Palmer Punishes Power To Take Windy City Title

In a dramatic climax to the richest PSA Tour event in North America, Australia's David Palmer saved four match balls in the fifth-game decider against Canada's world No1 Jonathon Power to lift the SSA Global Windy City Open Squash Championship title at the University Club in Chicago.

Power, the fifth seed from Montreal, had reached his 61st PSA final after surviving a 66-minute five-game semi-final against Egypt's world No2 Amr Shabana, the reigning world champion.

Palmer, the Belgium-based fourth seed from Lithgow in New South Wales, upset England's James Willstrop, the No2 seed, in straight games to reach the climax of the $100,000 PSA Super Series Gold event.

The advantage in the final swung between both players, with Power twice fighting back after Palmer leads.  But the Canadian was the first to reach match ball at 10-6.  Incredibly, the Australian secured six successive points, saving four match balls on the way, to claim a stunning 11-5 5-11 11-8 9-11 11-10 win in 88 minutes.

The triumph marks Palmer's 17th PSA Tour title success, but his first since winning the Kuwait Open in March last year.