Walker & Richards To Contest Berkshire Final

Contrasting victories by Alister Walker and Tom Richards in the semi-finals of the Berkshire Open will see the top two seeds contest the final of the PSA World Tour International 35 squash event in its eighth year at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA.

"On paper, the night's opener between Alister and Spaniard Borja Golan promised squash at its best to a packed house behind the glass court," explained tournament organiser Zafi Levy, the college's Head Squash Coach. "Both players are at or near the top of their games — superbly conditioned, good ball strikers, up-tempo strategists and fight-to-the-finish competitors.

"And, two hours and eleven minutes later (yes, you've read it correctly — 2 hrs 11 minutes - and during this time, some amazing squash was actually played!) it maybe should have been declared a draw!"

After winning the first game on a tie-break, then dropping the next two, Walker claimed the fourth and fifth games by the same 12-10 margin - incredibly, not having to face match-balls in either game - before clinching the dramatic 12-10, 4-11, 7-11, 12-10, 12-10 victory which takes the world No18 from Botswana into the 10th Tour final of his career.

In the other semi, second seed Richards faced US hope Julian Illingworth, the only unseeded player in the last four.

"Julian had the better of the play, taking the first game 11-9 and holding two games ball at 10-8 up in the second," reported Levy. "At that point a lengthy, between-point stretch against the glass side wall suggested that something might be up. Losing four straight points and then taking extra time between games confirmed that Julian's back, which had so miraculously healed itself in the middle of his quarter final match with Yasir Butt, would now be a key factor in the outcome of the match."

Indeed, Richards went on to take control - winning 8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5 in 55 minutes to notch up the eighth final appearance of his career.

Walker will go into the final with an undefeated record over the Englishman. But since two Tour losses in 2010, Richards has overtaken the favourite in the PSA world rankings. Revenge will no doubt be the order of the day!

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