RESULTS: Torneo International Bicentenario Mexico, Toluca, Mexico
Semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [6] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 12-10, 11-6, 11-6 (31m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [5] Kasey Brown (AUS) 8-11, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 (61m)
WISPA World Tour stalwarts Nicol David and Rachael Grinham will lock horns for the 31st time in their careers when they meet in the final of the inaugural Women's Torneo International Bicentenario Mexico after surviving contrasting semi-finals in the $67,500 squash championship at the Plaza Civica de Toluca in Toluca.
The opening semi-final in the first WISPA Gold event ever to be staged in Mexico was a classic affair, with the deft lobs and drops of third seed Grinham countered by the supreme athleticism of Kasey Brown.
The two Aussies traded shot for shot, but despite her five-game win the previous day - when the fifth seed upset second-seeded Englishwoman Jenny Duncalf - it was Brown who came out faster, powering her way through the first.
However, former world number one Grinham is known for her clever play - and, taking the pace off the ball, she deadened Brown's attack and raced away with the second. Maintaining a similar pattern, Grinham took the third and looked to be cruising to victory at 4-0 in the fourth.
But Brown, winner of three medals in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, had other ideas - and stepped up the court, mixing short sharp volleys with fierce drives as she pegged the game back to 9-9 before drawing level.
Grinham again came out quicker in the decider - and, after the pair were locked at nine-all again for several minutes, it was the more experienced Grinham who pulled away to win 8-11, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 in 61 minutes.
Malaysian starlet Nicol David booked her place in the final with a composed win over talented young Egyptian Raneem El Weleily. The 21-year-old from Alexandria started well with some exquisite squash, striking the ball purely and easing to a 5-2 lead.
However, David hasn't remained unbeaten for 12 months by panicking at such an early stage - and steadily turned up the pressure on her younger opponent before gaining her 12-10, 11-6, 11-6 victory over the sixth seed.
"It was good to get through in three games," said the relieved 27-year-old Malaysian afterwards. "I expected at least four as Raneem is so talented. The first was a bonus as she started well."
Nicol David first met Rachael Grinham in the final of the Milo Open in Kuala Lumpur in 2000 - when Grinham was top seed and 16-year-old David was seeded six. The Australian came out on top - but has since seen David build up a 24-6 career head-to-head lead.
"Nicol and I used to play a lot, but that was when I used to make more finals," explained 33-year-old Grinham as she looked forward to the Mexican final. "We played in Hong Kong but it will be nice to have another match with her.
"The altitude makes it difficult to decide how tired you feel, so I'm hoping I will be fine tomorrow."
David will be celebrating her 64th career Tour final in Toluca, while Grinham will be marking her 57th.