backThe Story So Far...
...2002, The Ups and Down’s
Year 2002 had a rough start. Palmer lost his No. 1 spot to Nicol in the January rankings, and took a surprise exit to British Open Finalist Chris Walker in the second round of the Tournament of Champions in New York, although he defeated Australian Joseph Kneipp in the first round. Palmer bounced back to reach the semi-finals of the Pakistan Open in March where he went down to Jonathon Power in four games.
Going into the British Open as defending champion, he took a surprise exit in the second round in a long four games to Welshman Alex Gough. A week later, he teamed up with Paul Price at the World Invitational doubles in Manchester, the venue for the up-coming Commonwealth Games. They were a spectacular combination, as Palmer and Price went on to win the tournament in fine form, defeating Simon Parke and Del Harris in the semi-finals and reigning Commonwealth Games Champions Paul Johnson and Mark Chaloner in the Final.
At the PSA Masters Qatar in April, Palmer come upon a fast-improving Anthony Ricketts in the first round, dropped the first game, then regained his confidence to take the match 10-15, 15-8, 15-10, 15-10. He proceeded to defeat Chaloner in the second round, won a hard fought five set match with Thierry Lincou in the quarter-finals, and then met Australian compatriot Stewart Boswell in the semi-finals. Boswell took his first win over his Australian teammate, 9-15, 10-15, 15-12, 4-15.
With the reward of Palmer’s consistency in 2001, he gained the No. 1 seeding for the Super Series Finals held in the great location of the Broadgate Arena in Central London.
Unsettled in his first round pool match against Chaloner, Palmer lost it 11-15, 15-8, 11-15, 8-15, but regained some composure to defeat Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia in his next pool match 15-11, 10-15, 15-5, 15-7. For Palmer, the most important and exciting match of the tournament was the final pool match against John White, which he had to win to proceed to the semi-finals. The match went right down to the wire, with Palmer victorious 15-5, 6-15, 15-10, 8-15, 15-9, placing him in the semi-finals against Nicol, last year’s winner against him.
Palmer played a great tactical game – “Squash as it should be played,” wrote a commentator - worked Nicol consistently, and triumphed 3-1, robbing Nicol of his fourth consecutive title. Palmer went on to take top prize, defeating Thierry Lincou in a challenging five sets.
At the Commonwealth Games, held every four years, Palmer seeded to gain a medal, went through the early rounds without dropping a set. He won his revenge on both Alex Gough and Chris Walker, and set up a semi-final berth with defending champion Nicol. Nicol overcoming Palmer 9-7, 9-1, 9-5, but still leaving him the Bronze medal. Palmer and Price teamed up once again for the doubles, but could not produce their flair as in the World Double's and went down to Lee Beachill and Peter Nicol in the semi-finals, once again settling for the Bronze.
Palmer returned to Hong Kong as defending champion in late August. He scalped Shaid Zaman and Amr Shabana in the opening rounds, beat Anthony Ricketts in the quarterfinals, but lost to Jonathan Power in the semi-finals in a close fought match 3-1.
In the wake of September 11, Palmer took on Boston ’s world-renowned U.S. Open at Symphony Hall, having played the event only once before. He attained his 21st Tour Final, defeating first former champion Simon Parke and then Mark Chaloner, to set up another clash with Peter Nicol in the semi-final. Palmer extracted his revenge, capturing the match in four enthralling sets, 15-14, 15-14, 15-9, 17-15. Proceeding to defeat Boswell in three in the final, Palmer had his first U.S. Open and 11th Tour Title.
While Palmer’s sights are currently set for the World Open at the end of 2002, on “home soil” in Antwerp , Belgium , the eyes of the squash world are turning to engage him with ever-increasing interest – with the growing sense that David Palmer is one of a kind.
