WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Nivea Body Irish Women's Squash Open, Fitzwilliam Club, Dublin

Quarter-finals:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [6] Stephanie Brind (ENG) 9-4, 6-9, 9-2, 9-7 (43m)
[7] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Carla Khan (PAK) 9-6, 10-8, 9-1 (37m)
[8] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) bt Dianne Desira (AUS) 9-2, 9-0, 9-0 (30m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [5] Rebecca Macree (ENG) 9-3, 8-10, 9-6, 9-10, 9-7 (110m)

Perry Powers Through To Irish Open Semis

Irish eyes were smiling in Dublin when local star Madeline Perry powered through to the semi-finals of the Nivea Body Irish Women's Squash Open after ending the run of Pakistan's giant-killer Carla Khan in straight games at the Fitzwilliam Club.

Seventh seed Perry, the 27-year-old Irish national champion from Banbridge, despatched world No23 Khan 9-6 10-8 9-1 in 37 minutes to set up a meeting in the last four with defending champion Vanessa Atkinson, the top seed from the Netherlands.  Khan was undoubtedly still feeling the effects of her 85-minute battle the previous day when she knocked out fourth-seeded Malaysian Nicol David in a titanic five-game upset.

Atkinson did not have an easy ride in her quarter-final clash with Stephanie Brind, where she was taken to four games before defeating the sixth seed from England 9-4 6-9 9-2 9-7 in 43 minutes.

The Dublin crowd was treated to one of the longest women's matches on record when Australia's second seed faced the fifth-seeded Englishwoman Rebecca Macree to fight for her anticipated place in the last four. 

Macree, the world No9 from London, twice levelled the score after Grinham took 1/0 and 2/1 leads - but the scoresheet showed that the players had been battling for 110 minutes before Grinham, the world No5 from Toowoomba in Queensland, finally registered her 9-3 8-10 9-6 9-10 9-7 victory.

Grinham's opponent in the semi-final could hardly have had a more contrasting quarter-final clash:  England's eighth seed Jenny Tranfield conceded just two points, and needed only 30 minutes, to defeat Australia's Dianne Desira 9-2 9-0 9-0. 

Desira claimed an unexpected place in the first round of the $20,000 WISPA World Tour event as a 'lucky loser' - and the luck continued when the 22-year-old from Victoria overcame compatriot Amelia Pittock to reach the last eight!