Grainger Upsets Atkinson In Greenwich

World number three Vanessa Atkinson again failed to live up to expectations when she crashed out of the Women's Harrow Greenwich Open, beaten 9-0, 1-9, 9-6, 9-3 by fifth seed Natalie Grainger in the quarter-finals of the WISPA World Tour event at the Field Club in Greenwich, USA.

Top seed Atkinson, the former world champion from the Netherlands, lost unexpectedly in the first round of last week's Marsh Apawamis Open in Rye.

Grainger, from Washington DC in the USA - and also a former world number one - now goes on to meet No3 seed Tania Bailey, who beat England team-mate Jenny Duncalf, the seventh seed, 9-4, 9-3, 9-4.

There will also be English interest in the other semi-final after Alison Waters, the No8 seed from London, upset Ireland's fourth seed Madeline Perry 9-6, 8-10, 9-4, 9-6.

Waters will face second seed Natalie Grinham, the in-form Australian who despatched England's sixth seed Vicky Botwright 9-2, 9-0, 9-7. Queenslander Grinham, winner of the Apawamis Open title, will be looking to notch up her fourth successive WISPA final appearance.

Quarter-finals:
[5] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 9-0, 1-9, 9-6, 9-3
[3] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [7] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 9-4, 9-3, 9-4
[8] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [4] Madeline Perry (IRL) 9-6, 8-10, 9-4, 9-6
[2] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [6] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 9-2, 9-0, 9-7