Gaultier beats Matthew to win US Open squash

Philadelphia: Gregory Gaultier, 2006 champion, clinched the Delaware Investments US Open Squash Championships title after beating another former champion, Nick Matthew, in straight games in the final of the fifth PSA World Series event of the year at Drexel University here.

It was a supreme performance by the top-seeded Frenchman who was celebrating his fourth successive appearance in a PSA World Tour event final since May - and carved his way through the world-class field without dropping a game Friday. World No.2 Gaultier took early leads in all three games - 6-1, 4-1 and 5-2 - and only in the second did third seed Matthew, the World No.4 from England, threaten to close the gap. The climax between two of the sport`s former world number ones took 51 minutes to complete - the second game alone lasting more than 20 minutes - with Gaultier concluding his masterclass in an 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 scoreline. "It`s amazing," said the delighted 30-year-old. "The last time I won this was 2006 so to win it again here in this great venue is like a dream." "I tried to play fast and use a lot of variation as he`s so strong in the middle of the court," explained Gaultier - after notching up the 25th PSA World Tour title of his career. "For me it`s my fifth tournament in a row, Nick has only just started after five months off, so I have the matches in my legs - maybe that was the difference tonight." "I`m sure he`ll come back strong, maybe we can have another match in the World Open final next week."