(updated 10-jun-09 22:04 ) 

ALEXANDRIA OPEN [DRAW AND RESULTS]

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

1st round:
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [Q] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 11-5, 11-8, 11-4
[7] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt [Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 11-13, 13-11, 11-5, 11-8 (44m)
[3] Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Heba El Torky (EGY) 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7 (50m)
[6] Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) bt [Q] Lucie Fialova (CZE) 11-7, 11-2, 13-11
[8] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Fiona Moverley (ENG) 11-3, 11-9, 11-6
[4] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt [Q] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-6, 11-8, 11-8
[5] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 13-11, 13-11, 10-12, 9-11, 11-5
[2] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 13-11, 11-4, 11-3

Egyptian Seeds Flourish In Alexandria

The local favourites did not disappoint on the opening day of main draw action in the Women's Alexandria Sporting Club Open as the three seeded Egyptians took their anticipated places in the quarter-finals of the $25,300 WISPA World Tour squash event at Alexandria Sporting Club in Alexandria, Egypt.

Omneya Abdel Kawy and Raneem El Weleily kept alive hopes of an all-Egyptian final with straight games first round wins.  Event favourite Abdel Kawy, from Cairo, despatched fellow countrywoman Nouran El Torky, a qualifier, 11-5, 11-8, 11-4 – and will now face Ireland's Aisling Blake after the seventh seed resisted a spirited display by 13-year-old Alexandria star Nour El Sherbini before winning 11-13, 13-11, 11-5, 11-8.

El Weleily, the highest-ranked of six Alexandria players in the draw, despatched New Zealander Kylie Lindsay 13-11, 11-4, 11-3.  The 20-year-old second seed will now meet Sarah Kippax – but the fifth seed from England was taken the full distance by Nour El Tayeb before beating the unseeded 16-year-old Egyptian 13-11, 13-11, 10-12, 9-11, 11-5.

Cairo-based Engy Kheirallah, the inaugural Alexandria Sporting Club Open champion in 2005, marked her return to the club where she used to be based by comfortably beating 15-year-old compatriot Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy 11-6, 11-8, 11-8.  The fourth seed will now face France's Camille Serme, the No8 seed, for a place in the semi-finals.

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v [7] Aisling Blake (IRL)
[3] Lauren Briggs (ENG) v [6] Suzie Pierrepont (ENG)
[4] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) v [8] Camille Serme (FRA)
[2] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) v [5] Sarah Kippax (ENG)

 

 

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!"