David Palmer Commits to the Australian Open

13-Mar-2010 - Australian Open

Australia’s champion squash player, David Palmer has committed to playing in this year’s Australian Open.  In what is likely to be his last year as a full-time touring professional, the former World, British and Australian Open champion is looking forward to competing for the title he won in 2008.

The 2010 Australian Open will be held in Canberra for the first time and will be a major sporting event for that city in August. Over a hundred of the world’s best men and women squash players and a few thousand spectators will place Canberra at the centre of world squash.

David is currently based in Orlando, Florida in the United States to take advantage of the lucrative US squash tour, but he is true-blue Aussie and can’t wait to get back home. “Apart from a few exhibition matches the Commonwealth Games and the Australian Open in 2008, squash fans in Australia have not seen me playing and competing against the best in the world. That is true of all our touring Aussies. I couldn’t be happier that the Australian Open in 2010 will be right up there as one of the handful of elite tournaments,” David said.

“Another great bonus is that the men’s and women’s tours will come together in Canberra. That always makes for a great atmosphere and a large number of high standard matches to watch.

“I know Canberra is Stewart Boswell’s home town, but it almost like home for me. I grew up in inland NSW a few hours north and I feel strongly the move to Canberra, the increase in prize money and the move to August will make it a great championship,” David said. Stewart Boswell is the defending Australian Open champion and a native of Canberra although now based in Manchester in England.

Organisers of the Australian Open welcome David Palmer’s commitment to his home championships. “It’s a great outcome when the leading Australian players who are nearly all based overseas make the effort to travel back home for the Australian Open,” said Gary Hampson, Tournament Director. “This year, they have to be on their best form to keep the title in Australian hands. Most, if not all, of the top sixteen ranked players in the world will be. Let’s hope David is fit, healthy and determined in August.”

David will also be promoting his recent change in rackets to Black Knight. The gold-finished racket he has been using recently has certainly drawn a lot of comment from his fans.

Another bonus of the rescheduling of the Australian Open to August is the preparation this allows for the Commonwealth Games team for October in Delhi. Doubles matches on a two metre wider court is a feature of the Commonwealth Games competition. The overseas-based Australian players returning in August can practice their doubles and hone the team skills they will need to win Gold in Delhi. A doubles camp has been arranged in Melbourne immediately following the Open in Canberra.