RESULTS: Bluenose Squash Classic, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Semi-finals:
[4] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [1] Peter Barker (ENG) 8-11, 15-13, 11-9, 11-5 (105m)
[3] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [2] David Palmer (AUS) 11-8, 11-5, 2-11, 11-7 (60m)
Epic semi-final battles in the Bluenose Classic in Canada led to the downfall of the top two seeds at St Mary’s University Tower in Halifax in Nova Scotia - and a final of the $40,000 PSA World Tour squash event which will feature third seed Thierry Lincou and fourth seed Daryl Selby.
Former world number ones and fellow 33-year-olds Thierry Lincou and David Palmer, the No2 seed from Australia, have fought out countless duels since joining the PSA Tour in the early nineties. And the pair did not disappoint as they battled for a place in the Bluenose final - defending champion Palmer looking for a second successive appearance.
But it was Frenchman Lincou that prevailed, winning 11-8, 11-5, 2-11, 11-7 in 60 minutes to reach the 40th Tour final of his career.
It took 105 minutes to resolve the other semi-final, where fellow Englishmen and Essex county compatriots Daryl Selby and Peter Barker, the top seed, fought for supremacy. Again, Barker was seeking a second successive time in the final after finishing as runner-up to Palmer 12 months ago.
But Selby, the 27-year-old world No15 dug deep to master his good friend - ranked eight places higher - and win 8-11, 15-13, 11-9, 11-5.
Selby is celebrating the 11th Tour final of his career - and only his third meeting with Lincou, with Frenchman hitherto boasting a 2/0 career advantage.