US Open 2002

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Last updated 09/16/2002

[Complete Results]

PALMER SKATES TO VICTORY
By Martin Bronstein in Boston Sept 14 , 2002 ©2002 SquashTalk.com

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I went to a squash match today and a hockey game broke out. There was no ice in Boston Symphony Hall, except in the drinks, but the floor of the ASB court failed to soak up the sweat and David Palmer and Stewart Boswell, contesting the US Open title, were both sliding and slipping. After one spectacular fall, Boswell scored five perfect sixes.

Palmer summed it up after sliding to a fairly easy 3 to 0 victory: “This is a great court, but a terrible floor. We get the same problem on all these courts."

As things turned out, the floor didn’t make too much difference to the outcome of the match because Palmer was still in the zone and Boswell was well out of it. I said after yesterday’s semis that if Boswell didn’t start firing on all 12 cylinders, it would be a very short final. Well, it wasn’t that short – 61 minutes – but many of those minutes were taken up with wiping sweat off the floor.

BOSWELL IN BURSTS OF GOOD AND BAD

Palmer controlled the court at Symphony Hall (photo © Debra Tessier 2002

It was frustrating to watch Boswell who would play two very good, intelligent rallies and then undo all the good work with some awful errors. This is a player who normally gives nothing away emotionally, but today there were growls and scowls of frustration as he failed to call up his normal standard of spotless play. It got to the point where I thought that all Palmer had to do to win was keep standing and not miss the ball. It wasn’t that easy, but there was never any point in the match that Palmer seemed likely to lose. This took away any drama or suspense and it is not unkind to say that this was not, except for odd patches, anywhere near great squash. Although neither player admitted to the state of the floor affecting their performance, the thought of slipping and causing a career- threatening injury must have had some affect on their play.

CALMER PALMER
There were three or four frantic rallies of drops, retrievals, counter drops, sizzling drives, usually won by Palmer who by his sheer concentration seemed to slow everything down to where he had plenty of time for event he fastest of reaction shots. When I say the man was concentrated, I mean it. He led the first game to 14-9 and served for the game only to see Boswell slam his serve into the nick. Boswell built on this to get back to 13-14, but a sloppy shot gave Palmer the point on a stroke.

IMPATIENCE IS NOT A VIRTUE
Boswell actually led the second game 6-2 as Palmer, displaying one of his few vices, started going for winners too early gave away four points on three errors and a stroke. He checked that damaging compulsion and levelled at 8-all, surged to 11-8 at which point Boswell kicked the ball in frustration. It didn’t help and palmer had the second game 15-10 in 15 minutes.

THREE AND YOU’RE OUT

Boswell was largely on the defensive (photo © Debra Tessier 2002

The third game followed the same scenario, Palmer levelling at 7-7 and then suring ahead. At 9-6 Boswell called a let and when denied started to explain. Refree Barry Faguy stopped him with: “You should have asked quicker.” That ended the discussion but it did occur to me that this is not a fair decision on a slow talker. The slippages became more frequent and any rhythm that the players might have created was lost. The end came, inevitably as Palmer hit a fine forehand cross court, by which time Boswell knew that this was one final he would not win, and Palmer walked off a 15-ll winner.

“We played at my pace so I controlled it and played my kind of game,” Palmer said, happy to talk as a nice victor rather than a disgruntled loser. On the subject of his controlled demeanor, he admitted that he and Shaun Moxham, his coach, had spent the last two months concentration on his mental side.

“I feel much better not arguing with the referee and just concentrating on my squash. I know when I play like that I can beat anybody. Even the floor didn’t upset me but I knew Stu was struggling and I took advantage of that my trying to take him up the front as much as possible,” Palmer explained.

Another effortless stretch by David Palmer (photo © Debra Tessier 2002

A disconsolate Boswell admitted that he was off his game today.

“But everything I did Palmer had an answer. Rodney Martin told me to keep to the game plan which was to get in front Palmer but I couldn’t do it,” he said as he waited to collect the runner-up cheque.

As for the US Open, the Boston Symphony is the only place it can be held in the future. It is a good venue and for a first attempt, Nimick and his crew did very well. With each year the details will improve and the large local squash population will look forward to the tournament and tickets will go quicker. It is to be hoped that the PSA will now treat this important tournament with the respect it deserves.

US OPEN 2002 Sept 12-15 Symphony Hall, Boston MA USA

FINALS
David Palmer (AUS) bt Stewart Boswell (AUS) 15-13, 15-10, 15-11

SEMI-FINALS
David Palmer (Aus) bt Peter Nicol (Eng) 15-14, 15-14, 8-15, 17-15. (92 minutes)
Stewart Boswell (Aus) bt Thierry Lincou (Fra) 15-9, 15-13, 15-6 (55 minutes).