Hopes of an English double were foiled in the finals of the Dunlop British Open - Liverpool 2008 squash championships when Australia's David Palmer clinched the men's title for the fourth time and Malaysian Nicol David the women's crown for a third time at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool.

In what will go down as one of the most dramatic men's finals in the prestigious event's 80-year-old history, fifth seed Palmer squandered a 2/0 lead against England's James Willstrop, then saved two championship balls in the decider to beat the fourth seed 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 11-10 (3-1) in a 111-minute thriller.

Underdog Palmer, who had reached the final after his semi-final opponent Karim Darwish conceded the match he was leading after sustaining an Achilles injury, was in commanding form in the first two games and well into the third.

But Willstrop, 24, from Leeds, showed true Yorkshire grit by fighting back to level the match and moving 9-6 ahead.

Both players were clearly exhausted, but fought for every point - causing gasps of amazement from the capacity Arena crowd as irretrievable balls were retrieved.

The Englishman had match balls at 10-9 and 11-10 - but it was the 31-year-old from New South Wales who ultimately prevailed in the longest match of the tournament - and the longest British Open final since 1997.

"You've got to take your hat off to him," said British National champion Willstrop afterwards.  "I didn't have an answer in the first two games - but then I dug in.  He's a true champion - it's no disgrace, I've just got to accept it!"

Palmer admitted that he thought he was 'home and dry' at 6-4 up in the fourth.  "I then got a bit slow - and he took advantage.  James is a great guy and a great ambassador for the sport."

After a seesaw last half of the final game, Palmer reached match ball at 12-11, then noticed that his racket was cracked and walked off court to replace it.  Amazingly, the winning shot that followed was a miss hit off the frame, which ended in the sidewall nick!

"We both had a few lucky bounces - I don't know what happened in the final shot, it came off my frame for a cross-court nick.  'I'll take that', I thought."

Earlier, Nicol David, in her fourth successive women's final, faced final debutante Jenny Duncalf, the fifth seed from Harrogate who beat Australia's defending champion Rachael Grinham en-route to the climax.

David, eager to make up for the disappointment of her shock defeat in last year's final, romped to a first game win in just eight minutes - then forged a 7-2 lead in the second.

But Duncalf, buoyed by a near capacity home crowd at the brand new ECHO Arena, fought back to level the game then moved to within a point of taking the game.

However, the 24-year-old from Penang rallied to save the game-ball and went on to win the match 9-1, 10-8, 9-0 in 40 minutes to secure her third title in four years.

"She's a very special player," said Duncalf of her opponent afterwards.  "I just couldn't make any headway.  I certainly could have done with that second game - it would have given me a lot of momentum."

Nicol David, now celebrating her fifth successive WISPA World Tour title and her 17^th in 20 events, admitted that losing the title last year hit her hard:  "I was really devastated - it was there for the taking.

"But you get stronger - you learn what you have to do.  You don't let anything get in your way.

"I knew she was going for it in the second game - she had nothing to lose.  I had to make sure I didn't let her in."

When asked about her feelings about the new 'Pro Scoring' system which will be in place by the time she seeks to reclaim her World Open title in Manchester in October, David said:  "It'll be interesting.  We'll see what happens."
 

Women's semi-finals:

[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [4] Natalie Grainger (USA)                        9-5, 9-1, 9-0 (27m)

[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)                     4-9, 9-3, 9-6, 9-6 (73m)

Historic British Open Double For Willstrop & Duncalf

Yorkshireman James Willstrop ensured that there will be English interest in both finals of the Dunlop British Open - Liverpool 2008 squash championships for only the second time in 44 years when he overwhelmed Frenchman Thierry Lincou in straight games in Sunday's men's semi-finals at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool.

The 24-year-old world No3 from Leeds avenged his recent defeat by the former world number one in Kuwait, winning 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 in 50 minutes to reach the final for the second time. 

Earlier Jenny Duncalf - also from Yorkshire - beat French qualifier Isabelle Stoehr to claim a maiden place in the women's final. 

Willstrop, now in his sixth PSA Tour final in seven events, was in stunning form against Lincou.  The British national champion had answers for everything that the experienced Frenchman could throw at him.

After winning the first two games, Willstrop returned to the court knowing that only two weeks earlier he had been in a similar position in the Kuwait Open - yet lost in a five-game thriller!

"Kuwait was a good lesson for me - tonight I kept it simple and had to be as positive and tough as I could," said the Englishman.

"For a squash player to be in the British Open final is a bit special."

When asked to comment on the comparison with his 2005 British Open final appearance, the now 24-year-old said:  "My little muscles have become a bit stronger since then.  Hopefully I've got a bigger engine now - and I hope I'll be able to use it!"

A forlorn Lincou admitted that his opponent never showed any signs of fatigue nor gave him any easy points.  "He was just too good - he played amazing squash," said the 32-year-old from Marseille.  "I think he's in good shape to win it if he wants it."

Willstrop will face Australia's three times champion David Palmer in Monday's final.  The fifth seed, appearing in his seventh semi-final in nine years, led throughout the opening game against Karim Darwish, the No7 seed from Egypt who knocked out France's defending champion Gregory Gaultier in the previous round.

But it was all-change in the second as the 26-year-old from Cairo claimed the upper hand and took the game for the loss of just three points.

And Darwish continued to press home his advantage in the third until referee Wendy Danzey stopped the game, instructing the Egyptian to leave the court to have a 'blood injury to the knee' attended to.

Amazingly, it was only seconds after walking back on court that the former world junior champion turned back - signalling that he could no longer continue.  It later transpired that he had also strained his Achilles tendon earlier in the match.

"It feels great to be in the final - but a little strange," said the 31-year-old Australian who was also taken aback by the abrupt curtailment of the match.

"I thought he'd caught his knee - I didn't realise it was anything to do with his ankle.  But I was in trouble at that point in the match - I'd played pretty well in the first game but he totally turned it round in the next."

Jenny Duncalf, the world number eight who had never before lost to Stoehr, admitted that she was "a little bit edgy" in the early part of the match against her lower-ranked opponent - and dropped the first game.

The 25-year-old fifth seed from Harrogate fought back and finally converted her fourth match ball to record a 4-9, 9-3, 9-6, 9-6 triumph after 73 minutes.

"I'm ecstatic to be in the final - this has to be the best result of my life," added Duncalf.

Later Malaysia's top seed Nicol David put in a powerful performance to beat Natalie Grainger, the Manchester-born fourth seed from the USA.

Grainger led 5-2 in the first game - but only scored one further point in the match as David took control and stormed to a 9-5, 9-1, 9-0 victory in just 27 minutes.

"I got my momentum midway through the first game and started playing a much more attacking game," said the two times champion who suffered a shock defeat in the 2007 event.

Women's quarter-finals:

[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL)                           7-9, 9-7, 9-5, 9-2 (63m)

[4] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG)         9-3, 10-9, 9-6 (46m)

[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS)                    9-5, 1-9, 9-6, 9-1 (54m)

[Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [2] Natalie Grinham (NED)                   6-9, 9-4, 1-0 ret. (28m)

Champions Chopped In British Open Upsets

Within the first three hours of the first day of action in the Dunlop British Open - Liverpool 2008 squash championships at the ECHO Arena Liverpool, both champions were out of the tournament at the quarter-finals stage.

The men's event produced two successive shocks in the afternoon session when the defeat of defending champion Gregory Gaultier was followed by the surprise exit of top seed and world number one Amr Shabana.

In the women's event England's Jenny Duncalf upset title-holder Rachael Grinham.

There will be English interest in both the men's and women's semi-finals of the after Yorkshireman James Willstrop survived a 61-minute battle against England team-mate Peter Barker in the men's quarter-finals

In a hard-fought and relentless encounter, 24-year-old Willstrop recovered from a swift second game loss to defeat left-handed Londoner Barker 11-9, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8.

"It was an absolute scrap," said the England number one, who now reached the last four for the second time in four years.  "I didn't feel either of us controlled the game well - but it was a good game and an honest one against a good guy whose game has really come on.

"You get more motivated as the rounds go on," added the world number three from Leeds.

Barker, who came up against Willstrop countless times as a junior and senior, said:  "I'm very, very disappointed.  But it was no disgrace.  I'd be happy for James to go through to the final - and I know he'd have felt the same about me."

Third seed Gregory Gaultier, the world number two who last year became the first ever French winner of the men's trophy, crashed out 11-9, 11-7, 11-3 to Egypt's Karim Darwish, the No8 seed.

"That was the best win of my career," said the 26-year-old from Cairo who was also a semi-finalist two years ago.  "I knew I could do it - but I had to stay focussed as Greg is one of the best players around.

"I kept thinking about the last time we played - in Kuwait, where I was ahead in all of the games but he won 3/0," explained Darwish, ranked eight in the world. 

"I wasn't focussed then, but I was today - I had to believe in myself."

It was a bad day at the office for Shabana, one of the game's most gifted and mercurial talents.  After dropping the first game, the favourite came back to level the match.

But Palmer, making his 12^th appearance in the event since 1997 and champion three times, maintained the pressure to come through an 11-6, 3-11, 11-5, 11-8 winner after 49 minutes.

"I'm just happy to play at this level still - I've nothing to prove anymore," said the 31-year-old from New South Wales who recently settled in Boston, USA.

"I don't think either of us played particularly well - but maybe I wanted it a bit more," added Palmer, now in his seventh semi in nine years.

The lower half of the women's draw was thrown into disarray when Jenny Duncalf defeated Rachael Grinham, the reigning world champion and former world number one, 9-5, 1-9, 9-6, 9-1.

The 25-year-old fifth seed from Harrogate had never before beaten the three times champion from Australia:  "I don't know what happened," said a seemingly startled Duncalf later.  "I had to keep reminding myself to stay focused - you can't afford to relax for a moment with Rachael, she's so good with the racquet."

In the first British Open semi-final of her career, Duncalf will face Isabelle Stoehr after the French qualifier earlier ousted Rachael's sister Natalie Grinham, the second seed.

Grinham junior, a record three times Commonwealth Games gold medallist, won the opening game - but, at 4-0 in the second, took a lunge which caused pain in her left thigh.

"I called for the physio at 6-4.  In the break, he said I could go back on but it might make sit worse," explained the 30-year-old from Queensland who now flies the Dutch flag. 

"Sometimes pain just goes away, but when I tried a similar lunge at the beginning of the third game, the pain was so sharp I just had to stop.  Nothing like that has ever happened to me before."

Stoehr had mixed feelings about claiming her maiden appearance in the semi-finals:  "50% I'm happy and 50% I'm not," said the 28-year-old from Montpellier, who survived three qualifying matches before the first round.

"People say 'Isabelle is not fit'!  This is a good reply to those who say that. 

"Everything is now a bonus to me."

Later in the day, Malaysia's world number Nicol David recovered from a game and 5-2 down to beat difficult opponent Shelley Kitchen 7-9, 9-7, 9-5, 9-2.  The win avenged a shock second round loss to the New Zealander in last year's World Open in Madrid.

[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [12] Adrian Grant (ENG)                      11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6 (70m)

[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [14] Olli Tuominen (FIN)                11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (34m)

[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)         11-7, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0) (47m)

[8] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [9] Lee Beachill (ENG)           11-9, 4-11, 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-8 (83m)

[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS)               11-9, 11-9, 11-7 (47m)

[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [16] Alex Gough (WAL)                      11-6, 11-3, 11-5 (37m)

[11] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [2] Ramy Ashour (EGY)          11-1, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8 (41m)

Women's 1^st round:

[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Madeline Perry (IRL)                       9-0, 9-4, 9-4 (37m)

[6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Vanessa Atkinson (NED)                   8-10, 9-3, 9-4, 9-2 (57m)

[4] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [Q] Kasey Brown (AUS)                 9-5, 9-3, 9-7 (36m)

Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) bt [7] Vicky Botwright (ENG)      9-6, 2-9, 4-9, 9-6, 9-6 (80m)

[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Alison Waters (ENG)                         4-9, 9-2, 10-8, 9-1 (59m)

[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY)             9-6, 9-1, 9-2 (38m)

[Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [8] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)        9-2, 2-9, 9-6, 9-6 (66m)

[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt Rebecca Chiu (HKG)                        9-4, 9-0, 6-9, 9-4 (72m)

Shock British Open Exit For Ashour

Malaysia's Mohd Azlan Iskandar pulled off a sensational upset in the Dunlop British Open - Liverpool 2008 when he beat second-seeded Egyptian Ramy Ashour in four games to take an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA Super Series Silver event at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool.

It was clear from the outset that the 20-year-old world number four from Cairo - wearing full length white surgical stockings - was suffering in some way when the Malaysian outsider romped to a first game win in just five minutes.

Despite severely restricted movement, the sport's rising star was able to use his sensational racquet skills to win the second game - but it always looked unlikely that Ashour could win the match.

"It was hard dealing with that situation - but I must admit that I found it a bit intimidating when he came onto court wearing tights!" said the delighted 11^th seed Iskandar after his 11-1, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8 victory.  "You think he's injured, then he gets the ball back with interest! 

"But when you win the first game 11-1, what do you do?  I got a bit excited, I admit, but I had to remind myself to go back to fundamentals:  the player who makes the most errors loses the match!

"Six months ago, I would have bottled it - so I'm glad I was able to concentrate on the job in hand."

It was a deeply downhearted Ashour that was finally able to explain what had happened.  "My injuries include both my ham strings, as well as my ankle and my lower back.

"I feel that I'm abusing myself - abusing my body.  I think I should rethink what I do - if I keep on like this, I won't keep going for another two years."

World No3 James Willstrop will meet career-long rival and England team-mate Peter Barker in Saturday's quarter-finals to ensure home interest in the semi-finals of the longest-established and most prestigious event in world squash.

In the second round match at the Liverpool Cricket Club, England number one Willstrop despatched Malaysian Ong Beng Hee, the tenth seed, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 in 47 minutes to reach the last eight for the fifth time in the past six years.

The adjacent second round match which produced the fourth seed's next opponent featured the two team-mates who fought alongside him in England's victory over France in last week's European Team Championships final.  It was close and seesaw encounter between the two closest seeds in the last sixteen, in which left-handed Londoner Peter Barker, the eighth seed, ultimately prevailed 11-9, 4-11, 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-8 over ninth-seeded Yorkshireman Lee Beachill in 83 minutes.

"Lee's probably moving better than he has done for a long time - and as his ball-striking is the best in the world, I feel delighted to have won," said Barker after the longest match of the day.

"But I have mixed emotions about beating him, as we have become close friends over the past year and he has become a massive influence to me.  He was a major factor in helping me win the deciding match in last year's World Team Championship final.

"But at the end of the day, it's just a game of squash," concluded the 24-year-old Londoner.

Top seed Amr Shabana survived a tough - but entertaining - match against US-based Scot John White, beating the game's hardest-hitter 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0) in 52 minutes.  In fact, 13^th seed White came off court midway through the fourth game thinking he'd won it to force a decider.  However, the referee ruled a let and asked the players to return to the court.

The favourite went on to save two game balls before converting his first match ball to secure a place in the quarter-finals for the second successive year.

"John and I always have fun matches - in fact, it was tough to concentrate, I was enjoying it so much.  I had to keep reminding myself that the point of the match was to win - not just have fun," explained the 28-year-old from Cairo who has topped the men's world rankings for the past two years. 

"I had to raie my game in the fourth to win the match - and I'll now have to get myself prepared for my quarter-final against David Palmer, "added Shabana, who has won major PSA Tour titles all over the globe, including three World Open crowns, but never the British Open.

"It's the one I haven't won.  When I was a junior, I used to dream about winning the British Open.  It would be great to win it now - then I would have the complete set!"

White, a veteran of the Tour for more than 17 years, revealed later that this would be his last British Open.  A quarter-finalist in his debut in 1996, the Australian-born 34-year-old has taken up the role as Director of Squash at Franklin & Marshall College in the USA.

"I've had great memories of the British Open, including my best win over Canadian Jonathon Power in the 2002 semi-finals which took me to the final for the first time," said the 13^th seed, a former world number one.

"But I couldn't have planned a better way to go out than with a match against Amr Shabana.  Since going through qualifiers together some 15 years ago, we've become great friends and always have really enjoyable matches.

"He's really picked up his game over the past few years and become an unbelievable player.  I hope he goes on to win the title here - I'd be delighted for him," concluded White.

The event's first upset took place in the women's event when Isabelle Stoehr, a qualifier from France, beat eighth-seeded Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy 9-2, 2-9, 9-6, 9-6 in 66 minutes.

Abdel Kawy - fresh from victory in last month's Hurghada International in her home country, where she beat world champion Rachael Grinham in the final - was playing her opening match of the tournament, whereas Stoehr had already battled through three qualifying rounds.

"It was her first match, so I knew I had capitalise on the fact that I'd played three times on the courts - and get a strong start," said the 28-year-old from Montpellier.  "I tried to play it really tight - she's got such good racquet skills.  But I also knew she could give me a few easy points.

"Even when I lost the second game, I still felt strong - and just had to push, push, push.

"I'm pleased with my game - I'm feeling confident and I'm happy in my life," added Stoehr, who now faces second seed Natalie Grinham in the quarter-finals on the all-glass court at the ECHO Arena.

"A few years ago I would have approached tomorrow's match expecting to lose - but now my confidence is high.  It's all about being relaxed and happy."

The longest women's match was an all-Lancashire bout between Manchester Vicky Botwright, the No7 seed, and unseeded Laura Lengthorn-Massaro, from Preston.  It was the pair's sixth meeting this year - and eventually the fifth upset by Lengthorn-Massaro over her higher-ranked county compatriot.

"I feel I've been playing really well recently - and felt I deserved to get into the quarter-finals," said 24-year-old Laura, ranked 12 in the world, after her 9-6, 2-9, 4-9, 9-6, 9-6 victory.

British Open action now moves to the brand new ECHO Arena Liverpool where quarter-finals matches on the all-glass showcourt kick off at midday on Saturday.

Men's 1st round:

[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA)                       11-5, 11-8, 11-5 (33m)

[13] John White (SCO) bt [Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS)                 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (26m)

[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)       11-3, 11-5, 11-6 (32m)

[12] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Tom Richards (ENG)              11-10 (2-0), 11-2, 4-11, 11-9 (49m)

[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK)             11-8, 11-3, 11-8 (37m)

[14] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Joey Barrington (ENG)                 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 3-11, 11-7 (77m)

[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG)                  11-10 (3-1), 11-8, 11-7 (40m)

[15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Jesse Engelbrecht (RSA)   11-6, 4-11, 11-6, 11-2 (36m)

[9] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt Daryl Selby (ENG)                              11-8, 11-4, 11-5 (49m)

[8] Peter Barker (ENG) bt Tom Pashley (ENG)                                11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (40m)

[10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [Q] Farhan Mehboob (PAK)         6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (85m)

[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)                 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2 (53m)

[16] Alex Gough (WAL) bt [Q] Scott Arnold (AUS)                      6-11, 11-1, 11-1, 0-11, 11-9 (60m)

[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Jonathan Harford (ENG)                 11-10 (2-0), 11-5, 11-3 (33m)

[11] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] Wade Johnstone (AUS)       11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (29m)

[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Alister Walker (ENG)                            11-8, 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7 (65m)

Women's qualifying finals:

Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Emma Beddoes (ENG)                     9-0, 6-9, 3-9, 9-1, 9-2 (69m)

Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG)       5-9, 9-4, 9-2, 9-4 (67m)

Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)                     10-8, 9-0, 5-9, 9-0 (54m)