WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Dutch Open Squash Championships, The Hague, Netherlands

Men's semi-finals:
[4] Gavin Jones (WAL) bt [1] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 15-13, 5-15, 7-15, 15-1, 15-14
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Stacey Ross (ENG) 15-11, 8-15, 15-12, 15-5

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Cassie Jackman (ENG) bt [4] Linda Charman (ENG) 9-1, 9-7, 9-1
[3] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 6-9, 9-3, 9-0, 9-5

Jackman & Grinham To Contest Dutch Open Final

England's world No1 Cassie Jackman and Australia's world No5 Natalie Grinham will meet for the sixth time this year in the women's final of the Dutch Open Squash Championships at the Caesar Sports Club in The Hague. 

Local star Laurens Jan Anjema, the third seed, will be hoping to deliver Dutch success in the men's final when he takes on Welshman Gavin Jones, the fourth seed who upset top-seeded Italian Davide Bianchetti in a five-game semi-final thriller.

Defending champion Natalie Grinham, the Netherlands-based third seed, reached the women's final after a four-game upset over second seed Vanessa Atkinson, the Dutch No1 who is based in The Hague.  In a repeat of last year's final, 26-year-old Grinham came back from a game down to beat Atkinson 6-9 9-3 9-0 9-5.  Despite playing on her home club courts, world No3 Atkinson had no answer to the speed and power of the younger of the two Grinham sisters.

In the other all-English semi-final, top seed Jackman was too strong for fourth seed Linda Charman.  Jackman won 9-1 9-7 9-1 to return to the Dutch Open final for the first time since losing to New Zealand legend Susan Devoy in 1991.  In the 2004 climax, the 31-year-old from Norfolk will be looking to record her sixth successive WISPA World Tour win over Grinham this year.

Laurens Jan Anjema delighted the Dutch crowd by reaching the men's final.   In his home club, the 21-year-old beat unseeded Englishman Stacey Ross in four games. The third game proved crucial, with 'LJ' sneaking it 15-12.  From there he went on to take the match 15-11 8-15 15-12 15-5.

In a sensational match which produced the most dramatic finish possible, Gavin Jones fought back from 1/2 down in the other semi-final to overcame the Italian No1 Davide Bianchetti 15-13 5-15 7-15 15-1 15-14 to celebrate his first appearance in a PSA Tour final.