WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Women's Vassar College Class of 1932 Squash Open, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA

Quarter-finals:
[1] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [6] Pamela Nimmo (SCO) 9-4, 9-3, 9-7
[3] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [8] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) 9-5, 9-7, 0-9, 9-6
[4] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [7] Latasha Khan (USA) 9-6, 9-5, 9-6
[5] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [2] Fiona Geaves (ENG) 9-5, 9-0, 10-9

Perry Pulls Off Geaves Upset

In an almost flawless display of top quality squash, Ireland's fifth seed Madeline Perry upset England's No2 seed Fiona Geaves, the world No12, in straight games to claim an unexpected place in the semi-finals of the Women's Vassar College Class of 1932 Open in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Perry, currently boasting a career-high world ranking of 14, used some excellent shot selection and kept pace on the ball.  This was in direct contrast to Geaves, who favoured a slower pace reliant on shot-making. 

The crowd was taken aback when the first game went Perry's way.  But there was a real buzz in the air when Geaves fell behind 2/0 down after an emphatic second game whitewash.  The third provided some nail-biting rallies as Geaves came back from 6-0 down to lead 7-6.  The Gloucester girl then saved two match balls before finally succumbing 9-5 9-0 10-9.

Perry, 27, from Northern Ireland, takes on France's fourth seed Isabelle Stoehr for a place in the final.  Stoehr cruised to a 9-6 9-5 9-6 win over USA's seventh seed Latasha Khan.

The other semi-final will see the clash predicted by the seedings, between USA favourite Natalie Grainger and third-seeded Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy. 

Grainger ensured her passage to the semi-final round by varying her strokes, keeping Scottish opponent Pamela Nimmo off balance. After the first game reached 4-4, the differing pace and lobs produced a breakthrough for Grainger and she took the first 9-4.  Staying concentrated, she kept up the pressure and was two games up before Nimmo had re-grouped.  In the third, Nimmo rallied magnificently from 6-1 down and led 7-6 before eventually Grainger claimed her 9-4 9-3 9-7 victory.

Kawy conceded a point-less game to her English opponent Laura-Jane Lengthorn, but still prevailed 9-5 9-7 0-9 9-6 to reach her fourth WISPA World Tour final this year.