WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Irish Open Squash Championships, Fitzwilliam LTC, Dublin, Ireland

Men's semi-finals:
[1] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [4] Rodney Durbach (RSA) 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 (58m)
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [2] Alex Gough (WAL) 11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 4-11, 11-6 (67m)

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [3] Stephanie Brind (ENG) 3-9, 10-9, 9-0, 9-4 (45m)
[2] Annelize Naude (NED) bt [4] Tegwen Malik (WAL) 9-4, 9-5, 9-4 (31m)

Anjema Axes Alex In Irish Open

Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema upset second-seeded Welshman Alex Gough in a dramatic five-game battle in the semi-finals of the Irish Open Squash Championships at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin to achieve his third breakthrough result on the PSA Tour this year.

The 22-year-old third seed from The Hague took a two games lead against the experience Gough, ranked 25 in the world, before losing his way as the Welsh national champion fought back to level the match.

But Anjema, who reached the quarter-finals of both the Windy City Open and Dayton Open earlier in the year as a qualifier, reasserted himself in the decider to clinch an 11-7 11-7 5-11 4-11 11-6 victory in 67 minutes.

In his tenth PSA Tour final, Anjema will meet top seed Ong Beng Hee after the Malaysian overcame a first game loss to defeat South Africa's fourth seed Rodney Durbach 9-11 11-7 11-6 11-8 in 58 minutes.

A tense opening game in the first semi-final of the women's event had spectators on edge.  Irish number one Madeline Perry, the favourite, took a game to settle down before beating her English opponent Stephanie Brind 3-9 10-9 9-0 9-4 in 45 minutes.

Third seed Brind played a focused opening game, with plenty of lobs followed by drops to unsettle Perry.  The local favourite played with better length in the second to race to an 8-3 lead.  Brind, however, played her way back into the game until her racket broke in two at 8-8.  Perry played a superb volley to get game ball at 9-8, but Brind fought back to serve at nine-all. 

But a brave drop gave Perry a second chance, which she finally won on a stroke to level the match.

Madeline then raced ahead to take the third game 9-0. With renewed confidence the outcome was never in doubt.  Stephanie's mistakes mounted while Madeline's winners increased.  A magnificent drop volley gave Perry an 8-4 lead, and another nicked shot won the match in style for the top seed.

Perry, now in her third WISPA World Tour final this year, will face Annelize Naude of the Netherlands, seeded two and ranked 15 in the world.  Naude won her semi-final against Tegwen Malik, the fourth seed from Wales, 9-4 9-5 9-4.