Gough Shocked As Handley Reaches Wolverhampton Open Semis

A battle between two players who led the host club to victory in the Premier League last year produced a major shock in the men's quarter-finals of the inaugural Wolverhampton Open when unseeded Scott Handley upset top-seeded Welshman Alex Gough at the Wolverhampton LT&SC in the West Midlands city.

Both players received vocal support from a capacity crowd before Handley's superior fitness eventually proved decisive as he claimed his 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7, 7-11, 11-5 victory over the British O35 Open champion - and a place in the semi-finals of the UK's biggest club-based squash championships.

Handley, from Wallingford in Oxfordshire, will now take on Spain's third seed Borja Golan who fought back from a game down to beat Indian champion Saurav Ghosal, the No8 seed based in Leeds, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.

Former British National Champion Simon Parke also suffered a shock quarter-final defeat - to compatriot Stacey Ross in what was to be his last competitive appearance in the UK before retiring from the international circuit.

Parke, the No4 seed, was unable to recapture the same level of consistency of his first round match against an inspired opponent who hit eight outright winners in the final game of his 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 5-11, 11-7 victory.

"I felt strong today," said seventh seed Ross after his 66-minute win. "My shots went in well and it's really pleasing to get a win because he has so much experience. It's only our second match since juniors and I wasn't aware that this would be his last UK event, but I won't let that burst my bubble."

Qualifier Lee Drew, who yesterday claimed the scalp of local favourite and second seed Jonathan Kemp, continued his rich vein of form with an impressive 11-6 7-11 11-8 11-2 win over Jonathan Harford.

"I'm very pleased with how far I have come in the tournament," said Drew, who now faces Ross. "The club has a great 'homely' feel and I think that that has really suited my game. Tomorrow will be a tough match and my focus will be on enjoying the occasion."

England qualifier Laura Hill maintained her giant-killing run in the women's event with a shock 9-3, 9-4, 9-5 victory over sixth-seeded compatriot Rebecca Botwright. The Derbyshire fire-fighter will now take on Rebecca's older sister Vicky Botwright, the top seed who cruised into the women's semi-finals with a confident 9-0 9-5 9-2 win over English opponent Sarah Kippax.

"I got off to a good start which helped and I'm pleased to have got Sarah off 3-0," said the Manchester-based world No5. Botwright senior is England's highest ranked women's squash player who is competing in the event as part of her final preparations for next week's World Open Championship in Belfast.

"I've never played Laura before, certainly not since juniors, and hopefully she won't take two Botwright scalps," added the 29-year-old favourite.

Third seed Shelley Kitchen, from New Zealand, was in equally impressive form against Emma Beddoes, dropping just seven points in her 9-1 9-3 9-3 win over the English qualifier from Warwick,

Kitchen's semi-final opponent will be Laura-Jane Lengthorn, the second seed from Lancashire who looked less convincing against New Zealand's fifth seed Jaclyn Hawkes during a laboured 9-7, 5-9, 9-4, 9-6 58-minute victory.

Men's quarter-finals:
Scott Handley (ENG) bt [1] Alex Gough (WAL) 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7, 7-11, 11-5
[3] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [8] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5
[7] Stacey Ross (ENG) bt [4] Simon Parke (ENG) 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 5-11, 11-7
[Q] Lee Drew (ENG) bt [Q] Jonathan Harford (ENG) 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt [7] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-0, 9-5, 9-2
[Q] Laura Hill (ENG) bt [6] Rebecca Botwright (ENG) 9-3, 9-4, 9-5
[3] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [Q] Emma Beddoes (ENG) 9-1, 9-3, 9-3
[2] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) bt [5] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 9-7, 5-9, 9-4, 9-6