Squash: Martin loses world title

RODNEY MARTIN, of Australia, lost his World Open title when he was defeated by his compatriot, Chris Dittmar, in the semi-finals here yesterday . Dittmar, who has played in four finals without success, meets Jansher Khan in another today after beating Martin 15-5, 12-15, 17-16, 15-8.

Dittmar's match could easily have tilted the other way, however, had he not saved three game points in the third game: the first when Martin overstretched for a volley, the second when he retrieved brilliantly, and the third when his drive hit Martin's racket, earning a penalty stroke.

Dittmar had been in two minds whether to play his normal creative game or to attempt to run Martin about, because the title holder had had such a tough quarter-final against his brother, Brett, the night before. 'I did a bit more retrieving than usual, hoping he would get tired, but in the end I actually got tired myself,' Dittmar said.

Jansher ended the run of Austin Adarraga, the Australian-born Spanish qualifier 15-5, 13-15, 15-7, 15-8 in the other semi-final.

Meanwhile, Geoff Hunt, one of the few players who could conceivably rival Jahangir Khan for the accolade of the greatest player in the sport's history, has joined the ranks of those critical of the way the Pakistani chose to end his career here this week. To see the player who had won the British Open a record 10 times go out of this event with a short handshake and a quick exit without finishing his last match against Peter Marshall, of England, was at best an anticlimax.

Some, including Hunt, see it in a worse light than that. 'He should have given his opponent the satisfaction of a genuine victory,' the Australian, who won the British Open eight times until his career was also ended by injury, is reported to have remarked.