Raneem El Weleily also made a first semi-final as she found her shots to beat Natalie Grinham in three, and to finish Madeline Perry gave six-time champion Nicol David a real test before the world number one reasserted to win in four.

Cayman World Open 2012 presented by BDO, Quarter-Finals:

[1] Nicol David (Mas) 3-1 [10] Madeline Perry (Irl) 11/3, 11/7, 9/11, 11/3 (51m)
[6] Jenny Duncalf (Eng) 3-2 [4] Alison Waters (Eng) 7/11, 17/19, 11/5, 11/4, 11/9 (77m)
[3] Laura Massaro (Eng) 3-1 [7] Low Wee Wern (Mas) 8/11, 11/4, 11/5, 11/5 (46m)
[2] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) 3-0 [11] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 11/9, 11/9, 11/7 (26m)

Comeback Queen Jenny

The first quarter-final of the Cayman World Open presented by BDO was an all-English affair between two opponents who know each other well but hadn’t played competitively for just over two years, but that didn’t show tonight as they fought out another five-setter that was as close as can be.

The opening game and a half were a bit scrappy – Duncalf’s description – as they got used to the slightly cooler, windy conditions, and it was Waters who won that segment of the match, taking the first 11/7 from 5-all, and going 7-2 and 9-4 up in the second.

That game turned into the one that no-one wanted to win – Duncalf came back to 9-7 more on the back of a lapse in concentration from Waters, and both mixed nice winners with inexplicable errors as the score crept up and up. Eventually Waters took it 19/17 with a trademark volley drop but Duncalf was well into the match now.

The next two games were comfortably Duncalf’s, 9-4 in the third and 6-0 in the fourth were converted 11/5 and 11/4 and we had a decider.

There were no big leads in the final game, both playing fluently now, and with hardly a point to split them the score reached 9-all.

A volley into the tin for once from Waters brought up match ball, which was decided with one of the best rallies of the tournament, Waters not quite catching hold of Duncalf’s crosscourt and tinning again.

Jenny has normally been the higher seed when these two have met, and the delight she showed on that final point spoke a lot of the trials she’s been through of last as her ranking has slipped. Another World Open semi-final does wonders for the confidence though.

“It was a bit scrappy at the start, but in the second I was starting to feel much better, and even though I lost it I felt the momentum had turned towards me.

“On the final point I knew she would be there to hit a crosscourt but I played it anyway and fortunately it just clipped the tin. Delighted to win, a bit disappointed for Al too, but not that much!

“We all love playing here, the whole vibe is great and it makes you feel so relaxed on court – and it wasn’t too hot tonight which was a bonus!”

[3] Laura Massaro (Eng) 3-1 [7] Low Wee Wern (Mas) 8/11, 11/4, 11/5, 11/5 (46m)

Massaro double up for English

Laura Massaro made it two English semi-finalists with was was ultimately an impressive and dominant performance against Malaysia’s Low Wee Wern.

The match started out with controlled and patient rallies, and although Massaro opened up from 3-all to a 6-3 lead, it was the Malaysian who started to get the better of things as, much to Massaro’s frustration, Low moved ahead 10-7, taking the lead on her second game ball.

That proved to be a temporart blip as far as Massaro was concerned though as she proceeded to dominate the next three games, increasingly catching Low out with boasts and crosscourt flicks.

She established leads of 6-1 in the second, 9-2 in the third and 5-0 then 10-3 in the fourth, with cries of “Cmon” emanating regularly from Massaro herself and from watching husband Danny as the Englishwoman maintained her unbeaten record against Low to win in a round 45 minutes.

“She gets so many ball back, whenever I play her I have to try to keep my aggression up, that’s where all the “cmons” help. I’ve become better at dealing with the pressure of being expected to win over the last couple of years and that’s helped me improve my consistency and my ranking.

“I’m so pleased to make a first World Open semi-final, I’ll just take each match as it comes now.”

[2] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) 3-0 [11] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 11/9, 11/9, 11/7 (26m)

Raneem edges it

Second seed Raneem El Weleily won through to a first World Open semi – she was actually playing her first quarter-final – with a straight-games win over four-time finalist Natalie Grinham that was anything but straightforward.

Both have abundant racket skills and both are willing retrievers, and the match quickly settled into the expected pattern of short, sharp rallies with winners coming from unexpected places from both players, with of course a few tins thrown in for good measure.

From 5-all in the first the Egyptian found her mark enough times to build a 10-6 lead, finally taking the lead with Grinham closing, 11/9.

The second was even, all the way to 9-all, but a tin and a stroke did for the Dutchwoman as Weleily repeated the 11/9 score to go two up.

A 4-0 start for Grinham in the third, but Raneem’s shots were going in more consistently now and she levelled at 6-all with a volleydrop glued to the wall. More sublime shots took her to 10-6, and after missing out on the first attempt she took the match with a wrongfooting return of serve that left Natalie rooted to the T.

So it’s not to be a fifth final for Natalie, who will feel aggrieved not to get at leas a game, she certainly deserved that, but it could well be a first for Raneem.

“I played better today than I did yesterday, and I’m thankful for that,” said the winner. “Natalie has great racket skills and it’s always difficulty trying to stay focused and consistent when you play her sdo I’m pleased I managed to do that today.

“I’m really happy to make a first semi-final and I hope I can play as well tomorrow and make the final.

“I haven’t seen much of the island so far, but I’ve seen lots of photos of the other girls with the dolphins. I haven’t been to see them yet, and I hope I don’t get the chance to!”

[1] Nicol David (Mas) 3-1 [10] Madeline Perry (Irl) 11/3, 11/7, 9/11, 11/3 (51m)

Nicol steps up in the end

Defending champion and top seed Nicol David started the final match of the day well in control against Madeline Perry, taking the first game 11/3 with the Irishwoman struggling to get a foothold in the match.

David finished it in the same vein with Perry struggling to match the pace injected by the Malaysian who won the final game 11/3 as well.

But in between Madeling gave the world number one a really good challenge. During the second and third games there was hardly a rally that wasn’t long, well executed, and plain tough. Each one had to be won, and the 10th seed was winning her fair share of them, often outmaneouvring Nicol, which isn’t an easy thing to do.

Nicol always had a slight edge in the second, which she took 11/7 after being 10/5 up, but Perry was in the ascendancy y throughout the third despite Nicol’s best efforts, and they were considerable. Madeline moved to 10-7 with a lovely crosscourt finish to a well worked rally, thought she;d blown it when she tinned a sitter at the end of a similar rally, but held on to take a well-deserved game 11/9.

That was the end of it though as Nicol resumed dominance in the fourth. “It was a really good game, I enjoyed it,” said Madeline, “but once she stepped up the pace in the fourth I just couldn’t live with it any more.”

Nicol was as much relieved as pleased: “Very happy to win that,” she said, “Madeling kept plugging away and coming back at me even when she was 2-0 down. She was really firing it in and I knew I had to do something. I had to step my game up in the fourth and everything was coming off for me, but it wasn’t easy.

“It seems that everyone I play here I’ve played in finals before, it shows that the standard is so high and there’s no easy games! “

Official Site: www.worldopensquash.com

Duncalf made a good start, leading 4-1 and 6-3 – but from 7-6 down, the 27-year-old Malaysian reeled off five points in a row to take the early lead.

Despite then dropping the second game, Duncalf had made a late revival – and used this to good effect in the third. From 6-4, the 28-year-old from Harrogate opened out to earn five game balls at 10-5.

But David battled back point before reaching match-ball both at both 11-10 and 12-11. Duncalf refused to concede, however, and clinched her latest game-ball to force the match into a fourth game.

And Duncalf made a good start in the fourth too, leading 4-1. But that was as good as it got: David reeled off the last seven points unanswered before celebrating her title-winning 11-7, 11-6, 12-14, 11-4 victory after 59 minutes.

“I tried to play more patient squash, to make it less work for me as I’d had such a tough match yesterday, not rushing things, giving myself more time,” Duncalf explained to www.squashsite.com later. “It worked at times, but just at the end of the first and the second games I couldn’t push on like she did.

“I made it hard for myself in the third, to say the least, but I’m glad I took that one. I wanted at least to make a real final of it. The third took a lot out of me though, and in the fourth I just couldn’t summon up enough energy to push through. She realised that and she made it hard for me.

“It’s been a great tournament,” added the England number one. “I love playing here. We all do!”

Nicol David, now the proud winner of 52 WISPA World Tour titles, was full of praise for her Tour rival: “Jenny played really well, especially in the third, she just put a lot of shots in. I knew I just had to work hard to get it back but couldn’t quite make it.

“In the fourth she got a good start but I didn’t want to let her get too far ahead so I had to really focus and up my game from that point. I’m happy to win 3/1, it was a tough match.

“It’s so great being here in Cayman, the people are so friendly, the sponsors put so much into the event, Dan (Kneipp) does a great job organising it and the crowd really make it a great tournament – we’re all looking forward to coming back next year for the World Open!”

Final:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 12-14, 11-4 (59m)

Top seed Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who is bidding to win the title for a third successive year, ended the brave run of Donna Urquhart – despatching the Australian qualifier 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 in just 30 minutes.

But England’s world No2 Jenny Duncalf needed 76 minutes – and had to fight back from 2/1 down and save three match balls before overcoming long-time Australian rival Rachael Grinham 15-13, 10-12, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10.

It was Duncalf and Grinham’s 15th Tour clash since 2003, with the Australian boasting a 9-5 lead as well as success in their most recent meeting in October in Qatar.

And after more than an hour of energy-sapping minutes in the Camana Bay heat, it was the 34-year-old Queenslander who earned the first match-ball at 10-7.

But Duncalf battled back to draw level at 10-all – and, after a marathon rally, delivered a volley into open space to reach her first match-ball before clinching victory when an exhausted Grinham hit the ball into the tin.

“That’s just ridiculous, I’m drowning here, it’s as if I just got out of the swimming pool,” exclaimed Grinham towww.squashsite.com afterwards. “It’s about time we had a good one. I played well and I had a chance tonight, but she’s not world number two for nothing, she’s an alright player!

“It’s annoying getting so close and not winning.”

Duncalf, now in her 19th Tour final, had been looking forward to more agreeable conditions: “Coming here tonight there seemed to be a bit of a breeze – I hoped it might be cooler but it was just as hot as yesterday.

“I really enjoyed the game, but that second last rally, 10-all in the fifth, it’s the first time I’ve ever felt queasy on court, I was seeing stars during that rally. I’m so glad that she tinned on the next one, I’m not sure I could have gone on any longer.

“When I was match balls down it was just about not panicking, but it could have gone either way. It’s matches like these that you remember after you’ve finished.”

Donna Urquhart was celebrating the best week of her squash career after winning two qualifying matches – both 50 minutes plus – then in the main draw beating the world number five, then the world number three, both in five games.

“I’ve had a good week, a great week,” said the 24-year-old world No16 from Brisbane after losing to Nicol David. “But tonight was one match too far. I went for my shots from the start, I knew that was the only way I could do anything, but I just couldn’t keep going.”

The semi-final victory, David’s 11th in a row in the Cayman Islands since winning her first title in 2009, marks up the Malaysian’s 68th Tour final.

The final will be David and Duncalf’s first Tour meeting since last August when they contested the Hong Kong Open climax – but it will be the 21st of their WISPA careers.

Semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (30m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 15-13, 10-12, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10 (76m)

In a match she described later as “definitely my best win”, the 24-year-old qualifier from Brisbane recovered from two games down – and saved two match balls – to overcome Perry, the new world No3, 6-11, 11-13, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9 to reach the biggest semi-final of her career.

It was a bruising marathon encounter which took 72 minutes to resolve – with both players collapsing onto the floor at the end of the match.

“That was horrible,” admitted Perry to www.squashsite.com afterwards. “I was wrecked after two games to be honest. I took it early and put her under pressure in the first two games, but I couldn’t keep it up. I don’t know how I moved at all in the fifth!

“I should have won the fourth – I had two match balls but couldn’t take them,” added the 34-year-old from Belfast. “I tried my best, but I guess I’m just too old now. I must be mad but I still really enjoy playing these matches!”

Urquhart, coached between games by compatriot Kasey Brown, admitted that she didn’t have the energy to think, let alone feel nervous. “I’ve never played on a court so hot – I should have weighed myself before we started, I probably lost 5 kilos on there tonight, my dress was so heavy it was weighing me down!

“After two games Kasey came to talk to me and I told her ‘I can’t do this, it’s just too hot, I can’t breathe, I can’t think’.

“I was dying but she seemed to be ok, I was asking myself ‘how is she doing this’, then when she talked to Dan at the end I knew she was hurting as much as me, but at the time I didn’t know that.

“I know I said it yesterday, but this is definitely my best win!”

Urquhart now has the ultimate test when she meets defending champion Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who is looking for her third successive title. In their 29th meeting on the WISPA World Tour since February 2000, the top seed beat Dutch qualifier Natalie Grinham 11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4.

It was their first meeting since the pair contested the 2009 World Open final in September 2009, when Grinham was ranked two in the world – and since when she has celebrated the birth of her first child.

“I’m happy with my match,” said 33-year-old Grinham, who last week won the Atwater Cup in Canada. “She made me do a lot of running, which meant I had to sort out my blister towards the end. I feel like I’m playing really well, no pressure, and I’m hitting the ball better than before, even if I’m not moving quite as well.”

Nicol David added: “We’ve played so many times over the years, we have these monster matches. She’s just won a tournament so I knew what to expect. I knew she’d be up for it and raise her game so I had to raise mine.”

Natalie’s older sister Rachael Grinham claimed the speediest route through to the semi-finals with an 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 win over English qualifier Sarah Kippax in 28 minutes.

The 34-year-old third-seeded Australian will now face another English opponent Jenny Duncalf, the No2 seed who had to come from a game down to get the better of France’s seventh seed Camille Serme 6-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 in 53 minutes.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Natalie Grinham (NED) 11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4 (47m)
[Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [5] Madeline Perry (IRL) 6-11, 11-13, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9 (72m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (28m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [7] Camille Serme (FRA) 6-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (53m)

England’s Sarah Kippax, the world No18 from Halifax in Yorkshire, avenged her straight games defeat by Annie Au only two months ago in the USA by beating the world No11 from Hong Kong 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8.

“I felt as though I played well today,” Kippax told www.squashsite.com after reaching the last eight for the second year in a row. “Annie has such good touch at the front with her drops, so I just kept it deep as much as I could, ran down anything short hoping she’d have to cut it finer and finer until she made a mistake.

“I lob

bed a lot today – yes, I had to play her at her own game,” conceded the 27-year-old.

Natalie Grinham maintained the form which saw her win last week’s Atwater Cup in Canada unseeded. The former world No2, now ranked 32 in the world, is on a comeback trail after the birth of her first child almost a year ago.

The Australian-born Dutch star faced sixth-seeded Australian Kasey Brown, the world No6 who was ranked eight places lower than Grinham when they last met in the 2009 World Open. But the comeback queen was able to maintain her unbeaten record against Brown, beating the New York-based 25-year-old 11-6, 13-11, 14-12 in 48 minutes.

“I feel pretty exhausted after that – I’ve had a long run of matches now, I’m not used to it anymore,” conceded Grinham junior, a quarter-finalist in the inaugural Cayman Islands Open in 2009.

“Kasey’s improved a lot over the last couple of years, she’s much fitter and her shots are really good. It was tough to break her down.

“I was doing well in the third, then my string broke – I’ve been playing well with that racket, I hadn’t lost with it, and the new one had a different feel even though I string them the same. I started to lose the third easily and it took a while to get used to it.

“I actually think I’m playing better than before – I was world number two for a long time, and that brought extra pressure every time I went on court. Now I’m the underdog, I can play with more freedom and I’m really enjoying it. I’ve calmed down a lot in my normal life, but not on court!

“It’s a challenge to play on the tour and be a parent too,” added the 33-year-old from Almere. “But I love challenges!”

Natalie’s older sister Rachael Grinham, the third seed, also took her place in the quarter-finals after beating local star and wildcard player Marlene West 11-5, 11-4, 11-3.

West admitted that the world No4 was a tough opponent: “There’s such a gap once you start hitting the top players,” said the Cayman Islands champion. “Top thirty you can have a go, top ten you’re in trouble, but when you reach the top three, whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Malaysia’s world number one Nicol David duly reached the last eight as she began her bid to win the title for the third year in a row. The 27-year-old from Penang ended New Zealand hopes in the event by beating world No15 Jaclyn Hawkes 11-7, 11-6, 11-3.

David will now take on Natalie Grinham for their first meeting since contesting the World Open final in Amsterdam in September 2009. But the clash will be the pair’s 29th on the WISPA World Tour since February 2000 – 16 of which were in finals!

1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (29m)
[Q] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [6] Kasey Brown (AUS) 11-6, 13-11, 14-12 (48m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Marlene West (CAY) 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (24m)
[Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [8] Annie Au (HKG) 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8 (39m)

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [Q] Natalie Grinham (NED)
[5] Madeline Perry (IRL) v [Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [7] Camille Serme (FRA)

“I feel like I’ve earned a rest day,” the delighted 24-year-old qualifier from Brisbane told www.squashsite.com after her third consecutive 50-minute plus match which ended in an 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 10-12, 11-7 victory over Waters, the fourth seed.

“She was hitting lots of winners from all over the shop, and I couldn’t put her under as much pressure as she was putting me under tonight,” explained Waters, the 27-year-old from England who was competing in only her second Tour event since recovering from an Achilles injury last year. “She was the better player on the day,” conceded the former world No3.

But left-hander Urquhart, ranked 16 in the world, was delighted with her triumph: “I can’t believe it, really – I’ve had some disappointing results in the last two or three weeks, even though I was playing well in training.

“I feel like I’ve turned it around this week, it’s good to put it together in matches.

“I know Ali’s been out for a while, but she’s still world number five, and this is one of, if not my best, wins – so I’ll take it!”

An earlier tussle saw Amanda Sobhy, the 17-year-old world junior champion from the USA, take on Irish veteranMadeline Perry, the 34-year-old from Belfast who leapt to a career-high No3 in the world rankings this month.

In dramatically close encounter, fifth seed Perry twice had to come from behind to topple the teenage qualifier 6-11, 18-16, 3-11, 11-9, 11-8 in 56 minutes.

“She’s way too good for 17,” exclaimed Perry courtside immediately after her testing encounter. “I’m one of the oldest on tour and she’s one of the youngest – I scraped through today but it won’t be long before she’s beating me.

“She hits the ball so hard, and her low hard kills are excellent. That was just a case of grinding it out, it’s all I could do against her. I just kept telling myself that if I won I’d get a day off to recover,” said the 12-time Irish national champion who next faces Urquhart.

England’s No2 seed Jenny Duncalf was also fully extended in the last first round match of the day when she was taken to five games by Joelle King before beating the unseeded New Zealander 11-7, 2-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-3 in 54 minutes.

The world No2 from Harrogate will now face French number one Camille Serme after the seventh seed from Paris defeated Malaysian Low Wee Wern 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-2.

1st round (half of draw):
[5] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [Q] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 6-11, 18-16, 3-11, 11-9, 11-8 (56m)
[Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [4] Alison Waters (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 10-12, 11-7 (52m)
[7] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-2 (46m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Joelle King (NZL) 11-7, 2-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-3 (54m)

Remaining 1st round matches:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)
[6] Kasey Brown (AUS) v [Q] Natalie Grinham (NED)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Marlene West (CAY)
[8] Annie Au (HKG) v [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG)

Despite going into the match 2/19 down in their career head-to-head tally, England’s Jenny Duncalf had won two of their last three meetings and was hoping to become the first player for many years to record three wins over the formidable Malaysian.

The 27-year-old from Harrogate in Yorkshire matched world champion David point for point for the vast majority of the first two games, but the defending champion closed out both tight games.

David, 26, from Penang, came out bouncing for the third, quickly going 5-1 up and looking in control.  Duncalf pulled a few points back, but from 6-3 she put three balls quickly into the tin and shortly afterwards David clinched her tile-winning 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 victory after 32 minutes.

“It’s always tough against Jenny,” David told the official website www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman afterwards.  “It felt more like a 3/2 than a 3/0, the first games were really tight.

“It’s so great to be able to defend my title here.  Dan (Kneipp) and his team have done another fantastic job – it’s ten times better than I could have imagined, and the sponsors and the government have put so much in to make the event a success.

“Hopefully I’ll be back to defend my title next year – and if my body’s still well I’ll definitely be here for the World Open in 2012!”

The triumph takes Nicol David to her third successive Tour title of the year and the 44th of her career.

Final:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 (32m)

Official website: www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman

————————————

Top Seeds David & Duncalf To Contest Cayman Islands Final

The world’s top two players will contest the climax of the Women’s Cayman Islands Open after Nicol David and Jenny Duncalf prevailed in straight games in the semi-finals of the $55,300 WISPA World Tour Gold squash event – the third of the year – on Grand Cayman.

It will be a fitting finale for the popular event in its second year in the Cayman Islands, but its first staged on an all-glass court at Camana Bay.

In the opening all-British clash, England’s world No2 Jenny Duncalf claimed her first appearance in the final after beating Madeline Perry, the fourth seed from Ireland, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.

While rain fell on the spectators, Perry established significant leads in the first two games, but Duncalf battled back to reclaim the advantage – and then romped to a 7-1 lead in the third game.

The 11 times Irish champion reduced the deficit, but three successive winners saw Duncalf close out the match.

“It was much hotter on there today,” Duncalf told the official website www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman afterwards – much to the surprise of the wrapped-up spectators!  “And humid too.  So it was tough.  Madeline made me work hard.  It’s usually 3/1-ish between us, so to win 3/0 is a bonus!

“I had a bit of a dip in the middle of the second, but I was pleased with how I dug in and with my focus overall, it was important to get the second and I managed to carry that momentum to get a good start in the third,” added the 27-year-old from Harrogate who lost in the semi-finals last year.

“It’s good to go one better here than last time – you always want improvement, but it would be nice to go two better!”

World number one Nicol David, winner of the first two WISPA gold events this year, clinched her 11th straight match win this year with an 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 win in 30 minutes over long-time Australian rival  Rachael Grinham.

“That was a clinical display,” said Nicol’s coach Liz Irving of her ward’s progress to a second consecutive Cayman Open final.

It was the pair’s 31st meeting – and the win extends David’s head-to-head record over the former world number one to 24/7 over exactly ten years.

“I know when I play Rachael that if she gets a chance to play her shots they’ll go in, so I have to play mine first,” explained the world champion from Malaysia.  “She always brings my game up when we play, it’s always a good show.  I just have to keep my focus and play the right shots at the right time.”

Official website: www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman

—————————————————-

Semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (30m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [4] Madeline Perry (IRL) 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (42m)

Top Seeds Sail Into Cayman Islands Semis

The top four seeds secured their anticipated places in the semi-finals of the Women’s Cayman Islands Open – with defending champion Nicol David making short work of her quarter-final victory in the $55,300 WISPA World Tour Gold squash event on Grand Cayman.

The Malaysian favourite, bidding to win her third successive WISPA gold event this year, came up against rising French star Camille Serme, the 21-year-old seventh seed from Creteil who boasts a career-high world No11 ranking.

The world number one from Penang had to be at the top of her game to hold off her opponent’s challenge before winning 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 in 33 minutes.

“That was a tough match – we had some really good rallies, working rallies, especially in the third,” explained title-holder David to the official website www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman afterwards.  “We were both trying to out position each other:  I’m just pleased to win it 3/0.”

David will now face career-long rival Rachael Grinham in what will be the pair’s 31st meeting since contesting the Milo Open final in Malaysia exactly ten years ago!  Grinham, the third seed from Australia, was fully tested by Sarah Kippax before beating the English qualifier 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 in 45 minutes.

“That was very tough, very close,” said the relieved winner. “I was disappointed to lose the first after having a good lead, but in the end I was a bit lucky to win it in four.

“I was trying not to think about a fifth, just trying to dig in and push for each rally,” added the former world number one from Queensland.  “I’ve always had a lot of respect for Sarah, she has great potential and it’s good to see her starting to fulfil it.  She’s had some good results and there’s more to come.”

The other semi-final will see England’s second seed Jenny Duncalf line up against Ireland’s Madeline Perry, the fourth seed.  Duncalf despatched unseeded French opponent Isabelle Stoehr 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 in just 28 minutes, while Perry was stretched for 62 minutes and had to recover from a game down to beat Australia’s sixth seed Kasey Brown 3-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7.

“I often start slowly these days,” said Perry, the world No7 from near Belfast.  “I was slow but she came out very fast and was on top of me in the first game.

“It’s hot on there, too hot for me,” added the winner.  “But I’m really pleased to win that 3/1.  I could feel her coming back at me towards the end so it was good to finish it off.”

Official website: www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman

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Quarter-finals:

[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [7] Camille Serme (FRA) 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (33m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (45m)
[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [6] Kasey Brown (AUS) 3-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 (62m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (28m)

1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)     11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (24m)
[7] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Marlene West (CAY)     14-12, 11-4, 11-5 (26m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Manuela Manetta (ITA)     11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (30m)
[Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [8] Samantha Teran (MEX)     11-9, 11-13, 12-10, 7-11, 12-10 (72m)
[6] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [Q] Low Wee Wern (MAS)     11-6, 11-8, 10-12, 11-2 (60m)
[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [Q] Delia Arnold (MAS)     11-4, 11-6, 7-11, 15-13 (55m)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [5] Natalie Grainger (USA)     11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10 (44m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Donna Urquhart (AUS)     11-7, 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7 (44m)

The $55,300 WISPA World Tour event – the third Gold event of the year, from 11-17 April – will be staged for the first time on an all-glass court erected at Camana Bay, a 500-acre shopping, entertainment, office and residential complex stretching from the Caribbean sea to the North Sound in Grand Cayman.

Launched in 2009, the Cayman Islands Open has again attracted the world’s top players, led by Malaysia’s world number one Nicol David, with Natalie Grainger, in-form Jenny Duncalf, and contenders Rachael Grinham and Alison Waters all in the mix.  Grainger will be making her return to the WISPA Tour in Grand Cayman after a seven-month layoff with a foot injury.

Indeed, the draw predicts a quarter-final meeting between David and Grainger – a repeat of last year’s final, won by the Malaysian!

Meanwhile, Cayman number one Marlene West, the main draw wild card, faces the daunting prospect of meeting 2007 world champion Rachael Grinham in the opening round.

Tournament Director Dan Kneipp is delighted to be welcoming back the sport’s top women:  “The Cayman Islands National Squash Association is extremely excited to host the world’s best players to our Caribbean Island.

“We are very pleased to be able to increase our WISPA World Tour championship to the Gold level. Cayman has never seen a pro tournament played on a glass show court, so we know that there will be a lot of enthusiasm and public interest as this is set up on the waterfront at Camana Bay.

“Having eight of the world’s top 10 squash players is creating an enormous buzz in Cayman as we prepare to watch the world’s best competing for our international title.

“The WISPA pros were a huge asset to our junior squash last year, helping hundreds of kids experience the sport for the first time,” Kneipp added.  “We again have 14 schools that will be doing workshops and watching the pro matches and we expect this to be an invaluable tool in helping us get more Caymanian juniors into squash.

“The Cayman Islands National Squash Association also sees this as an incredible experience for our Commonwealth Games team as we prepare for Delhi 2010.  For a young, amateur team to be playing alongside the world’s best professional will only add to our team’s experience and ability to compete at an international level.

“We welcome the world’s best players and the international squash media to the Cayman Islands in April.”

WISPA CEO Andrew Shelley added:  “It is always very satisfying to see an event build, and that is certainly the case with the Cayman Islands Open.  The debut last year was memorable for being awash with local school children trying squash at the South Sound Squash Club every day.

“This year juniors will doubtless be a major feature again, but bringing in a glass show court too in the superb outside setting of Camana Bay will be yet another great step forward in raising the profile of squash on the Island and pushing the delights of the Cayman Islands to squash enthusiasts worldwide.”

1st round draw:

[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Qualifier
[6] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Qualifier
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Marlene West (CAY)
[5] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)
[8] Kasey Brown (AUS) v Samantha Teran (MEX)
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) v Qualifier
[7] Laura Massaro (ENG) v Qualifier
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Camille Serme (FRA)