WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Brit Insurance Super Series Squash Finals, Broadgate Arena, London

Final qualifying round:
   Harrow Group
[2] John White (SCO) bt Nick Matthew (ENG) 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 (45m)
[3] Peter Nicol (ENG) bt Jonathon Power (CAN) 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, ret. (24m)
   Fleet Group
Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 11-9, 9-11, 11-10 (4-2), 11-5 (45m)
Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt [4] Lee Beachill (ENG) 11-2, 11-7, 11-8 (36m)

Kneipp Claims Last Semi-Final Slot At Broadgate

Australia's Joe Kneipp claimed the fourth semi-final slot in the Brit Insurance Super Series Squash Finals after beating England's world No4 Lee Beachill in straight games in the third and final qualifying round at the Broadgate Arena in London.

Kneipp proved too strong for the 28-year-old Yorkshireman, booking himself a place in the last four for the first time with a hard-fought 11-2 11-7 11-8 victory in 36 minutes.   

The Amsterdam-based world No12 qualifies as the Fleet Group runner-up and will face Harrow Group winner John White in the first of the semi-finals as the $75,000 PSA Tour event moves into the knockout stages. 

White, the No2 seed from Scotland, again looked in irresistible form as he put an end to Nick Matthew's remarkable winning run.  After losing the first game to the young Englishman, White fought back brilliantly to take the match 9-11 11-3 11-5 11-5 in 45 minutes and become the only player to reach the semi-finals undefeated.
 
Matthew, the 23-year-old world No9 from Sheffield in his first Super Series Finals appearance, will face Fleet Group winner Thierry Lincou in the other semi-final.  The Frenchman finished top of the Fleet Group despite losing 11-9 9-11 11-10 11-5 to Amr Shabana, the world champion from Egypt, in the opening match of the evening.

Jonathon Power's title defence ended in disappointment after he was carried off court in his match against Peter Nicol, nursing ligament damage to his left ankle.  The incident occurred during the final point of the third game with the match just 24 minutes old.  Power was taken off to hospital for precautionary X-rays, unable to take any further part in the tournament.  Nicol won the match 11-8 7-11 11-5 - his only victory of this year's finals - to take third place in the Harrow Group.

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Nick Matthew (ENG)
[2] John White (SCO) v Joseph Kneipp (AUS)