RESULTS: Women's Cayman Islands Open, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (30m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [4] Madeline Perry (IRL) 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (42m)
The world's top two players will contest the climax of the Women's Cayman Islands Open after Nicol David and Jenny Duncalf prevailed in straight games in the semi-finals of the $55,300 WISPA World Tour Gold squash event – the third of the year – on Grand Cayman.
It will be a fitting finale for the popular event in its second year in the Cayman Islands, but its first staged on an all-glass court at Camana Bay.
In the opening all-British clash, England's world No2 Jenny Duncalf claimed her first appearance in the final after beating Madeline Perry, the fourth seed from Ireland, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.
While rain fell on the spectators, Perry established significant leads in the first two games, but Duncalf battled back to reclaim the advantage – and then romped to a 7-1 lead in the third game.
The 11 times Irish champion reduced the deficit, but three successive winners saw Duncalf close out the match.
"It was much hotter on there today," Duncalf told the official website www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman afterwards - much to the surprise of the wrapped-up spectators! "And humid too. So it was tough. Madeline made me work hard. It's usually 3/1-ish between us, so to win 3/0 is a bonus!
"I had a bit of a dip in the middle of the second, but I was pleased with how I dug in and with my focus overall, it was important to get the second and I managed to carry that momentum to get a good start in the third," added the 27-year-old from Harrogate who lost in the semi-finals last year.
"It's good to go one better here than last time - you always want improvement, but it would be nice to go two better!"
World number one Nicol David, winner of the first two WISPA gold events this year, clinched her 11th straight match win this year with an 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 win in 30 minutes over long-time Australian rival Rachael Grinham.
"That was a clinical display," said Nicol's coach Liz Irving of her ward's progress to a second consecutive Cayman Open final.
It was the pair's 31st meeting – and the win extends David's head-to-head record over the former world number one to 24/7 over exactly ten years.
"I know when I play Rachael that if she gets a chance to play her shots they'll go in, so I have to play mine first," explained the world champion from Malaysia. "She always brings my game up when we play, it's always a good show. I just have to keep my focus and play the right shots at the right time."
Official website: www.squashsite.co.uk/cayman