RESULTS: METROsquash US Open, Chicago, USA
Quarter-finals:
Manuela Manetta (ITA) bt [6] Latasha Khan (USA) 6-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-4, 12-10
[8] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [4] Aisling Blake (IRL) 15-13, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7
[5] Line Hansen (DEN) bt [3] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 8-11, 16-14, 11-5, 11-8 (42m)
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [7] Emma Beddoes (ENG) 12-10, 11-8, 14-12 (44m)
New York teenager Amanda Sobhy upset Ireland's No4 seed Aisling Blake in the quarter-finals of the METROsquash Women's US Open to become the first US-born woman to reach the semi-finals of the country's longest-established squash tournament for at least 17 years.
The 17-year-old eighth seed, the reigning World Junior champion, dug deep to overcome world No27 Blake 15-13, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7 on the first day of action in the $36,500 WISPA World Tour event at Millennium Park in Chicago.
"It's really great to get into a semi-final of a tournament that's being held in my home country," said the rising star of US squash after her stunning win. "So many people know me and are rooting for me just because I'm from the US. It's nice to have this much support at home."
The world No36 now faces Manuela Manetta, the unseeded Italian who pulled of her second successive upset in the event by beating Sobhy's compatriot Latasha Khan, the sixth seed from Seattle, 6-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-4, 12-10.
"As far as my semi-final match, I'm really hoping to make it into the finals - something I know I am very capable of doing," added the confident young New Yorker.
The other semi-final will also feature an unexpected line-up after fifth-seeded Dane Line Hansen upset France's No3 seed Isabelle Stoehr 8-11, 16-14, 11-5, 11-8.
Hansen will face second seed Vanessa Atkinson after the rejuvenated Dutch star, a former world number one and world champion, beat England's No7 seed Emma Beddoes 12-10, 11-8, 14-12.
Semi-final line-up:
Manuela Manetta (ITA) v [8] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) v [5] Line Hansen (DEN)