WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Women's Squashworks Open, Salt Lake City, USA

Quarter-finals:
[1] Fiona Geaves (ENG) bt [7] Latasha Khan (USA) 9-2, 9-0, 9-2 (25m)
[5] Jenny Tranfield (ENG) bt [3] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 7-9, 10-8, 10-9, 9-2 (67m)
[4] Stephanie Brind (ENG) bt Tegwen Malik (WAL) 0-9, 9-7, 9-4, 9-3 (37m)
[6] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [2] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 6-9, 2-9, 9-5, 9-4, 9-4 (54m)

Bailey Bounces Back To Set Up All-English Salt Lake Semis

A courageous fight-back by sixth seed Tania Bailey to upset Egypt's second seed Omneya Abdel Kawy led to a clean sweep of English triumphs in the quarter-finals of the Women's Squashworks Open in Salt Lake City, USA.

Bailey, the 24-year-old world No19 from Lincolnshire who has been beset by a series of health problems since reaching a career-high world No4 over a year ago, fell two games behind as Kawy, ranked ten in the world, looked set to claim her anticipated place in the WISPA World Tour event's semi-finals.

In the third game, however, Bailey tightened up her game and began to take control.  The tactic changed the complexion of the match - Kawy, whose deceptive racquet work and excellent anticipation dictated the first two games, was now playing from behind the English underdog, and it was Bailey who was making shots to the front court to end rallies.

Bailey finished the fifth game by running off seven straight rallies to come from 2-4 down to secure a 6-9 2-9 9-5 9-4 9-4 victory in the best match of the day in 54 minutes.

Bailey will meet compatriot Stephanie Brind, also a former world No4, in the semi-finals.  Brind, the fourth seed, overturned a whitewash in the first game to beat unseeded Welsh champion Tegwen Malik 0-9 9-7 9-4 9-3 in 37 minutes.

There was also a significant upset in the top half of the draw where England's Jenny Tranfield avenged her defeat by New Zealander Shelley Kitchen in last week's Hyder Open in New York - which Kitchen went on to win - to upset the third seed in four games.

In a contrast of styles, world No14 Kitchen forced the pace by hitting hard and low drives - while Tranfield tried to slow the pace by bringing her drives higher on the front wall and using effective attacking boasts and cross-court drops to keep Kitchen off balance.  Kitchen fell 1-6 behind in the first game but came back to take the lead and win the game.

The middle two games both went to 'overtime' with Tranfield showing her grittiness and mental toughness in prevailing 10-8 and 10-9.  In the third game, Tranfield jumped out to an early big lead 7-0 with Kitchen obviously fatigued.  The world No17 from Milton Keynes closed the match 7-9 10-8 10-9 9-2 in 67 minutes.

Fifth seed Tranfield will now meet Fiona Geaves after the top seed despatched five-times US champion Latasha Khan, the seventh seed, 9-2 9-0 9-2 in just 25 minutes.