WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: DARE Santa Barbara Open Squash Championship, Santa Barbara, USA

Final:
[1] Paul Price (AUS) bt [2] Alex Gough (WAL) 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-8, 11-8 (70m)
 
Champion Price Retains Santa Barbara Title

Australia's top seed Paul Price needed 70 minutes to subdue second seed Alex Gough in the final of the DARE Santa Barbara Open Squash Championship to successfully defend the title he first won in the Californian city twelve months earlier.

Price, the world No20 from Melbourne, took the opening game, but Welshman Gough levelled the match after a tie-break.  Despite dropping his first game of the tournament, Price went on to clinch his 11-9 10-11 11-8 11-8 victory and the 11th PSA Tour title of his career.

"Both players changed their styles of play from their previous matches, going a little more conservative with some very long length rallies in the first two games, and taking less chances going short," said Tournament Director Robert Graham.  "It seemed as though they were both trying to limit each others opportunities to put the ball away, which has been both players' strengths in the tournament so far.

"As the match went on, and they tired a little, the game opened up and became more exciting, particularly as Gough seemed to be looking to change the pattern of play and started attacking more. Unfortunately this also led to a few too many errors, while Price stayed consistent all through," added Graham.