Sarah Kippax captured an unexpected place in the semi-finals of the Women's Texas Open after ousting third seed Low Wee Wern in the WISPA World Tour Silver 30 squash event at Downtown YMCA in Dallas.
The seventh-seeded English woman stormed to an 11-7, 11-5, 2-11, 11-9 victory over Wee Wern, the world No13 from Malaysia.
Kippax, ranked 18 in the world, will now face top seed Rachael Grinham after the Australian defeated her younger sister Natalie Grinham 11-3, 11-3, 11-5. Natalie, the former world No2, is making her tour comeback after the birth of her first child last year.
There will be Australian interest in the other semi-final where second seed Kasey Brown takes on fourth-seeded New Zealander Joelle King, the title-holder.
Brown, the world No6 from New South Wales, survived a close four-game clash with Samantha Teran, beating the fifth seed from Mexico 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10.
Kiwi King took just three games to overcome Hong Kong's Joey Chan 11-5, 11-8, 11-8.
RESULTS: Texas Open, Dallas, USA
Quarter-finals:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Natalie Grinham (NED) 11-3, 11-3, 11-5
[7] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [3] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-7, 11-5, 2-11, 11-9
[4] Joelle King (NZL) bt Joey Chan (HKG) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8
[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [5] Samantha Teran (MEX) 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [7] Sarah Kippax (ENG)
[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) v [4] Joelle King (NZL)