Alister Walker Wins PSA Grasshopper Cup In Zurich
by Howard Harding
28 April 2013 - Surviving his second successive match lasting more than 100 minutes, Alister Walker dethroned defending champion Daryl Selby to win the Grasshopper Cup in a five-game final of the PSA World Tour International 35 squash event at the Grasshopper Club in Zurich, Switzerland.
Twice Walker, the world No13 from Botswana, led the match - and twice English title-holder Selby, ranked just a single place lower, battled back to draw level in front of a packed crowd at the club.
Digging deep, and rediscovering the form which saw him oust top seed Borja Golan in a two-hour long semi-final, Walker raised his game again - taking the first five points of the decider before Selby made his mark.
Eager to extend his unbeaten record on the Zurich court, Selby was hoping to maintain his momentum in the fifth.
But it was New York-based Walker who took the early advantage in the decider - taking the first five points without reply.
"Ali did play really well in the fifth - he went for shots and it paid off," said an event spokesman.
After 102 minutes of intense squash, it was Walker (pictured, right, with Selby) who emerged as the Grasshopper Cup champion, winning 11-4, 5-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-2 to claim the eighth PSA Tour title of his career.
"Congrats @alisterWALKER," tweeted Selby later. "Played a great match today and deserves this title. Gave everything I had but came up just short."
Walker responded to his Twitter followers: "Great tournament, comeback from 8-0 in the quarter and dominant display in the semi. Things went my way today!"
RESULTS: PSA International 35 Grasshopper Cup, Zurich, Switzerland
Final:
[4] Alister Walker (BOT) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-4, 5-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-2 (102m)
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