RESULTS: Women's Cayman Islands Open, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [7] Camille Serme (FRA) 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (33m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (45m)
[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [6] Kasey Brown (AUS) 3-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 (62m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (28m)
The top four seeds secured their anticipated places in the semi-finals of the Women's Cayman Islands Open – with defending champion Nicol David making short work of her quarter-final victory in the $55,300 WISPA World Tour Gold squash event on Grand Cayman.
The Malaysian favourite, bidding to win her third successive WISPA gold event this year, came up against rising French star Camille Serme, the 21-year-old seventh seed from Creteil who boasts a career-high world No11 ranking.
The world number one from Penang had to be at the top of her game to hold off her opponent's challenge before winning 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 in 33 minutes.
"That was a tough match - we had some really good rallies, working rallies, especially in the third," explained title-holder David to the official website www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman afterwards. "We were both trying to out position each other: I'm just pleased to win it 3/0."
David will now face career-long rival Rachael Grinham in what will be the pair's 31st meeting since contesting the Milo Open final in Malaysia exactly ten years ago! Grinham, the third seed from Australia, was fully tested by Sarah Kippax before beating the English qualifier 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 in 45 minutes.
"That was very tough, very close," said the relieved winner. "I was disappointed to lose the first after having a good lead, but in the end I was a bit lucky to win it in four.
"I was trying not to think about a fifth, just trying to dig in and push for each rally," added the former world number one from Queensland. "I've always had a lot of respect for Sarah, she has great potential and it's good to see her starting to fulfil it. She's had some good results and there's more to come."
The other semi-final will see England's second seed Jenny Duncalf line up against Ireland's Madeline Perry, the fourth seed. Duncalf despatched unseeded French opponent Isabelle Stoehr 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 in just 28 minutes, while Perry was stretched for 62 minutes and had to recover from a game down to beat Australia's sixth seed Kasey Brown 3-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7.
"I often start slowly these days," said Perry, the world No7 from near Belfast. "I was slow but she came out very fast and was on top of me in the first game.
"It's hot on there, too hot for me," added the winner. "But I'm really pleased to win that 3/1. I could feel her coming back at me towards the end so it was good to finish it off."
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [4] Madeline Perry (IRL)
Official website: www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman