Palmer & Barker Set Up Bluenose Classic Final

Top seeds David Palmer and Peter Barker will line up for the final of the Bluenose Classic after both players survived four-games semi-finals in the $40,000 PSA Tour squash event at the Tower at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in Canada.

Australia's David Palmer, the favourite and a former world number one, faced one of the next generation of professional talent, world No14 Borja Golan of Spain.

"It was not a challenge Palmer would be able to take lightly and Golan's first touch of the ball reminded everyone of that when he hit a winning drive as a service return," said a spokesman for the event.

Palmer weathered the storm provided by the 26-year-old from Santiago, who arrived in Canada fresh from his victory in the Motor City Open in Detroit last week. The Australian won 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8 to mark up his 51st appearance in a Tour final.

In the other semi-final, the precision of England's Peter Barker and the raw athleticism and shot-making of Laurens Jan Anjema ran headlong into each other, producing another jaw-dropping display.

This match too went to four games as Barker, the second seed who is ranked nine in the world, beat his Dutch opponent 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-7 to follow his prescribed path to the final.

The climax will mark Barker's 17th Tour final - but his third successive meeting in a US Tour final with Palmer since September last year.

Semi-finals:
[1] David Palmer (AUS) bt [3] Borja Golan (ESP) 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8
[2] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-7