Walker Scores Hong Kong Football Club Success

Top seed Alister Walker overcame second-seeded Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema in the final of the Hong Kong Football Club PSA International 25 in straight games to win the PSA International 25 squash event in its second year at the Hong Kong Football Club in Hong Kong.

It was their eighth Tour meeting since 2004. Although Walker, the world No14 from Botswana, prevailed in their most recent clash, it was eight-time Dutch champion Anjema, ranked three places lower, who led the pair's head-to-head tally 5/2 going into the final.

"With only three PSA world ranking positions between them, it was always going to be more of a mental battle than one of technique," said event spokesman Dallas Reid. "Anjema benefited early on from a series of uncharacteristic errors from Walker, but both soon settled down into a solid rhythm hitting deep and waiting for openings.

"These were quite rare, but when they came, both players showed supreme execution in hammering high forehand volleys into the opposite front nick to the delight of the crowd. With so little separating the players in ability, unforced errors were bound to be costly, and in the middle of the first game Anjema made several and Walker seized the opportunity to pull level, and then close it out 11-8.

"The second game followed a similar pattern with solid depth squash interspersed with sudden attacks - but, seemingly no matter how tight and fast Anjema hit his drops and attacking boasts, Walker would set off with his trademark expulsion of air from the lungs, and not only reach it but return a strong attacking shot in reply. Again Walker managed to retain his form with fewer unforced errors, and ran out 11-6 up in the second.

"If anything Anjema started hitting even more dangerous attacking shots in the third game, and at times had Walker launching himself from corner to corner of the court to dig out one apparent dead kill after another. Inevitably frustration set in with Anjema tinning the ball in search of a shot that would not come back. Although always under pressure, Walker kept a stranglehold on the match and concluded the match with an 11-7 finish in the third game."

The US-based 30-year-old later acknowledged that the 3/0 score line was very flattering as at any time Anjema could have got back into the game and turned it around very easily. "Once you are ahead, every rally you turn about is another nail in the coffin," said the champion.

The title triumph marked Walker's second PSA World Tour title of the year - and the ninth of his career.