Shabana & Matthew In First-Time Tournament of Champions Final

Egypt's Amr Shabana and Englishman Nick Matthew will contest the men's final of the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions for the first time after resounding semi-final victories at Grand Central Terminal in New York. Top seed Vanessa Atkinson has the chance to become the first player to successfully defend the women's title when she meets USA's Natalie Grainger in the other climax.

Third seed Shabana, the reigning World Open champion who has won five of the last eight tournaments he has played in, was taken to a tiebreak in the opening game against compatriot Karim Darwish, but maintained his lead against the 12th seed to win 11-10 (3-1), 11-9, 11-7. Shabana is celebrating the 16th PSA Tour final of his career, and his second this year.

Matthew, the ninth seed who upset Canada's four-times champion Jonathon Power to reach the last four, defeated fast-rising French star Gregory Gaultier, the 11th seed, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-7 to reach the 19th PSA final of his career.

Vanessa Atkinson had to battle hard to overcome tour veteran Linda Elriani, the fourth seed from England, 9-3, 10-8, 9-10, 9-7. The world No2 from the Netherlands is on course to win her third WISPA World Tour title of the year in her 32nd career final.

Ireland's eighth seed Madeline Perry, who rose to a career-high No9 in the new women's world rankings, took Natalie Grainger the full distance in the other semi-final before bravely bowing out 9-0, 7-9, 0-9, 9-4, 9-1 to the third seed from Washington.

Grainger is in her first WISPA final since last April, but the 25th of her career.

Men's semi-finals:
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [12] Karim Darwish (EGY) 11-10 (3-1), 11-9, 11-7
[9] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [11] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-7

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [4] Linda Elriani (ENG) 9-3, 10-8, 9-10, 9-7
[3] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [8] Madeline Perry (IRL) 9-0, 7-9, 0-9, 9-4, 9-1