RESULTS: PSA International 35 Comfort Inn Open, Vancouver, Canada
1st round:
[1] David Palmer (AUS) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-6, 11-3, 11-7 (35m)
[Q] Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) bt [Q] Max Lee (HKG) 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 (41m)
Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 11-5, 11-9, 11-3 (35m)
[4] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Martin Knight (NZL) 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (60m)
[3] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-7, 14-12, 9-11, 11-13, 11-6 (90m)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [Q] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-5 (101m)
[Q] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Stephane Galifi (ITA) 11-6, 11-9, 13-11 (50m)
[2] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Robin Clarke (CAN) 11-8, 11-7 ret. (20m)
Australian squash star David Palmer was in impressive form in the opening round of the Comfort Inn Open in Vancouver, Canada, where he is seeded to win his 27th Tour title in the PSA World Tour International event in its seventh year at the Evergreen Squash Club.
The US-based 34-year-old dominated his match against Chris Simpson, defeating the 23-year-old Englishman 11-6, 11-3, 11-7 in 35 minutes.
"The big man moves like a cat and seems to know where the ball is going before it's even struck," said event spokesman Paul Marley. "It was a treat to watch."
Two of the seeds, Canadian Shahier Razik and Finland's Olli Tuominen, were forced to stay on court for 60 and 90 minutes, respectively, as their opponents provided stiff competition.
Martin Knight, the 2010 champion from New Zealand, took the opening game against Razik - but the Toronto-based fourth seed struck back to win 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7.
Julian Illingworth took the Finn the full distance in his bid to provide US interest in the next round - but third seed Tuominen triumphed 11-7, 14-12, 9-11, 11-13, 11-6.
But the longest match of the evening saw Miguel Angel Rodriguez prevail over Canadian hope Shawn Delierre in 101 minutes. Delierre overcame a 2/1 deficit to force a fifth game, but the hard work of two days of qualifying may have taken its toll as Colombian Rodriguez took the match 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-5.
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] David Palmer (AUS) v [Q] Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX)
[4] Shahier Razik (CAN) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[3] Olli Tuominen (FIN) v Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[2] Daryl Selby (ENG) v [Q] Cesar Salazar (MEX)
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