RESULTS: Carol Weymuller Open, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Quarter-finals:
[1] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [8] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 11-4, 11-9, 11-5
[4] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [7] Samantha Teran (MEX) 11-6, 11-3, 13-11
[3] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [5] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8
[2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 11-6, 14-12, 11-5
England's Jenny Duncalf remains on course to reach the final of the Women's Carol Weymuller Open for the second time in three years after beating Rebecca Chiu in the quarter-finals of the $42,450 WISPA World Tour squash event at Heights Casino in Brooklyn, New York.
Top seed Duncalf, the world No2 from Harrogate, despatched the eighth seed from Hong Kong 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 and will now meet Australian rival Kasey Brown in the semi-finals.
"I felt good today," said the 27-year-old who suffered a first career-loss to Brown in last week's WISPA Gold event in Mexico. "The second game was crucial and I generally felt good movement-wise. I've enjoyed my last two matches here. After a rough week in Mexico I'm enjoying being on court at this tournament."
Fourth seed Brown, who is experiencing the best form of her life after leaving Delhi earlier this month with three Commonwealth Games medals, defeated Mexico's seventh seed Samantha Teran 11-6, 11-3, 13-11.
"I felt I came out strong in the first two games and stuck to my game plan," said 25-year-old from New South Wales. "In the third I knew I had to stay in front of her but she fought back well. I very happy to win in three!
"I've played Jenny quite a bit and last week in Mexico was the first time I've beaten her so I hope that I can consolidate on that."
The other semi will also have English interest when Duncalf's England team-mate Laura Massaro takes on second-seeded Australian Rachael Grinham.
Third seed Massaro defeated Egyptian nemesis Raneem El Weleily, the fifth seed, 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8, while Grinham, champion in 2006, beat 17-year-old Egyptian qualifier Nour El Tayeb 11-6, 14-12, 11-5.
"I'm really happy to have won," said Massaro, who has lost three times this year to the 21-year-old from Alexandria. "It's been SO tough against her in the last few matches. I thought I'd blown it after having two match balls in the third! I just so glad to be in the semis tomorrow, it's the furthest I've got in this tournament."
El Tayeb reached the quarter-finals after beating experienced compatriot Engy Kheirallah - and then admitted that Grinham, who is also based in Cairo, "is my favourite player".
A smiling Grinham said after the match: "I really enjoyed playing tonight! I haven't enjoyed playing as much as that in a while! I felt like I was moving really well and hitting the ball well and made very few errors. I knew it was an uphill battle for Nour once she was 2/0 down, so that helped me too.
"I haven't played Laura in a while and it looks like she is in good shape so I hope that I play well," concluded the 33-year-old former world number one.
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [4] Kasey Brown (AUS)
[2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [3] Laura Massaro (ENG)