Top Seed Palmer Marches Into Chicago Quarters

Top-seeded Australian David Palmer claimed his anticipated place in the quarter-finals of the Sweet Home Chicago Open after despatching wild card Alain Osman Mudeen in straight games in the opening round of the $30,000 PSA Tour squash event in Chicago, USA.

Palmer, the reigning British Open champion, worked the 17-year-old from the Cayman Islands up and down the court to win the first match of the evening. Palmer looked relaxed testing the side walls with boasts to see how the all-glass court in the open air played. It was to his liking.

Mudeen, who studies at the American School in Cairo, kept up with Palmer - but, after the match, admitted: "I'm not a British Open champion just yet," referring to Palmer's multiple wins.

Palmer will take on Englishman Daryl Selby for a place in the semi-finals after the No7 seed from Essex beat Irish qualifier Arthur Gaskin 11-9, 11-8, 11-5.

Fourth seed John White, Head Coach at Franklin and Marshall College and ranked 19 in the world, showed patience and skill defeating Egyptian-born Yasser el Halaby who, while attending Princeton University from 2002-2006, won the intercollegiate championships an unprecedented four times in a row.

However, that accolade alone was not enough to stop White from winning in four games.

"The court takes a good length," said the US-based Scotsman after his 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9 victory. "It sticks to the sidewall so my drops were working tonight."

White now has a rest day before facing the USA's number one player Julian Illingworth on Saturday. Now ranked 38 in the world, eighth seed Illingworth continued his run up the ladder by beating Ireland's Liam Kenny 11-4, 11-7, 11-5.

1st round (top half of draw):
[1] David Palmer (AUS) bt Alain Osman Mudeen (CAY) 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 (21m)
[7] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 (46m)
[4] John White (SCO) bt Yasser El Halaby (EGY) 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9 (37m)
[8] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt Liam Kenny (IRL) 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (40m)