David Palmer Wins a Classic Battle with Beachill
Outplays the World #1 in Search of his Third British Open
© 2004 Ron Beck, Exclusive to Squashtalk, all rights of reproduction reserved.
November 5, 2004

A Scintillating match between David Palmer and Lee Beachill, photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert

After ninety minutes of totally thrilling and high quality squash at Albert Hall in Nottingham, Lee Beachill, world #1 player, and David Palmer, former world #1 and two-time British Open champ, stood all-even at 6-6 in the fifth and final game.

With barely an unforced error between the two players, and countless high-precision rallies allong the backhand wall, it looked like the difference between the two players was either going to have to be an odd bounce off the wall or floor, or a strange refereeing decision.

This was a great contest between two fine attacking players, with contrasting styles, both at the height of their game. Probably one of the best matches of the past twelve months. The audience numbered about 300, but it should have been 1000 - this was an unforgettable contest and a great testament to the potential of the new 11 point scoring system.

And much of the match was contested against the backhand wall, as both players seemed to view that portion of the court as the weak point of the other.

The match started out with David Palmer gaining the quick momentum and a slim lead, which he didn't relinquish throughout the first game. Palmer was looking calm, confident and extremely ready to play.

David Palmer won the final point in a wonderful exhibition of high quality squash, photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert

Furthermore, Palmer's tight rails and controlled crosscourt drives were preventing Beachill from gaining a positional advantage. Beachill's approach, beginning with the second game, was to force the game, both short and long, along the backhand wall. This strategy worked as long as his short game was accurate and Palmer's court-changing crosscourt drives gave Beachill time off the back wall.

This worked for Beachill in the second game, as he re-took the momentum and earned the second 11-6. In the third game things got very serious. Lee Beachill started out continuing the momentum, as he took a quick 4-1 third game lead. But David Palmer always fights back, and when he parlayed taking the pace off of the ball into a recovery to 4-4, the match was back even, and it stayed that way for most of the rest of the match.

The third game was great stuff, with each player throwing everything possible at the other, only to see the opponent play a recovery shot and conterattack. Palmer was trying everything - boasts, drops, half-pace length, lobs and hard drives. Beachill played backboard to all of those attacked, and lauched his own attacks, almost all straight down the backhand wall. And whenever Beachill took the ball short, it inevitably created a lack of space and a collision in front. There were a lot of lets, but to the credit of both players, the match stayed totally clean with minimal arguing.

Two thirds of the way through game three, the match moved past the hour mark. Neither player looked tired. At 9-9 in the third, a very questionable no-let call against Beachill gave David Palmer game ball. Then was played probably the best point of the day, tournament, and possibly year. The ball covered every corner of the court, David Palmer tried every possible attack, both players kept the ball glued to either wall. It was a wonder chess match of a point that ended in a let.

At 10-10 Beachill played a dramatic volley nick to lead 11-10 and Palmer played a rare tin to give Beachill the 12-10 third game and the lead.

But we weren't done yet with the phenomenal play. Beachill again took a 3-1 lead in the fourth. But after Palmer regained his boasting game, to keep Beachilll off balance and off kilter the score stood at 6-3. The players were neck and neck, both players attacking again and again, the ball hugging the walls. Even though David Palmer won game four 11-4, it was a very closely contested game.

So now the match stood at 2-2 after 80 minutes.

The fifth game was played at even a higher level. We were certainly seeing the two best players in the tournament in this semi final.

In the fifth, David Palmer started out with some very strong attacking shots, taking a 4-1 lead after a wonderfully executed cross-court fake. And when Palmer led 5-2 he appeared in command. But as he said afterwards, "I still lose control from time to time, and lose my focus. You can't do that against a good player." Two unforced errors later it was suddenly 5-5 and the chess game reached the end game. So here we were at 6-6 after 90 minutes.

The next point went up and down the backhand rail, shot after shot, until finally one of Beachill's length shots took a funny skid in the back corner of the glass court, and Palmer couldn't get it. 8-6 Beachill. The next point was a carbon copy of the last, including an ending skid in the back corner, 9-6 to Beachill. It looked like Beachill's match, and the difference was two funny bounces in the back of the court.

But David Palmer never gives up. Another exceedingly well played point ended with a winning backhand drive by Palmer to bring him back to 7-9; and then two controversial strokes were awarded to Palmer, on some interference by Beachill in the back of the forehand court. Suddenly the score stood 9-9. The match then ended dramatically with a nick in the back of the court for Palmer to make it 10-9 in his favor, and then a winning drive-to-nick gave Palmer the match and a win over the world #1, 11-9 in the fifth game.

Men's Draw

Semi Finals in Progress:

Men's Semi finals:
[3] David Palmer (AUS) def [1] Lee Beachill (ENG) 11-8 6-11 10-11(0-2) 11-4 11-9 (101 m)
[5] Amr Shabana (EGY) vs [2] Thierry Lincou (FRA)

Women's semi finals:
[4] Natalie Grainger (USA) def [2] Cassie Jackman (ENG) 9-1 9-6 1-9 9-3
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) vs [3] Vanessa Atkinson (NED)

White versus Willstrop at the 2004 English Open - Now on DvD