Canadian Shawn Delierre (pic) made it onto the winner’s podium for the first time in more than three years. The unseeded 28-year-old from Montreal picked off some notable scalps on the way through to his surprise appearance in the Rhode Island Open final – including 6th seeded Irishman John Rooney and Mexico’s No4 seed Cesar Salazar. But it was in the 10th Tour final of his career that Delierre, a former word No40, pulled off his most impressive victory since undergoing leg surgery last year. Currently ranked 74 in PSA world rankings, Delierre battled for 97 minutes to overcome top seed Julian Illingworth, the world No35 from the USA, 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 12-10. The triumph not only denied Illingworth his second successive Tour title in Rhode Island, but gave Delierre the seventh Tour trophy of his career – and his first since winning the Good Life Open in Ottawa in October 2007.
