Boswell Triumphs In Australian Open

David Palmer's bid for a first Australian Open squash title is on hold for another year following Stewart Boswell's five-game win today over the world number two in Adelaide.

Boswell, the world number 15 from Canberra, beat Palmer 7-11 11-8 4-11 11-10 (2-0) 11-2 in 82 minutes to claim his second national open title, adding to his 2002 success.

Top seed Palmer had match ball while leading 10-9 in the fourth but couldn't convert.

Boswell leveled the match soon after and then went on to take the championship.

He said he was lucky to win on Sunday as it could have gone either way.

"It was always going to be tight," he said. "I just got lucky today.

"Both of us were a little bit rusty - we had some good rallies but we also had some average patches."

Boswell and Palmer are both in training at the moment as the professional tour takes its end of season break, but Boswell said the win would give him a boost when his season begins again in August with the English and World Opens.

"It should give me some momentum," he said. "It's always good to have a win in proper tournament conditions.

"We're in training so nobody is peaking right at the moment but it's nice to win the Australian Open for another time."

Boswell will play some exhibition matches alongside Palmer and world number four Anthony Ricketts in Canberra and Sydney, before returning to his training base in England ahead of the English Open.

In Canberra they will be joined by local professional Tim Manning, while Australian Open semi-finalist Dan Jenson will play the Sydney exhibitions.