Beachill & Palmer Battle Into Boston Final

It took almost three hours of intense squash action to produce the two men's finalists in the US Open at the Murr Center at Harvard University in Boston. Both semi-finals went to the wire - Lee Beachill overcoming fellow Englishman Nick Matthew after a tie-break in the fifth game and, in an all-Australian clash, David Palmer taking five games to claim victory over British Open champion Anthony Ricketts.

By contrast, Natalie Grinham and Vicky Botwright swept aside their semi-final opponents in straight games to set up the predicted women's final between the two top seeds.

Defending champion Lee Beachill has not won a PSA Tour title since picking up the US Open trophy at the Boston Symphony Hall a year ago. But the 27-year-old third seed from Yorkshire has looked like a man on a mission during this year's event at Harvard - and when he quickly snatched the first game against Matthew for the loss of just two points, it looked as if he might be on and off the court in less than the 25 minutes it took him to win his quarter-final match.

But the 25-year-old sixth seed soon took the upper hand and moved ahead two games to one. However, Beachill jumped ahead 9-2 in the fourth and closed out the game quickly to draw level.

Advantage in the fifth seesawed between the players. Beachill gave himself match ball with a sweet drop winner at 9-9. Matthew responded with his own drop winner. Matthew then went for a short backhand cross court that he was clearly hoping would nick; instead it hit the tin, giving Beachill the match 11-2 9-11 9-11 11-3 11-10 in 76 minutes - and the chance to play for his first 2005 PSA title.

"This is the best I have felt all season," Beachill said after the match. "I haven't been playing well up until now; it has been difficult to live up to the world No2 ranking. But I'll be tough to beat in the finals if I play like I did tonight."

David Palmer is also a former US Open champion - in 2002 - and a runner-up the following year, when he also beat Ricketts. A second round loser in last month's British Open, Palmer fought for 98 minutes to overcome the winner of the English event 11-10 9-11 11-9 9-11 11-9 to reach his 35th PSA Tour final.

"I am happy to win," said Palmer. "But disappointed that I lost the fourth - you can't give away big leads like that." With three of the year's biggest tournaments - the Qatar Classic, the World Open in Hong Kong, and the pre-Christmas Saudi International - to be played between now and the year-end, Palmer is eager to claim the 2005 US Open title. "It will mean a lot to me to win here, to give me the extra shot of confidence for the next three events," said the third seed.

Favourite Natalie Grinham's 9-5 9-7 9-1 victory over fourth seed Shelley Kitchen takes the Australian into her third WISPA World Tour final in three weeks. "I have lost a bit of focus," said the world No4 said after her semi-final win. "I have had a few other things on my mind."

At the top of the list has been planning her early March wedding to PSA Tour player Tommy Berden. "But now I have everything organised and there is nothing more to do until March, so I can really focus on my game," added the Queenslander, now in her 15th WISPA final.

Second Vicky Botwright had the swiftest win of the day, beating Egypt's third seed Omneya Abdel Kawy 9-0 9-5 9-3 in 30 minutes. The world No7 from England is celebrating her fifth final appearance this year and looking for her third win.

Men's semi-finals:
[3] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [6] Nick Matthew (ENG) 11-2, 9-11, 9-11, 11-3, 11-10 (2-0) (76m)
[2] David Palmer (AUS) bt [4] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 11-10 (3-1), 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 (98m)

Women's semi-finals:
[2] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [3] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 9-0, 9-5, 9-3 (30m)
[1] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [4] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 9-5, 9-7, 9-1 (42m)