RESULTS: Forexx Women’s World Open Squash Championship, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2nd round:
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (52m)
[7] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [13] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 (24m)
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [15] Samantha Teran (MEX) 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (33m)
[8] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [12] Annie Au (HKG) 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (45m)
More to follow ......
England team-mates Laura Massaro and Jenny Duncalf earned early places in the quarter-finals of the Forexx Women’s World Open Squash 2009 after tough victories in today's (Thursday) afternoon second round session of the $118,000 WISPA World Tour event at Frans Otten Stadion in the Netherlands capital Amsterdam.
Massaro, the No8 seed from Preston in Lancashire, recovered from a game down against Annie Au to beat the tricky Hong Kong left-hander 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9.
"It was tough - she plays a bit differently to the other girls, she doesn't let you get into any rhythm," said Massaro, the world No9. "She's difficult to read - she's a left-hander, and there are so few of them. Anything short and she puts it away. I don't feel I played that well - I'm just happy to be through."
Duncalf extended her winning run against Engy Kheirallah when she beat the unseeded Egyptian 11-9, 11-9, 11-8. The 26-year-old British National champion from Harrogate had to come from behind in all the games before overcoming Kheirallah, the Cairo-based former world No12 who upset 14th seed Jaclyn Hawkes to reach the last sixteen.
"I'm happy to win in three - Engy's a good player. It's all going well here so far," added the fifth seed who reached the semi-finals last year.
There was further British success when Ireland's Madeline Perry despatched Rebecca Chiu, the 13th seed from Hong Kong, 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 in just 24 minutes to reach the quarter-finals for the fourth time since 2005.
Only a week ago, the 32-year-old from Banbridge, near Belfast, became the first Northern Ireland woman to reach a British Open final. And the No7 seed was 4-5 down on the career head-to-head count with Chiu before they walked onto the all-glass Amsterdam show court.
"I'm glad to even the score. I was a bit nervous really, after doing well last week. But I was happier with today's performance than yesterday's - I was more focussed."
Perry's historic British Open performance led to considerable media coverage back home: "It's nice to get some recognition for your achievements - but I've given up on being famous!"
Egypt's former world junior champion Omneya Abdel Kawy secured a place in the last eight of the World Open for the fifth year in a row after defeating Mexican Samantha Teran, the 15th seed, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7.
"It's good to be in the quarter-finals of the World Open for the fifth time - but I hope it will be my first time in the semis, so I'm looking forward to my match tomorrow," said the sixth seed from Cairo.
"I've always had a tough draw in the worlds - I've lost three times to Nicol (David) - so I'm glad if I play Rachael (Grinham) as our results are closer. Whoever I play, I'll chill out for the rest of the day, then work out a plan with my coach tomorrow.
"I feel I'm still improving - I'm still young, you know," exclaimed the 24-year-old world No7. "I'm working on some stuff and hopefully it will work. I feel I am consistent. I've been around the lower half of the top ten for a long time now - but I need one more step. I need a change."
For more details, visit the official tournament website www.womensworldopen.com