Kneipp Captures Canary Islands Crown

Joseph Kneipp has brought a PSA Tour title drought of almost seven years to an end by clinching the Prince Canary Islands Open trophy in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Spain.

Runner-up in four Tour events since winning the Greenwich Open in January 2000, the 33-year-old Australian has had notable success on a doubles squash court this year - winning the Mixed title in the WSF World Doubles Championships with compatriot Rachael Grinham in January, then the Commonwealth Games Mixed Doubles gold medal (with Rachael's sister Natalie Grinham) in Melbourne in March.

But the 33-year-old former world No10 from Brisbane was in fine form in Tenerife, where he reached the final without conceding a game.

The top seed's opponent in the $12,000 PSA Tour event's climax was England's Bradley Ball, the No2 seed celebrating his fourth PSA final appearance of the year.

Kneipp, currently ranked 39 in the world - three places higher than Ball - was too strong for the 30-year-old from Ipswich, winning 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 to secure the sixth Tour title of his career.

Final:
[1] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt [2] Bradley Ball (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 11-4