(updated 10-apr-10 8:56 ) 

Upsets Continue In Texas

Former champion Rachael Grinham became the only top four seed to make the semi-finals of the Champion Fiberglass Women's Texas Open after another day of upsets in the $26,700 WISPA World Tour squash event at The Downtown Club at the Met in Houston, USA.

The Australian favourite, winner of the title in 2004, brushed aside Hong Kong's unseeded Joey Chan 11-3, 11-1, 11-8.

And former world number one Grinham will now face another unseeded opponent after Malaysian Low Wee Wern, ranked outside the world top 30, scored one of the most stunning wins of her career by recovering from two games down to beat Jaclyn Hawkes, the third seed from New Zealand. 

The 19-year-old from Penang's 7-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-9, 12-10 defeat of the world No15 from Auckland followed her first round win over England's No8 seed Lauren Briggs.

Two rapidly-rising antipodeans also produced a significant shock in the lower half of the draw when unseeded Kiwi Joelle King defeated fifth-seeded Australian Donna Urquhart 12-10, 11-5, 11-3.

Both players celebrated career-high world rankings this month – 21-year-old King jumping four places to reach 23, while 23-year-old Urquhart made her top 20 debut at 20. 

King will face Dominique Lloyd-Walter for a place in the final after the sixth seed from England survived a five-game battle with unseeded Malaysian Delia Arnold, winning 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 4-11, 11-6.

RESULTS:         Champion Fiberglass Women's Texas Squash Open, Houston, USA

Quarter-finals:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Joey Chan (HKG) 11-3, 11-1, 11-8
Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt [3] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 7-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-9, 12-10
Joelle King (NZL) bt [5] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 12-10, 11-5, 11-3
[6] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt Delia Arnold (MAS) 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 4-11, 11-6

 

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Low Wee Wern (MAS)
[6] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) v Joelle King (NZL)