WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Women's Brunei Squash International, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Semi-finals:
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [4] Linda Elriani (ENG) 6-9, 9-6, 9-4, 9-4 (57m)
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [3] Natalie Grinham (AUS) 9-1, 10-9, 9-1 (44m)

Rachael Rallies To World Number One

Rachael Grinham refused to let family loyalties prevent her from achieving one of the biggest goals in sport when she beat her younger sister Natalie in straight games in today's (Friday) semi-finals of the Women's Brunei Squash International to be certain of becoming No1 in the next WISPA World Rankings for the first time in her career.

"Am I definitely number one now, can I tell my friends for sure?" asked the 27-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland after an on-court embrace with her sister, whom she beat 9-1 10-9 9-1 in 44 minutes.  "It's great to have the number one but the difficult part will be keeping it.  This year the top seeds haven't been winning so I need to focus on tomorrow."

The Brunei International action had shifted to the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium Complex for the semi finals.  In addition to the six glass back courts ranged in a line, the stadium features a three-sided glass court with 500 surrounding seats - which were almost filled to capacity for the occasion.

Despite the significance of this sibling clash, it was abundantly clear was that the pair were not going to fall out over it. Having roomed and then practiced together - deciding that they wouldn't change their normal routine - Rachael and Natalie were still chatting on the way to and from the Stadium, though the conversation may have been a little more tense than normal.

Grinham senior, the event favourite, started the stronger on the warm court, finding more winning options in the first game while Natalie settled.  But settle she did and the second was a different matter.  Natalie purposefully slotted home some deft drops to go to 6-2 up, but in compelling rallies characterised by their intimate knowledge of each other's game, Rachael began to reel in her sister.

Soon she was ahead and standing at 8-6 game ball.  Now Natalie crept back.  Once with a lucky dead sidewall nick - but to even things up, at eight-all, with a wickedly clinging drive.  One long rally later and the third seed was poised with her own game ball, but undone when an outrageous reverse angle that had winner marked all over it ran along the top of the tin.

Rachel then again repeatedly showed her sister all the outer reaches of the court until an opening appeared.  With a dying backhand drop, the 22-minute game was hers.  Eleven hard but ultimately fruitless minutes of Natalie graft, and the third game was Rachael's too - and with it the match and the world number one spot. 

Natalie was relieved to have completed the match at all, having been carrying a shoulder injury. "I strained my rotator cuff three days before the start and wasn't sure I would make the first round but it stood up okay.  I was struggling to get power on the forehand but luckily my opponents haven't noticed and played on it!"

By contrast, the other semi between second-seeded Dutch No1 Vanessa Atkinson and England's Linda Elriani merely had a place in the final at stake! 

In the first game, Elriani bore out the comments of her quarter-final opponent Jenny Tranfield who had been impressed with how well she was playing.  There were errors, winners and screams of anguish, but the fourth seed had the edge over the Malaysian Open champion; and having traded punches to six all, capitalised on a tinned drive from Atkinson and a squirting front nick ball that came straight back to the Dutch star. 

Second seed Atkinson ultimately won 6-9 9-6 9-4 9-4 in 57 minutes - and commented afterwards:  "I've got to be prepared to do a lot of running tomorrow against Rachael.  She'll have me all over the place!"