RESULTS:         Women's Monte Carlo Squash Classic, Monte Carlo, Monaco

Quarter-finals:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [6] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 9-6, 9-1, 8-10, 9-2 (49m)
[5] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [3] Madeline Perry (IRL) 4-9, 10-8, 9-1, 9-6 (59m)
Tegwen Malik (WAL) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-0, 9-3, 9-2 (30m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [8] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 9-2, 9-3, 9-1 (34m)

England's Alison Waters – voted the WISPA World Tour's "Most Improved Player" for the past two years – notched up a notable scalp in the Women's Monte Carlo Squash Classic when she beat Ireland's third seed Madeline Perry to claim an unexpected place in the semi-finals of the established $31,000 Tour event in Monaco.

The 22-year-old Londoner fought back from a game down to beat Perry, the world No6 from Banbridge, near Belfast, 4-9, 10-8, 9-1, 9-6 in 59 minutes – the longest quarter-final clash of the day.

"I knew that it wasn't over when I won the third and I knew that the fourth could have gone either way," conceded Waters afterwards.  "At six-all, I just managed to get in front of her a couple of times."

The young England international now has to get past top seed Vanessa Atkinson if she is to finish her year in a WISPA Tour final.  Atkinson, the top seed who is eager to make up for a disappointing recent few months, overcame Egypt's sixth seed Engy Kheirallah 9-6, 9-1, 8-10, 9-2 in 49 minutes.

Kheirallah, almost back to her best after suffering with a neck injury in last month's World Open in Belfast, was unable to capitalise on saving a match-ball in the third game which ultimately forced the match into a fourth.

"I haven't played Vanessa for ages and maybe only twice before.  It is hard when you don't quite know what is coming," said the sixth seed from Alexandria who celebrated her 25th birthday in Monte Carlo.

"First I was rushing as I thought I needed to move her around, but on the bouncy court it was not a good strategy. Then after I won the third I was thinking too much that she looked tired - but she wasn't!"

The other semi-final will feature unseeded Welsh player Tegwen Malik and Australia's second seed Natalie Grinham, runner-up in the World Open at the Ulster Hall.

Malik, who upset England's fourth seed Jenny Duncalf to reach the last eight, beat English qualifier Sarah Kippax 9-0, 9-3, 9-2, while Grinham, the world No4 from Queensland, removed France's eighth seed Isabelle Stoehr in a 9-2, 9-3, 9-1 scoreline.

"I am just enjoying my squash at the moment.  I am playing well and I'm fit," said Grinham, winner of a record three gold medals in March's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v [5] Alison Waters (ENG)
[2] Natalie Grinham (AUS) v Tegwen Malik (WAL)