Grainger Grabs Quarter-Final Place In World Open At Belfast's Ulster Hall

Former world champion Vanessa Atkinson squandered a two-game lead to crash out of tonight's second round of the Women's World Open Championship to the USA's Natalie Grainger on the first day of action on the all-glass court at the world-renowned Ulster Hall in Belfast.

In the final match of the day in the biggest squash event ever to be staged in Northern Ireland, Egypt's ninth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy upset fifth seed Vicky Botwright, from England, to reach the last eight for the second year in a row.

Atkinson, the world No2 from the Netherlands, seemed to have her second round match under control when she eased to a 2/0 lead against Grainger, the No14 seed.

But after feeling "really stressed out in the first game and a little tentative in the second", the 29-year-old from Washington DC stormed back to win the match 6-9, 2-9, 9-2, 9-1, 9-7 in 52 minutes - fighting back from 4-7 down in the decider.

"I got a good talking to between games," was Grainger's reply when asked what happened after the second game.

Grainger, runner-up in the event four years ago, credited her new "great support group", which includes fitness trainer Augi Maurelli, the head strength and conditioning coach at Georgetown University in Washington, and UK-based coach Steve Townsend.

"I haven't had a coach for about the past three years, but I've been working hard in all areas over the recent months. And I'm not injured - at last," added Grainger.

The surprise quarter-finalist later admitted that "it'll probably feel like taking on the whole of Ireland" when she meets local heroine Madeline Perry, the eighth seed from nearby Banbridge who beat unseeded Australian Kasey Brown 9-7, 9-0, 5-9, 9-2 in 51 minutes.

"It's a bit of a relief to get to this stage - so I can start enjoying it a bit more now," said the 29-year-old world No6 who has been the focus of the media attention in the build-up to the event.

"I just had a lapse of concentration in the third game but, even though I didn't know much about Kasey, she was pretty tough out there - she didn't give up."

Event favourite Nicol David cruised into the quarter-finals with a 9-2, 9-1, 9-0 win over Mexican qualifier Samantha Teran.

"It was nice to get out there on the glass court - and go all out from the start," sad the defending champion and world No1 from Malaysia. "I had to make sure I worked the ball - and had to use the corners well."

David will face surprise opponent Omneya Abdel Kawy after the Egyptian - a close rival throughout their junior days - removed Vicky Botwright 10-9, 10-9, 9-7.

England claimed two quarter-final slots earlier in the day after commanding victories by Tania Bailey and Laura-Jane Lengthorn in today's first session at Ulster Hall.

Bailey, the 27-year-old No7 seed from Stamford in Lincolnshire, beat her England team-mate Alison Waters 6-9, 9-4, 9-0, 9-0 in 48 minutes - winning 24 points in a row from one game down and 3-4 behind in the second game!

"She got in front, volleying and attacking the ball - she was just hitting all my boasts into the nick. I just wasn't able to play my game," said Bailey, recalling the early stage of the encounter.

"But I got a better length in the second - and by the end of the third I was so focussed I just wanted to go straight back on to play the fourth!

"Alison is a tough opponent - and one of the fittest girls on the circuit - and would have given anyone out there a hard game today.

"What I've learned more than anything recently is about the way I can play best - and when I'm doing this I feel I can beat anyone. I'm feeling as good as I've ever done," added the British National champion and one-time world No4.

Bailey will face Australia's fourth seed Natalie Grinham for a place in the last four. The 28-year-old Queenslander, winner of a record three gold medals in the Commonwealth Games in March, brushed aside New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen 9-4, 9-1, 9-4 in 30 minutes - and then revealed a Belfast ingredient which had enhanced her game.

"I have been working with a fitness coach to improve my speed," said the Netherlands-based world No4 from Toowoomba in Queensland. "And I already feel that I'm playing better than I was in the Commonwealth Games."

The man responsible for this speedier Grinham is Alistair McCaw, based in the Netherlands, raised in South Africa - but born in the Northern Ireland capital!

"I have been working with Alistair for around six months and I'm enjoying my training more than ever before," explained Natalie.

Laura-Jane Lengthorn faced unexpected opponent Nicolette Fernandes after the qualifier - the sole professional squash player from Guyana - upset sixth seed Jenny Duncalf in the first round.

But Fernandes, now based in Harrogate in England, was no match for Lengthorn on the all-glass court at the Ulster Hall, as the 23-year-old No11 seed from Preston in Lancashire swept to a 9-0, 9-3, 9-2 victory in 42 minutes.

The quickest victory of the session was notched up by Australian Rachael Grinham, the third seed and older sister of fourth seed Natalie, who despatched Hong Kong's Rebecca Chiu 9-2, 9-4, 9-3 in just 26 minutes. The result was not the 28th birthday present that the Asian Games champion was hoping for!

2nd round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Samantha Teran (MEX) 9-2, 9-1, 9-0 (25m)
[9] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [5] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 10-9, 10-9, 9-7 (54m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [15] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 9-2, 9-4, 9-3 (26m)
[11] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (ENG) bt [Q] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 9-0, 9-3, 9-2 (42m)
[7] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [10] Alison Waters (ENG) 6-9, 9-4, 9-0, 9-0 (48m)
[4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [13] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 9-4, 9-1, 9-4 (30m)
[8] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Kasey Brown (AUS) 9-7, 9-0, 5-9, 9-2 (51m)
[14] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 6-9, 2-9, 9-2, 9-1, 9-7 (52m)