01-06 November 2004 Nottingham, England
 


  

  British Open Squash  2003  
 


 

Men's final:
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [1] Peter Nicol (ENG)
      15-13, 15-13, 15-8 (54m)

Women's final:
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [6] Cassie Jackman (ENG)
      9-3, 7-9, 9-2, 9-5 (50m)

Palmer & Grinham In
Australian British Open Double

Home hopes were shattered in today's finals of the British Open Squash Championships at the Albert Hall in Nottingham where second seed David Palmer and third seed Rachael Grinham pulled off an unexpected Australian double.

Grinham, the world No4 from Toowoomba in Queensland, beat England's sixth seed Cassie Jackman 9-3 7-9 9-2 9-5 in the women's final in her first ever victory over the world No6 from Norwich - and Palmer, the world No3 from Lithgow in New South Wales, upset men's defending champion Peter Nicol 15-13 15-13 15-8 in his first straight games win over the world No1.

Rachael Grinham was in sparkling form after her career-first victory in the semi-finals over the top seed and world No1 Carol Owens. The 26-year-old, now based in Cairo, was a game up in just eight minutes - to claim the first that she had taken against Jackman in their six meetings since September 2001.

Jackman, in her second British Open final, pulled level by taking the next game - but the focussed Australian fought back to grab the next two to secure her maiden British Open title in 50 minutes.

"I knew this was my big chance - the pressure was more on Cassie than on me, as she's always beaten me before," said Rachael afterwards, still unable to take in the magnitude of her success. "I think I used up all my excitement after beating Carol Owens for the first time yesterday."

Rachael maintains Australia's hold on the women's trophy which was won by the now retired Sarah Fitz-Gerald for the last two years. "Fitzy's not a bad name to follow, is it?"

When asked how she would celebrate, Grinham responded: "I can't really go too mad - I've got the US Open next week and I'm seeded to meet Cassie again in the quarter-finals! But today's win is definitely going to give me more confidence in the future," added the new champion.

The men's final brought together two of the world's top players in their 13th PSA Tour meeting since March 2000. With only three losses against Palmer over the period, Nicol would have been favoured to win - but the 30-year-old from London had staged a remarkable comeback only 16 hours earlier to beat his great rival Jonathan Power in a 112-minute marathon.

The Englishman had leads in the first two games but was eventually beaten in 54 minutes as 27-year-old Palmer reclaimed the men's trophy that Nicol had wrested from him last year.

"I've seen Peter at tournaments for years and years now, so I wasn't expecting him to be tired - he still keeps turning it out. Every time I play him, I expect it to be tough, and this was no exception - but it's the first time I've beaten him 3/0" said a delighted Palmer later.

The Belgian-based Australian was celebrating his first tournament win following a four-month layoff after complications from an appendix operation in March. "I turned it into a positive thing, it was the first time in five or six years I had been able to give my body a complete rest.

"But to come back and win the British is pretty special - today is probably the best day of my life."

In the presentations after the men's final, Grinham dedicated her win to the Heliopolis Club in Cairo where she is now based: "It's thanks to the Heliopolis that my squash has improved out of sight in the two years I have been there," Rachael told the sell-out audience.

Palmer drew rapturous applause from the crowd when he said of the Albert Hall: "This is a beautiful venue - I'd be happy to play here every year!"

 
     
  Full results from 2003:     MASTERS  
 

Women's Results 2003:

WOMEN'S FINAL:
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [6] Cassie Jackman (ENG)  9-3, 7-9 9-2, 9-5 (50m)

Semi-Finals:
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [1] Carol Owens (NZL)  9-7, 9-5, 9-3 (38 m)
[6] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [2] Natalie Grainger (USA)  9-6, 9-7, 9-5 (46m)

Quarter Finals:
[1] Carol Owens (NZL) bt [7] Natalie Grinham (AUS)  9-2, 10-8, 9-3 (34 m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt [5] Vicky Botwright (ENG)  10-9, 9-0 5-9, 9-4 (57 m)
[6] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [4] Linda Charman (ENG)  9-1, 9-5, 9-7 (47 m)
[2] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [8] Rebecca Macree (ENG)  9-3, 0-6, 9-1 (39m)

First Round:
[1]Carol Owens (NZL) bt [Q] Shelley Kitchen (NZL)  9-6, 9-2, 9-7
[7] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt Stephanie Brind (ENG)  9-6, 9-2, 9-7
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Fiona Geaves (ENG)  9-2, 9-2, 9-6
[5] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt Vanessa Atkinson (NED)  9-5, 7-9, 9-3, 9-4
[6] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [Q] Laura Lengthorn (ENG)  9-2, 9-3, 9-1.
[4] Linda Charman (ENG) bt Jenny Tranfield (ENG)  w/o
[8] Rebecca Macree (ENG) bt [Q] Carla Khan (PAK)  9-5, 10-9, 9-0.
[2] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [Q] Nicol David (MAS)  9-0, 9-2, 9-4.

Qualifying Finals:
Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Jenny Duncalf (ENG)  9-2, 9-7, 9-2 (45m)
Laura Lengthorn (ENG) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG)  10-9, 6-9, 9-3, 9-4 (72m)
Carla Khan (PAK) bt Tegwen Malik (WAL)  9-2, 9-5, 5-9, 9-0.
Nicol David (MAS) bt Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)  9-6, 9-4, 9-4 (37m)

First Qualifying Round:
Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Alison Waters (ENG)   9-6, 9-1, 9-2 (29m)
Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Kate Roe (ENG)   9-2, 9-1, 9-2 (24m)
Laura Lengthorn (ENG) bt Pamela Nimmo (SCO)   9-6, 1-9, 9-5, 8-10, 9-5 (71m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt Sharon Wee (MAS)   9-6, 9-0, 9-4 (33m)
Tegwen Malik (WAL) bt Annelize Naude (NED)   9-3, 1-9, 9-0, 9-1 (34m)
Carla Khan (PAK) bt Madeline Perry (IRL)   6-9, 9-5, 0-9, 9-5, 10-8 (68m)
Nicol David (MAS) bt Wendy Maitland (SCO)   9-2, 9-6, 9-0 (23m)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Vicky Lankester (ENG)   5-9, 4-9, 9-5, 9-6, 9-7 (79m)

Men's Results 2003:

MEN'S FINAL:
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [1] Peter Nicol (ENG)  15-13, 15-13, 15-8 (54m)

Semi-Finals:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt Jonathon Power (CAN)  12-15, 11-15, 17-14, 15-13, 15-13 (112m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [5] Anthony Ricketts (AUS)  9-15, 15-12, 15-14, 8-15, 15-12 (95m)

Quarter-Finals:
[1] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt Lee Beachill (ENG)  15-8, 17-15, 15-8 (59m)
[4] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt James Willstrop (ENG)  10-15, 15-8, 15-9, 15-9 (77m)
[5] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt [3] John White (SCO)  15-5, 8-15, 15-5, 10-15, 15-7 (83m)
[2] David Palmer (Asu) bt Olli Tuominen (Fin)  15-9, 15-8, 15-13 (56m)

First Round:
[1]Peter Nicol (ENG) bt Martin Heath (SCO)  15-6, 1-10 15-4 (41 m)
Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [Q) Alex Gough (Wal  15-12, 15-10, 12-15 15-13 (85 m)
[4] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt Mark Chaloner (ENG)  15-9, 15-10, 15-5 (65m)
James Willstrop (ENG) bt Joe Kneipp (AUS)  15-9, 15-10, 15-9 (42m)
[5]Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt [Q] Nick Taylor (ENG)  17-16, 15-6, 15-8 (46m)
[3] John White (SCO) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK)  15-11, 15-3, 17-15 (38m)
[Q]Olli Tuominen (Fin) bt [6] Ong BENG Hee (Mas)  15-11, 15-10, 15-7 (56m)
[2]David Palmer (Au) bt Amr Shabana (EGY)  15-12, 15-9, 15-8 (46m)

Qualifying Finals::
Alex Gough (WAL) bt Tommy Berden (NED)  15-8, 13-15, 15-9, 15-9 (91m)
Del Harris (ENG) bt Nick Matthew (ENG)  15-13, ret. (20m)
Nick Taylor (ENG) bt Stephen Meads (ENG)  15-13, 17-14, 14-17, 15-6 (86m)
Bradley Ball (ENG) bt Dan Jenson (AUS)  15-9, 15-7, 10-15, 15-9 (69m)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA)  15-14, 15-8, 15-12 (60m)
Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Farrukh Zaman (PAK)  15-8, 15-11, 15-10 (54m)
James Willstrop (ENG) bt Renan Lavigne (FRA)  15-10, 15-11, 15-13 (67m)
Simon Parke (ENG) bt John Rooney (IRL)  15-11, 15-10, 15-2 (46m)

First Qualifying Round:
Alex Gough (WAL) bye
Tommy Berden (NED) bt Ibrahim Gul (PAK)  15-9, 15-3, 15-0 (21m)
Nick Matthew (ENG) bt Joey Barrington (ENG)  15-9, 15-9, 11-15, 17-15 (98m)
Del Harris (ENG) bt Michael Elford (ENG)  15-4, 15-7, 15-4 (36m)
Nick Taylor (ENG) bye
Stephen Meads (ENG) bt Rob Aerts (BEL)  15-13, 15-1, 15-6 (35m)
Dan Jenson (AUS) bt Mohammad Nasir Farooq (PAK)  15-8, 15-10, 15-4 (28m)
Bradley Ball (ENG) bt Rizwan Farooq (PAK)  15-6, 15-11, 15-4 (24m)
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Abdul Razzaq (PAK)  15-6, 15-5, 15-2 (20m)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Sam Miller (ENG)  15-5, 15-6, 15-4 (28m)
Farrukh Zaman (PAK) bt Peter Pastijn (BEL)  13-15, 15-5, 15-7, 15-17, 15-7 (87m)
Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Duncan Walsh (ENG)  15-4, 15-7, 15-9 (45m)
James Willstrop (ENG) bt Neil Reddington (ENG)  15-6, 15-5, 15-7 (30m)
Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK)  15-11, 15-4, 15-6 (32m)
John Rooney (IRL) bt Shahid Zaman (PAK)  17-15, 15-8, 15-10 (45m)
Simon Parke (ENG) bye

  

  

 

 

 

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