RESULTS: Commonwealth Games Squash, Melbourne, Australia
Men's Doubles semi-finals:
[1] Stewart Boswell & Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt [5] Campbell Grayson & Martin Knight (NZL)
9-6, 11-9, 11-9 (86m)
[2] Lee Beachill & Peter Nicol (ENG) bt [3] Dan Jenson & David Palmer (AUS)
5-9, 9-4, 9-6, 9-4 (102m)
Women's Doubles semi-finals:
[1] Natalie Grinham & Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [3] Tania Bailey & Vicky Botwright (ENG)
5-9, 9-3, 9-3, 9-6 (65m)
[2] Shelley Kitchen & Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt [4] Louise Crome & Lara Petera (NZL)
3-9, 8-10, 9-4, 9-6, 9-3 (82m)
Mixed Doubles semi-finals:
[3] Natalie Grinham & Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt [1] Rachael Grinham & David Palmer (AUS)
9-7, 9-7, 3-9, 3-9, 9-7 (78m)
[4] Vicky Botwright & James Willstrop (ENG) bt [2] Shelley Kitchen & Glen Wilson (NZL)
3-9, 6-9, 13-11, 9-3, 9-3 (78m)
Hosts To Contest All Three Doubles Finals In Melbourne
As predicted by the seedings, hosts Australia will contest all three squash doubles finals in the Commonwealth Games after the completion of two long sessions of semi-final play today (Saturday) at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. For the second time in a week, Australian Natalie Grinham got the better of her older sister Rachael Grinham - in the Mixed Doubles semi-finals - and is now in line to become the first player in history to win three gold medals in a single Games.
Natalie started her day partnering Rachael in the first Women's Doubles semi-final, where the top-seeded pair triumphed 5-9, 9-3, 9-3, 9-6 over England's third seeds Tania Bailey & Vicky Botwright in 65 minutes.
The Queenslanders will face Shelley Kitchen & Tamsyn Leevey after the second seeds fought back from 2/0 down to prevail 3-9, 8-10, 9-4, 9-6, 9-3 in 82 minutes in an all-New Zealand clash with fourth seeds Louise Crome & Lara Petera.
Later, 28-year-old Natalie teamed up with fellow Australian Joseph Kneipp to contrive a 9-7, 9-7, 3-9, 3-9, 9-7 upset in 78 minutes over Rachael and David Palmer, the top seeds in the Mixed Doubles.
Natalie, who beat higher-seeded Rachael to earn a surprise gold medal in last week's women's singles final, is already guaranteed to become the first player to win three medals in a Games. Her golden opportunity in the Mixed final will be against English pair Vicky Botwright & James Willstrop, the fourth seeds who staged one of the most impressive comebacks in Melbourne when they beat second-seeded New Zealanders Shelley Kitchen & Glen Wilson 3-9, 6-9, 13-11, 9-3, 9-3 in 78 minutes.
Wilson, winner of the title in 2002 with Leilani Joyce, will now hope for a bronze medal in 2006.
Peter Nicol and Lee Beachill are now one match away from becoming the first players to successfully defend a Commonwealth Games squash title. The Englishmen, who beat Stewart Boswell & Anthony Ricketts in the Manchester final, will meet the Australians again in the Melbourne Men's Doubles climax.
Boswell & Ricketts, the top seeds, beat surprise New Zealand opponents Campbell Grayson & Martin Knight, the fifth seeds, 9-6, 11-9, 11-9 in the opening semi-final, while later in the day, the second-seeded English pair recovered from a first game loss to defeat Australia's third seeds Dan Jenson & David Palmer 5-9, 9-4, 9-6, 9-4 in 102 minutes.