Egypt’s Karim Darwish reached the semi-final of the Dunlop British Open – Liverpool 2008 before having to retire at 11-7 3-11 4-8 ret, against eventual winner David Palmer of Australia, with a strained achilles tendon, at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool.
David Palmer overcame England’s James Willstrop to clinch the men's title for the fourth time in the Dunlop British Open – Liverpool 2008 at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool.
In what will go down as one of the most dramatic men's finals in the prestigious event's 80-year-old history, fifth seed Palmer squandered a 2/0 lead against England's James Willstrop, then saved two championship balls in the decider to beat the fourth seed 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 11-10 (3-1) in a 111-minute thriller.
Underdog Palmer, who had reached the final after his semi-final opponent Karim Darwish conceded the match he was leading after sustaining an Achilles injury, was in commanding form in the first two games and well into the third.
But Willstrop, 24, from Leeds, showed true Yorkshire grit by fighting back to level the match and moving 9-6 ahead.
Both players were clearly exhausted, but fought for every point - causing gasps of amazement from the capacity Arena crowd as irretrievable balls were retrieved.
The Englishman had match balls at 10-9 and 11-10 - but it was the 31-year-old from New South Wales who ultimately prevailed in the longest match of the tournament - and the longest British Open final since 1997.
"You've got to take your hat off to him," said British National champion Willstrop afterwards. "I didn't have an answer in the first two games - but then I dug in. He's a true champion - it's no disgrace, I've just got to accept it!"
Palmer admitted that he thought he was 'home and dry' at 6-4 up in the fourth. "I then got a bit slow - and he took advantage. James is a great guy and a great ambassador for the sport."
After a seesaw last half of the final game, Palmer reached match ball at 12-11, then noticed that his racket was cracked and walked off court to replace it. Amazingly, the winning shot that followed was a miss hit off the frame, which ended in the sidewall nick!
"We both had a few lucky bounces - I don't know what happened in the final shot, it came off my frame for a cross-court nick. 'I'll take that', I thought."
Semi-finals:
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [7] Karim Darwish (EGY) 11-7, 3-11, 4-8 ret.
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 11-7, 11-3, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [1] Amr Shabana (EGY)11-6, 3-11, 11-5, 11-8
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)11-9, 11-7, 11-3
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [8] Peter Barker (ENG)11-9, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8
[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [11] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS)11-8, 11-7, 11-8
2nd round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [13] John White (SCO)11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0)
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [12] Adrian Grant (ENG)11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [14] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-4, 11-4, 11-5
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)11-7, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0)
[8] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [9] Lee Beachill (ENG)11-9, 4-11, 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-8
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS)11-9, 11-9, 11-7
[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [16] Alex Gough (WAL)11-6, 11-3, 11-5
[11] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [2] Ramy Ashour (EGY)11-1, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8
1st round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-5
[13] John White (SCO) bt [Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-5
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-3, 11-5, 11-6
[12] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Tom Richards (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-2, 4-11, 11-9
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8
[14] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 3-11, 11-7
[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-10 (3-1), 11-8, 11-7
[15] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Jesse Engelbrecht (RSA)11-6, 4-11, 11-6, 11-2
[9] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5
[8] Peter Barker (ENG) bt Tom Pashley (ENG) 11-4, 11-9, 11-8
[10] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [Q] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2
[16] Alex Gough (WAL) bt [Q] Scott Arnold (AUS) 6-11, 11-1, 11-1, 0-11, 11-9
[6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Jonathan Harford (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-5, 11-3
[11] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5
[2] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt Alister Walker (ENG) 11-8, 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7
Qualifying finals:
Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Ben Ford (ENG) 11-4, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7
Jonathan Harford (ENG) bt Robbie Temple (ENG) 11-7, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5
Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt Mark Fuller (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 11-10 (3-1)
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Shaun le Roux (ENG) 11-4, 11-9, 11-9
Jesse Engelbrecht (RSA) bt Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 4-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-10 (5-3), 11-3
Scott Arnold (AUS) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-9, 11-7, 11-5
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Scott Handley (ENG) 11-3, 11-4, 11-10(3-1)
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4
Issued by iSPORTgroup.com