WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Women's Qatar Airways Squash Challenge, Doha, Qatar

Semi-finals:
[4] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [8] Fiona Geaves (ENG) 9-7, 9-1, 9-2 (28m)
[2] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 5-9, 9-7, 10-8, 4-9, 9-5 (87m)

Jackman Wins World No1 Battle In Qatar Airways Semi

In today's (Friday) first semi-final in the Women's Qatar Airways Squash Challenge, in which there was more at stake than simply who would reach the final, England's No2 seed Cassie Jackman beat Australia's third seed Rachael Grinham in a five-game marathon to ensure that she retains her No1 spot in next month's WISPA World Rankings.

"I knew it was going to be close and, after losing to Rachael in the finals of the British Open last October and Kuwait Open in January, I was determined more than ever to win," said the 31-year-old from Norfolk after her 5-9 9-7 10-8 4-9 9-5 victory in 87 minutes.

"We both knew before we went on that whoever won would be the next world No1, but I didn't even think about that during the match," said Jackman later.  Both players stretched themselves to the absolute limit in their crucial encounter.  "When you play Rachael, you know there's going to be a lot of running around the court, and at the end we were both absolutely exhausted, bent double in different parts of the court for several seconds before able to summon the strength to shake hands!"

Jackman led 6-1 in the final game, but the Cairo-based 27-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland made a final bid to make up the deficit before Jackman, the record six-times British National champion, claimed her world-beating triumph.

"I'm just delighted to be in the final," added Jackman.  "As the world No1, you aim to get to finals and win them - and I want to stay as world No1 for as long as possible."

Now in her 51st WISPA final, with 25 wins and 25 runners-up berths behind her, Cassie will be keen to tip the balance on the side of the 'wins'.

Jackman will face seven-times Dutch champion Vanessa Atkinson who finally provided too tough an opponent for the self-styled 'comeback kid' Fiona Geaves, the eighth seed from England.

Geaves, ranked seven in the world but also the British Over-35 National champion for the second successive year, won through to the last four after two successive five-game marathons.  She led Atkinson 4-0 in the first game - but the world No4 from The Hague raised her game to cruise to a 9-7 9-1 9-2 victory in just 28 minutes.

Atkinson is enjoying a good run of form - and is now in her 17th WISPA final only two weeks after winning the Kuala Lumpur Open title in Malaysia.

Comprehensive coverage of the event is available on the event's official website www.qasquash.com