WORLD SQUASH NEWS
RESULTS: Women's Vassar College Class of 1932 Squash Open, Poughkeepsie,
NY, USA
Semi-finals:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [4] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) 1-9, 9-1, 9-6, 9-2 [6] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 9-2, 9-2, 3-9, 9-7
Botwright Bursts Into Second Final In A Fortnight
Two weeks after celebrating the first WISPA World Tour final appearance of
her career, England's Vicky Botwright has reached her second - pulling off
the second successive upset in the $18,000 Women's Vassar College Class of
1932 Squash Open to reach the event's climax in Poughkeepsie, New York, USA.
Sixth-seeded Botwright, the 25-year-old world No18 from Manchester, will face
Australia's top seed Rachael Grinham, the older sister of Natalie Grinham,
her conqueror in the Southport Open final in Connecticut last month.
Botwright, who crushed third seed Fiona Geaves in straight games to reach the
Vassar semis, stormed through the first two games against second-seeded
Vanessa Atkinson with controlled power and well-placed short volleys.
Atkinson, the Dutch No1 and world No5 from The Hague, rediscovered her form
to win the third but the English underdog took charge again to steal the
fourth to claim a magnificent 9-2 9-2 3-9 9-7 victory.
The rich vein of form which Botwright has unearthed over the past month in
the USA will provide a massive confidence-booster for the local star in the
British National Championships in Manchester later this month when, unseeded,
she will face defending champion Cassie Jackman in the opening round.
In the other semi-final, England's fourth seed Jenny Tranfield took the first
game by finding a good length and taking the ball early to force errors from
favourite Rachael Grinham. The Australian took charge in the second game and
had a 4-1 lead in the third before Tranfield had to leave the court to treat
a bleeding elbow. Tranfield regained her focus on returning to force a 6-6
position before Queenslander Grinham advanced to win the match 1-9 9-1 9-6
9-2 and claim a place in her 15th WISPA World Tour final.