WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Carol Weymuller Women's US Open Squash Championship, New York, USA

1st round:
[1] Carol Owens (NZL) bt Jenny Tranfield (ENG) 9-4, 9-2, 9-1
[Q] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt [7] Tania Bailey (ENG) 5-9, 9-2, ret.
[4] Linda Charman (ENG) bt Latasha Khan (USA) 9-1, 9-1, 9-1
[8] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 9-3, 9-0, 9-3
[6] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt Rebecca Macree (ENG) 9-4, 9-7, 9-3
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Madeline Perry (IRL) 9-7, 9-1, 9-0
[5] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Fiona Geaves (ENG) 5-9, 9-1, 9-0, 9-5
[Q] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [2] Natalie Grainger (USA) 6-9, 9-1, 9-7, 8-10, 9-6

Devastating Duncalf Despatches No2 Seed Grainger

English qualifier Jenny Duncalf pulled off the best result of her career when she despatched home favourite Natalie Grainger, the No2 seed, in five games in the opening round of the Carol Weymuller Women's US Open Squash Championship at the Heights Casino in New York.

Duncalf, the 20-year-old from Harrogate in Yorkshire who reached the main draw after upsetting world No15 Shelley Kitchen in the qualifying finals, came back from a game down to topple Grainger 6-9 9-1 9-7 8-10 9-6 as a result of punishing drop shots in the front court.

The former European Junior Champion, ranked 22 in the world, now faces fifth seed Vanessa Atkinson after the world No5 from the Netherlands made up for her disappointing British Open first round exit earlier in the month by beating England's Fiona Geaves 5-9 9-1 9-0 9-5.

Newly-crowned British Open champion Rachael Grinham faces a repeat of the final ten days ago when she meets England's sixth seed Cassie Jackman in the quarter-finals in New York.  The Australian third seed comfortably overcame Irish qualifier Madeline Perry 9-7 9-1 9-0 while Jackman dismissed compatriot Rebecca Macree 9-4 9-7 9-3.

England's Tania Bailey suffered a disappointing return to the WISPA World Tour after virus problems and surgery on her nose when she conceded her first round match against Hong Kong qualifier Rebecca Chiu after taking the first game.  Asian Games champion Chiu won the second 9-2, before Bailey retired as a result of sinus problems which she had been suffering from since her arrival in New York.