WORLD SQUASH NEWS
RESULTS: CIMB Malaysian Open Squash Championships, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [7] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4 (45m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [8] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) 12-10, 11-13, 12-10, 11-3 (48m)
[4] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 (32m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6 (54m)
Third seed Rachael Grinham, the world champion from Queensland, was taken to tie-breaks in her first three games against Laura Lengthorn-Massaro before finally getting the better of the eighth seed from England 12-10, 11-13, 12-10, 11-3 in 48 minutes.
The women's event is the first being played under WISPA's new Pro-Scoring system, where - as has been the case on the men's PSA Tour for some years now - games are scored 'point-a-rally' to 11 points.
"The scoring is on my mind at the moment," Grinham senior conceded. "It's like you are in control but suddenly you are second guessing yourself when you have a chance to put the ball away.
"You approach it differently because of the consequences - it is not comfortable yet," added the Cairo-based world number three. "Practicing is one thing, but it is only in pressure situations in tournaments that you get used to dealing with the different mental thing - which is such a big part of the game."
Rachael Grinham now goes on to face local favourite Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who also dropped a game before clinching an 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4 victory over long-time rival Omneya Abdel Kawy, the seventh seed from Egypt.
Natalie Grinham, the world No2 who now competes under the Dutch flag, battled for five games before overcoming England's fifth seed Jenny Duncalf 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6 in 54 minutes.
The second seed will now take on Duncalf's England team-mate Tania Bailey. Playing in her first event for four months, after undergoing knee surgery, Bailey again scored a notable triumph by beating New Zealand's sixth seed Shelley Kitchen 11-7, 11-8, 11-4.
"I was stiff this morning, but not quite as achy as I expected," explained the fourth seed. "I iced my knee, sat on ice too and had a massage.
"Luckily I was able to control the ball, hit it down the line because it clings so well on this court and try and keep it away from Shelley's racket. But I got a bit nervy at the end as I couldn't believe I could actually be winning!"
Women's semi-final line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) v [4] Tania Bailey (ENG)
