(updated 10-jun-09 22:05 ) 

ALEXANDRIA OPEN [DRAW AND RESULTS]

RESULTS:         Women's Alexandria Sporting Club Squash Open, Alexandria, Egypt

Quarter-finals:
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [7] Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-7, 11-3, 6-11, 11-9 (32m)
[3] Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt [6] Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) 0-11, 15-13, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6 (65m)
[8] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [4] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 13-11, 11-9, 13-11
[5] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [2] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 3-11, 9-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-6

Raneem Rattled By Comeback Queen Kippax

England's fifth seed Sarah Kippax scored one of the most courageous wins of her career when she battled back from two games down in the Women's Alexandria Sporting Club Open to upset local star Raneem El Weleily, the second seed, to reach the semi-finals of the $25,300 WISPA World Tour squash event at Alexandria Sporting Club in Alexandria, Egypt.

Alexandria-based El Weleily, the reigning World Junior Champion and World Universities Champion, dominated the first two games and looked to be heading to her anticipated victory.  But Kippax, who had survived a close five-game first round encounter only 24 hours earlier, turned the tables in game three and went on to win 3-11, 9-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-6 in a match described as 'the best of the day'.

The 26-year-old from Halifax in Yorkshire will face surprise opponent Camille Serme for a place in the final after the eighth seed from France pulled off another Egyptian upset by beating fourth seed Engy Kheirallah 13-11, 11-9, 13-11. 

"It wasn't one of Engy's best days," said tournament spokesman Ahmed El Shazly of the former Alexandria queen who is now based in Cairo with her husband Karim Darwish, the men's world number one.

Egypt's hopes for success now remain solely in the hands of Omneya Abdel Kawy, the top seed who beat Ireland's Aisling Blake 11-7, 11-3, 6-11, 11-9.

Abdel Kawy will face third seed Lauren Briggs who survived an extraordinary all-English clash with sixth seed Suzie Pierrepont - recovering from the loss of a first game in which she failed to record a single point to win 0-11, 15-13, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6 after 65 minutes.

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v [3] Lauren Briggs (ENG)
[5] Sarah Kippax (ENG) v [8] Camille Serme (FRA)
 

 

     

 

 

Grainger, the in-form No2 seed from Greenwich, crushed England's Jenny Duncalf 11-6, 11-2, 11-3 in just 25 minutes - the fifth seed clearly feeling the effects of her marathon hour-long upset over fourth seed Natalie Grinham in the previous round.

"I'm very happy with how that went - I knew Jenny had a hard match and a good win yesterday, so I really wanted to make sure I was on my game from the start, take my time and make sure my shots were tight," explained Grainger, the reigning US and Pan American Games champions.

"I worked it well, good shot selection and once I got on top it was important to keep it going, you can't afford to let anyone back in.

"Now it's the same routine as before - good food, good sleep, breakfast, a bit of sun and ready to go for the next match!"