Boswell
Battles To Berkshire Crown
Almost 13
years after first tasting title success on the PSA World Tour,
Australia's Stewart Boswell was back on the winner's podium after
claiming the Berkshire Squash Open trophy in Williamstown, USA.
It was the
sixth year of the $25,000 event at Williams College - and Boswell's
second triumph after winning the title in its second year in 2005.
But this time
the 31-year-old from Canberra was the second seed - and faced favourite
Alister Walker in the final for the first since losing to the Englishman in
straight games, also in the USA.
"A packed
house was treated to a wonderful display of squash and sportsmanship," said
tournament spokesman David Johnson. "Neither had been seriously
threatened on their way to the final, and for those following the tournament
carefully, this match-up had been anticipated since day one of the tournament.
They were not to be disappointed."
After an
evenly-matched opening game which went to a tie-break, it was Boswell who took
the early lead - but world No14 Walker bounced back to draw level, taking the
second game for the loss of just two points.
Boswell,
ranked 18 in the world, quickly recovered and romped through the next two games
to win 12-10, 2-11, 11-7, 11-4 after 62 minutes.
The success
marks the 19th PSA World Tour title of Boswell's illustrious career, which got
underway in 1997 with appearances in six Tour finals and his maiden title
success in the Japan Open in June..
Walker & Boswell To
Battle For Berkshire Crown
The top two seeds
Alister Walker and Stewart Boswell will play out the final of the
Berkshire Squash Open after earning straight games wins in the semi-finals
of the $25,000 PSA World Tour event in its sixth year at Williams
College in Williamstown, USA.
English favourite
Walker, the world No14 from Leeds looking for his first title win at Williams
College, faced fellow countryman Joey Barrington, the fourth seed.
"The first game
proved to be the decider," observed tournament spokesman David Johnson. "Alister
nursed a small lead to game ball at 10-8 only to have Joey tie it up at 10-10.
But two short rallies later, Alister had hit one ball to great length and played
another short that left Joey standing flat-footed.
"It was all the
momentum Alister needed, and coupled with what seemed to be a tweaked hamstring
of Joey's right leg, the match got away from him quickly."
Walker was delighted
with the 12-10, 11-7, 11-2 win: "i hit the ball well today and felt like i have
got better every match. Unfortunately for Joey, a slight injury was definitely
hampering his movement today.
"Tomorrow will be
another level to deal with," added the 27-year-old who is now in his first Tour
final of the year and the seventh of his career. "Stewart has looked sharp and
hit the ball well: A good challenge to look forward to."
The other semi paired
second seed Boswell with Canadian qualifier Shawn Delierre.
But, after shock
victories over seeds in the previous two rounds, Delierre was unable to produce
another magical upset.
Boswell established
his tactically sound strategy from the outset and then executed it to
perfection, pinning the Canadian deep in the corners and then moving him up
front with tight-to-the-wall drops.
The 31-year-old world
No18 from Canberra took just 25 minutes to wrap up the 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 victory
- and a place in the 33rd PSA Tour final of his career.
When asked if not be
challenged in route to the finals might be a problem in terms of sharpness and
match toughness, 2005 champion Boswell commented: "It's been great for my legs
and my health to have had a relatively easy path to the finals, but I'll have to
be ready to step it up big-time in the next round against an opponent who
soundly trounced me the last time we played!"
Delierre Wins Again In Williamstown
Canadian qualifier
Shawn Delierre continued his giant-killing run in the
Berkshire Squash Open when he recorded his second successive
upset to reach the semi-finals of the $25,000 PSA World Tour
event in its sixth year at Williams College in
Williamstown, USA.
The 27-year-old from
Montreal made his breakthrough in the first round when he beat
eighth seed Jan Koukal, the Czech Republic number one.
His quarter-final
opponent Miguel Angel Rodriquez, the world No30 from Colombia who
was seeded three in this year's event. The Colombian took the first
game and was controlling play with creative combinations of
deception and nimble-footed quickness.
Then, surprisingly, the
24-year-old from Bogota lost his momentum - and the next three
games, as Delierre powered through to win 9-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-8 in
79 minutes.
Now just one win away
from his first PSA Tour final appearance since November 2008,
Delierre will face second seed Stewart Boswell, the 2005
champion from Australia.
For the second evening
in a row, Boswell closed out play in the event with a commanding
display of precision strokes and beautifully-weighted length, this
time against Julien Balbo, the world No55 from France.
Boswell kept Balbo
pinned to the back wall and remained almost totally error-free as he
pulled off his 11-2, 11-6, 11-7 win in a routine 30-minute match.
The other semi-final
will be an all-English affair between top seed Alister Walker
and fourth seed Joey Barrington.
Walker recovered from a
game down and eight-all in the second to beat rising US star
Gilly Lane, the sixth seed from Philadelphia, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6,
11-6.
It took Barrington a
marathon 81 minutes to get past fellow countryman Robbie Temple,
the No7 seed.
"After an hour of
squash, the lads had only split the first two games - and, with
little to choose between them in terms of style and tempo, it looked
to be a long evening of hard hitting and amazing court coverage,"
said event spokesman David Johnson.
But Barrington
maintained the upper hand throughout the last two games before securing his 11-7,
11-13, 11-6, 11-7 win.
Delierre Deals Berkshire Open Upset
Canadian qualifier Shawn Delierre delivered an impressive
upset in the first round of the Berkshire Squash Open when he beat eighth
seed Jan Koukal to claim a place in the quarter-finals of the $25,000
PSA World Tour event in its sixth year at Williams College in
Williamstown, USA
A former world No40, Delierre has seen his ranking slide to 138
after undergoing leg surgery last year. But the 27-year-old from Montreal
rediscovered his former form as he battled to an 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6 victory
over the Czech Republic number one in 55 minutes.
Delierre will now face top Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez.
The third seed had too many shots and too much speed in the front of the court
for Olivier Pett, beating the English qualifier 11-8, 11-8, 11-6.
Sixth seed Gilly Lane kept US interest in the event alive
with a straight games win over Tom Pashley. The No6 seed's control of the
court and the weight of his strokes proved too much for the English qualifier as
Lane recorded an 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 win in 44 minutes.
Lane's reward is a clash with top seed Alister Walker, the
world No14 from Leeds who was too strong for Ryan Thompson, beating the
popular Williams College resident pro 11-7, 11-5, 11-5.
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