Gaultier Stuns Champion Shabana To Set Up World Open Final Against Palmer

Australia's No2 seed David Palmer and France's eighth seed Gregory Gaultier will meet in Wednesday's final of the Al-Ahram World Open after Palmer defeated former champion Thierry Lincou and Gaultier disappointed the packed local crowd when he upset Egypt's top seed and defending champion Amr Shabana in dramatic semi-finals tonight on the all-glass court set alongside Egypt's famous pyramids of Giza.

For Palmer, the 2002 champion, it will be his third appearance in the final - but for Gaultier, the fast-rising 23-year-old who has never before progressed beyond the event's third round and who today celebrated a career-high world No7 ranking, it will be his maiden appearance in any PSA Super Series event final.

It was a fine display by the young Frenchman who had only once before beaten the in-form Shabana, the 27-year-old from Giza who has topped the world rankings for the past six months and boasts three PSA Tour titles this year.

After taking the first two games, Gaultier lost his way in the third game as Shabana turned on his racket magic and reduced the deficit. But Gaultier could still sense victory and duly regained his focus in the fourth game to charge to a majestic 11-5, 11-7, 2-11, 11-9 win.

When Palmer, the world No2 from Lithgow in New South Wales, took a two-games-to-love lead against Lincou, the world No3, he must have thought back to May when he reached the same position against the Frenchman in the final of the Liverpool 08 Open - and went on to lose in five!

Indeed, after a tie-break in the second which ended in Palmer's favour, Lincou survived the third game tie-break to force the match into a fourth game. But Palmer was not about to let history repeat itself, and maintained his composure to record an impressive 11-2, 11-10 (2-0), 10-11 (0-2), 11-5 win - a victory which brings the career head-to head tally between the two to six wins apiece!

Gaultier, from Aix-en-Provence, has faced Palmer four times on the PSA Tour since November 2003 - but, despite taking the experienced 30-year-old former world number one to five games in their last two meetings, has never yet beaten the Australian. Victory at the pyramids would surely signal the arrival of the French number two!

Semi-finals:
[8] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [1] Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-5, 11-7, 2-11, 11-9
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [3] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 11-2, 11-10 (2-0), 10-11 (0-2), 11-5