From ANDREW DENT
Australia’s Stewart Boswell has decided to call time on his distinguished career after falling to Frenchman Gregory Gaultier in the quarter-finals of the Kuwait Cup World Series tournament on Sunday.
Boswell made a great start as he took the first game but he couldn’t hold off the mercurial Frenchman, who stormed home to win 8-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 in just under an hour.
Following his quarter-final loss the 33-year-old Boswell quietly announced his retirement from the sport, joining long-time Australian teammate David Palmer on the sidelines.
Boswell steps away from the sport after a run of recent good form which saw him reach the semi-finals in Qatar and the quarters in Hong Kong and Kuwait.
He won 20 tournaments in his career including four Australian Opens and the Swedish and US Opens, played in five Australian world championship teams and went to three Commonwealth Games, winning three silver medals and one bronze.
Boswell, who learned his squash at the Woden Squash Club in Canberra, reached a career-high world ranking of four before a severe back injury forced him off court for over a year in 2004-05.
When he returned he was never quite able to make it back into the 10, reaching number 11 in 2007. He currently sits at number 16.
Australian head coach Byron Davis said Boswell was an ornament to the sport.
“Stewart’s been a wonderful player for many years and we are sad to see him go, although I can understand his decision,” Davis said.
“He has always represented Australia with pride and has been one of the most popular players ever to pull on a national shirt.
“He has also been a fine ambassador for Australian squash and the AIS squash program.
“The sport is losing one of the true gentlemen of the courts.”