Courageous Palmer into second round
09-Aug-2011 -
Palmer, the 2009 champion, won the first two games only for the eighth seeded Malaysian to fight back and level proceedings.
Palmer got away to an early lead in the decider only to fall awkwardly at 7-5 and twist his ankle.
He took a brief injury break and when he came back the 35-year-old went for his shots, quickly bringing up match ball and then closing out an epic first round encounter with a forehand drive deep into the back corner.
Palmer now has a day off before he plays Englishman Tom Richards in the second round and said he would use the time to get his ankle assessed and have some medical treatment.
Richards earlier downed Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 to book his place in the second round.
World number one Nick Matthew made an impressive start to his title defence when he beat South Africa’s Steve Coppinger in straight games 11-7, 11-8, 11-9.
Matthew only looked in trouble briefly in the third game when he was behind 5-9, but he stepped up the pace to storm home and wrap up a hard fought match.
“I knew it would be a tough match from the moment I saw the draw,” Matthew said.
“I’m delighted to get off in three because it could have got tough out there if I’d have lost that first game.”
Matthew now takes on Ong Beng Hee after the Malaysian overcame a slow start to beat New Zealand qualifier Martin Knight 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-4.
In the day’s major upset, Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema played some superb squash to down seventh seeded Frenchman Thierry Lincou.
Anjema came back from losing the first game in a tiebreak to record his first ever win over Lincou 14-16, 11-9, 14-12, 11-5.
The Dutchman played some breathtaking squash throughout the match, but he was matched most of the way by the 35-year-old Lincou, who only began to fade towards the end as fatigue and lack of match play began to catch up with him.
It was Anjema’s first win over the Frenchman and he was delighted to finally break the hoodoo.
“I had to wait for 10 years until this guy was 35 years old and could hardly walk anymore, and I could just about beat him,” he said.
Anjema next takes on American number one Julian Illingworth, an 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 winner over Switzerland’s Nicholas Mueller.
Hong Kong’s Max Lee was the first player through to the second round when he came from a game down to beat New South Welshman 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8 Matthew Karwalski on Monday.
In the last match of the night, third seeded Egyptian Karim Darwish saw off a brave challenge from Australia’s Zac Alexander, winning 11-8, 11-13, 11-2, 11-6.