Sweet Home Chicago Open Daily Update - September 15, 2008
Contact: Erika Skorupskas or Ryan Kuntz, Healy & Schulte, Inc.
Phone: 312/765-8770
E-mail: eskorupskas@healyandschulte.com
Favorites Dominate in Semi-Final Play at the Sweet Home Chicago Open
World No. 5 Palmer, World No. 10 Barker To Meet in Championship Match Tonight At 7:00 p.m.
By: Kim Tunney
The all-glass court, dried out after the torrential weekend rains, held center stage once again at 401 N. Michigan Avenue 's Pioneer Court , allowing the top seeds to come through with stellar performances.
David Palmer met John White's strokework measure for measure in a four-game semi-final match that pitted friends against one another. "Sure it's hard," Palmer explained, "we're friends; we trained together this afternoon; we were roommates this weekend; we're both competitive."
"This is the best I've played since the Dutch Open," said White who had played a five-game, 115 minute-match against USA 's Julian Illingworth the night before.
Both played exceptionally well in the front of the court, testing one another with flicks and razor-sharp drops or cross drops. Palmer now has "the kinks out" of his game and is ready for the finals this evening.
In the second semi-final match of the evening, Peter Barker felt the all-glass glass court "rewards good squash..
Peter Barker (left) plays Hisham Ashour (right)
"I ran the ball away from (Ashour) and moved well," Barker said, describing the keys to his successful win against Hisham Ashour, who upset Olli Tuominen in Sunday night's quarter-finals. "I watched his movement patterns and tried to keep him on his back foot, with the ball away from him," Barker continued.
Ashour makes his way to the tournament in Baltimore a fitter, tougher player. Last night, however, he said he "made silly mistakes with errors just on the top of the tin." Ashour had a chance to take the match to a fourth game at seven-all in the third, but hit the tin with a kill, leading to Barker taking the final four points, the match and his ticket to the finals.
Peter Barker (left) plays Hisham Ashour (right)
Will up and coming Peter Barker break through tomorrow night by beating World No. 5 David Palmer? Stay tuned for the final act in this Chicago drama which begins at 7:00 p.m. at Championship Court . The winner walks away the champion of the inaugural Sweet Home Chicago Open.
Monday, September 15 Semi-Final Results:
David Palmer beat John White 3-1 11-6/ 5-11/ 11-6/ 12-10 (42 min)
Peter Barker beat Hisham Ashour 3-0 11-6/ 11-7/ 11-8 (35 min)
On Tuesday, September 16:
David Palmer plays Peter Barker at 7:00 pm
Tournament Details:
Date: Wednesday, September 10 . Monday, September 15, 2008
Location: Pioneer Court on Michigan Ave. , between the Tribune Towers and the Chicago River
About Sweet Home Chicago Open
The Sweet Home Chicago Open is the nation.s first-ever professional squash tournament to be held outdoors in an all-glass court, located in front of 401 North Michigan Avenue in Pioneer Court , between Tribune Tower and the Chicago River . Presented by Lakeshore Athletic Clubs, the Sweet Home Chicago Open is sponsored by Zeller Realty Group, Caledonian Fund Services, SmithBucklin and The Fairmont Chicago. This open-to-the-public event will feature many of the world.s top-ranked players as the newest stop on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and U.S. Squash Association tournament series.
For more information, or to view a complete list of the players expected to compete, please visit www.sweethomechicagoopen.com. For all media inquiries, please contact Ryan Kuntz at 312-765-8770 (office)/317-850-7264 (mobile) or via e-mail at rkuntz@healyandschulte.com.
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