RESULTS: Dunlop British Open Squash Championships, ECHO Arena, Liverpool, England
Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 7-9, 9-7, 9-5, 9-2 (63m)
[4] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) 9-3, 10-9, 9-6 (46m)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 9-5, 1-9, 9-6, 9-1 (54m)
[Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [2] Natalie Grinham (NED) 6-9, 9-4, 1-0 ret. (28m)
In the women's event England's Jenny Duncalf upset title-holder Rachael Grinham.
The lower half of the women's draw was thrown into disarray when Jenny Duncalf defeated Rachael Grinham, the reigning world champion and former world number one, 9-5, 1-9, 9-6, 9-1.
The 25-year-old fifth seed from Harrogate had never before beaten the three times champion from Australia: "I don't know what happened," said a seemingly startled Duncalf later. "I had to keep reminding myself to stay focused - you can't afford to relax for a moment with Rachael, she's so good with the racquet."
In the first British Open semi-final of her career, Duncalf will face Isabelle Stoehr after the French qualifier earlier ousted Rachael's sister Natalie Grinham, the second seed.
Grinham junior, a record three times Commonwealth Games gold medallist, won the opening game - but, at 4-0 in the second, took a lunge which caused pain in her left thigh.
"I called for the physio at 6-4. In the break, he said I could go back on but it might make sit worse," explained the 30-year-old from Queensland who now flies the Dutch flag.
"Sometimes pain just goes away, but when I tried a similar lunge at the beginning of the third game, the pain was so sharp I just had to stop. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before."
Stoehr had mixed feelings about claiming her maiden appearance in the semi-finals: "50% I'm happy and 50% I'm not," said the 28-year-old from Montpellier, who survived three qualifying matches before the first round.
"People say 'Isabelle is not fit'! This is a good reply to those who say that.
"Everything is now a bonus to me."
Later in the day, Malaysia's world number Nicol David recovered from a game and 5-2 down to beat difficult opponent Shelley Kitchen 7-9, 9-7, 9-5, 9-2. The win avenged a shock second round loss to the New Zealander in last year's World Open in Madrid.
Women's semi-final line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [4] Natalie Grainger (USA)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)
Official website: www.britishopensquash.com
