David Palmer scored a
memorable victory here tonight, in a thrilling match that had everything -
great squash, a fantastic comeback, spill, thrills, arguments galore and
the tightest finish you can get.
Power started well in control,
streaking ahead from 4-4 in the first, and from 5-5 in the second to take
what seemed like a winning lead. Power was in total control at the front
of the court, winning point after point with exquisite drops.
It was always a physical
match, with players colliding, diving, slipping, holding, and complaining
throughout. Power received 2 conduct strokes, but it could have been more,
for either player.
Palmer clawed his way back,
getting the better of a very scrappy third game, although he almost blew a
13-7 lead, with Power coming back to 14-all before Palmer finally took it
17-16.
Palmer took and held an early
lead in the fourth, and went ahead again in the fifth. There were less
stoppages now, and this appeared to favour Palmer. But it was Power's turn
to stage a comeback, and from 11-all it went point for point until
Palmer chose the sudden death option at 14-all.
The final rally saw both
players scrambling desperately, but it was Palmer who hit the final nick.
"I never really felt out
of it", he said at the end. "Jonathon played too well in the
first two, but I got better as it went on. We're both pretty physical, but
we both had good fun. There was some unbelievable scrambling on that last
point."
Palmer said he wasn't going to
watch the second semi - he didn't care who he played in the final.