PSA: Palmer survives Montreal thriller
David Palmer remained on track for his second PSA title in a row after surviving a five-game thriller against Scottish qualifier Alan Clyne in the quarter-finals of the NBF Open squash tournament in Montreal on Wednesday.
Palmer had to come from 2/1 down before subduing the challenge of Clyne, a rising star on the world squash stage.
Clyne had upset New South Welshman Ryan Cuskelly in four games on Tuesday 12-10, 8-11, 12-10, 11-2, while Palmer saw off American number one Julian Illingworth 7-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8.
Palmer next faces Englishman Alister Walker in the semi-finals as he bids to add the Montreal title to last week’s Rocky Mountain Open.
The second semi-final will be between top seeded Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema and Egypt’s Hisham Ashour.
Results – prefix denotes seeding:
First round
1-Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 13-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-4
Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt David Phillips (CAN) 13-11, 11-7, 11-7
Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Tarek Momen (EGY) 13-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8
3-Hisham Ashour (EGY) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 7-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7
4-Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Joel Hinds (ENG) 10-12, 11-4, 11-2, 7-11, 11-7
Alister Walker (ENG) bt Shawn Delierre (CAN) 9-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)Â 12-10, 8-11, 12-10, 11-2
2-David Palmer (AUS) bt Julian Illingworth (USA)Â 7-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8
Quarter-finals
1-Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Stephane Galifi (ITA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8
3-Hisham Ashour (EGY) bt Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-9, 11-5, 11-3
Alister Walker (ENG) bt 4-Adrian Grant (ENG) 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9
2-David Palmer (AUS) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 11-9, 6-11, 4-11, 11-3, 11-8