Malaysian Open Semis: Brind to meet Zein

8.16.00 KUALA LUMPUR:

Event favourite Stephanie Brind, the world No13 from England, is on course to win her first WISPA World Tour title after beating South Africa's Claire Nitch 9-4 9-1 9-4 to reach the final of the $13,000 OSK Malaysian Women's Squash Open in Kuala Lumpur.

Brind, the 23-year-old former British junior champion from Bexleyheath in Kent, is the third seed, but became favourite to win the established women's tour title after the withdrawal of Germany's top seed Sabine Schoene and the Australian No2 seed Sarah Fitz-Gerald.

Brind's opponent will be Egypt's 5th seed Maha Zein, the world No22 from Cairo who overcame spirited resistance from New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen before beating the 7th seed 9-0 10-8 2-9 2-9 9-7. Zein, 26, is celebrating her fourth WISPA final since March 1999 and looking to claim her second title after winning the Danish Open in February.

RESULTS: OSK Malaysian Women's Squash Open, Kuala Lumpur

Semi-finals:
[5] Maha Zein (EGY) bt [7] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 9-0 10-8 2-9 2-9 9-7 [3]
Stephanie Brind (ENG) bt [4] Claire Nitch (RSA) 9-4 9-1 9-4

Quarter-finals:
[7] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 9-7 9-7 6-9 10-9
[5] Maha Zein (EGY) bt Madeline Perry (IRL) 9-6 9-5 9-1
[4] Claire Nitch (RSA) bt [6] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 9-1 2-9 10-8 9-5 [3]
Stephanie Brind (ENG) bt [8] Ellen Petersen (DEN) 9-0 9-7 9-3

Issued on behalf of: WISPA For further information: Howard Harding Email: HowHard@aol.com

First Round Results:

RESULTS: OSK Malaysian Women's Squash Open, Kuala Lumpur

Quarter-finals:
Shelley Kitchen (Nzl) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 9-7, 9-7, 6-9, 10-9;
Maha Zein (Egy) bt Madeline Perry (Eng) 9-6, 9-5, 9-1;
Claire Nitch (Rsa) bt Vicky Botwright (Eng) 9-1, 2-9, 10-8, 9-5;
Stephanie Brind (Eng) bt Ellen Petersen (Den) 9-0, 9-7, 9-3.

1st round:
Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt Eri Tsuchida (JPN) 9-3 9-0 9-0
[7] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [Q] Louise Crome NZL) 9-6 9-4 9-6
[5] Maha Zein (EGY) bt Sharon Wee (MAS) 10-8 9-6 2-9 9-4
Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Kuan Choy Lin (MAS) 9-2 9-3 9-4
[6] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [Q] Tricia Chuah (MAS) 9-10 5-9 9-3 9-6 9-3
[4] Claire Nitch (RSA) bt [Q] Annelize Naude (RSA) 5-9 9-2 9-2 9-0
[8] Ellen Petersen (DEN) bt Laura Keating (AUS) 9-5 9-3 9-5
[3] Stephanie Brind (ENG) bt [Q] Lara Petera (NZL) 9-7 9-6 9-3

• Golestan Radwan: Egypt
• Tomas Barva, Czech Republic
• David Blick, Alaska USA
• Kim Tunney: Midwest USA
• Andre Maur: Atlanta USA
• Paul Ansdell: Massachusetts USA
  

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