PST: David Palmer Headlines Group Of Three Tickets Punched for Detroit
from Tour Media
April 2, 2012 - PST Commissioner Joe McManus announced today that three players have received their invitations to the PST World Championships in Detroit this coming May 4-6.
"Mohamed El Sherbini, David Palmer, and Adrian Leanza are all mathematically certain to qualify," said McManus. "I sent them each a note this afternoon informing them."
Adrian Leanza
Adrian turned pro the week after finishing his collegiate eligibility at Brown University last spring. At the time, he was the Captain and #1 ranked player on the nation's #12 ranked college team.
Leanza grew up in Denver without the benefit of squash lessons. So, he taught himself to play. He is 6'1" of raw athletic ability and Brown Coach Stuart LeGassick shaped him into a squash player. Leanza is now one of several former College Squash Association (CSA) players competing on PST.
Last season, Leanza had mixed results but finished the season at #20 in the season standings. With a year under his belt and training with Scotsman Paul Frank, he has continued to improve. Leanza is now a feared opponent because of his elite fitness, which he attributes to his high altitude training and upbringing.
Leanza won the Philadelphia Open in December, and is currently #1 in PST's season standings.
Mohamed El Sherbini
Sherbini was PST's surprise recruit of last season. At the time, he was just 18 years old and had recently won the Egyptian Junior National Championship. With Egypt's deep pool of talent, this was no small accomplishment.
He briefly registered with the UK-based PSA before choosing the US-based PST. He had several strong finishes last season and finished #2 in PST's points race.
He trained hard in the off-season and added some muscle and conditioning. The young Egyptian opened this season by winning the San Diego Open. It was his first tournament victory in PST action. He followed that victory by winning the Bobcat Classic in Maine. He has been #1 in the points race through most of this season, but is currently in the #2 spot.
David Palmer
David is widely accepted as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. During his time on the PSA Tour, he won two World Open titles and four British Opens. Palmer's fitness is legendary, and players in all sports compare themselves to his performance in the much heralded Beep Test.
Palmer was an early and active participant in PST action before an international ban prevented him from competing.
It took a whole year for PST to convince him to return. When he left the PSA and joined PST, it was a global story. Palmer quickly won PST tournaments in Cleveland, Phoenix, and Westchester, New York. Today, he stands at #3 in the PST season standings but will look to improve his seeding for Detroit with a strong showing at the American Open
happening April 26-29.
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