RESULTS: Dunlop British Open Squash Championships, Liverpool, England
Women's 1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Madeline Perry (IRL) 9-0, 9-4, 9-4 (37m)
[6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 8-10, 9-3, 9-4, 9-2 (57m)
[4] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [Q] Kasey Brown (AUS) 9-5, 9-3, 9-7 (36m)
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) bt [7] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 9-6, 2-9, 4-9, 9-6, 9-6 (80m)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Alison Waters (ENG) 4-9, 9-2, 10-8, 9-1 (59m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 9-6, 9-1, 9-2 (38m)
[Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [8] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 9-2, 2-9, 9-6, 9-6 (66m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 9-4, 9-0, 6-9, 9-4 (72m)
The event's first upset took place in the women's event when Isabelle Stoehr, a qualifier from France, beat eighth-seeded Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy 9-2, 2-9, 9-6, 9-6 in 66 minutes.
Abdel Kawy - fresh from victory in last month's Hurghada International in her home country, where she beat world champion Rachael Grinham in the final - was playing her opening match of the tournament, whereas Stoehr had already battled through three qualifying rounds.
"It was her first match, so I knew I had capitalise on the fact that I'd played three times on the courts - and get a strong start," said the 28-year-old from Montpellier. "I tried to play it really tight - she's got such good racquet skills. But I also knew she could give me a few easy points.
"Even when I lost the second game, I still felt strong - and just had to push, push, push.
"I'm pleased with my game - I'm feeling confident and I'm happy in my life," added Stoehr, who now faces second seed Natalie Grinham in the quarter-finals on the all-glass court at the ECHO Arena.
"A few years ago I would have approached tomorrow's match expecting to lose - but now my confidence is high. It's all about being relaxed and happy."
The longest women's match was an all-Lancashire bout between Manchester Vicky Botwright, the No7 seed, and unseeded Laura Lengthorn-Massaro, from Preston. It was the pair's sixth meeting this year - and eventually the fifth upset by Lengthorn-Massaro over her higher-ranked county compatriot.
"I feel I've been playing really well recently - and felt I deserved to get into the quarter-finals," said 24-year-old Laura, ranked 12 in the world, after her 9-6, 2-9, 4-9, 9-6, 9-6 victory.
British Open action now moves to the brand new ECHO Arena Liverpool where quarter-finals matches on the all-glass showcourt kick off at midday on Saturday.
Women's quarter-final line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL)
[4] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) v [Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)
Official website: www.britishopensquash.com
