New South Wales, edge out surprise opponent Gregory Gaultier, the No8 seed from France, 3-11 11-10 11-6 6-11 11-4 in 58 minutes.
But Lincou held his nerve in the final, beating Palmer 11-9 8-11 11-1 4-11 11-7 in 60 minutes to win the Pakistan Open crown for the first time – and, surprisingly, claim his first PSA Tour title of the year. It was the eight-times French national champion’s 14th career PSA title – and British Open champion Palmer’s 34th appearance in a PSA climax.