Squash title last night at the Bermuda Squash Courts when he ousted Australian Anthony Hill 15-12, 12-15, 15-11, 15-14 in the final.

The match was fitting for a final as the contest was just as close as the pair's world ranking suggests...Parke ranked seventh and Hill ninth.

"It got pretty tight out there,'' the exhausted Parke admitted afterwards, gasping for breath before receiving his $4,000 first-prize cheque.

He was relieved not to have to go into a fifth game as Hill battled back to tie it up late in the game.

"He made me work hard, it was close all the way, never easy,'' admitted the new champion, who earlier won his group with wins over world number three Brett Martin and number five Chris Walker.

It was Parke's first appearance in Bermuda since 1991, when he lost in the semi-finals to Gary Waite. But already he is planning to return next year to defend his crown.

"It's been very enjoyable going around on mopeds,'' he said. "Yesterday was great fun going to the different beaches.'' However, he showed his class when the serious stuff began, outlasting Hill to win the first game as his opponents made early mistakes. Parke stretched his lead to 14-8 and after Hill came back to 14-12, Parke put the first game in the bag.

The second was closer as Hill had a slim lead at 5-3 and then 6-4. Parke fought back at 6-6 but Hill picked up his game and moved from 7-7 to 10-7 and on to a 15-12 win.

That momentum was carried into the next game when Hill went up 4-0, only for his opponent to run off four straight points himself. After that it was close at 6-6 and 7-7 before Parke ran ahead 10-7.

His three straight points were matched by three straight from Hill who made it 10-10.

Hill, 27, blew a chance to make it 12-12 as Parke stayed in front to win with both players beginning to tire from the heat.

"It was only one point so he caught one and got lucky, that's the way I see it,'' joked Hill afterwards. The pair are old rivals, having played each other since they were juniors.

"It's been an ongoing battle between us, lots of fun but tough.'' Both players head to Minneapolis for the US Open and then onto New York for another tournament. Hill will also play in tournaments in Cairo, Egypt, Germany, Pakistan (for the World Open) and India.

In the match for third place, Del Harris of England beat Australian Brett Martin 15-13, 15-13, 9-15, 15-11.

KING OF THE COURT -- England's Simon Parke last night captured the $17,000 Bermuda Open with a 3-1 victory over Anthony Hill.