Russell Reaches Toronto Semis

Carolyn Russell returned the city where she gained an Engineering Masters degree - and mastered fellow Canadian Alana Miller to reach a surprise semi-final slot in the Women's Mayfair Lakeshore Open at the Mayfair Lakeshore Racquet & Fitness Club in Toronto.

The unseeded 32-year-old from Vancouver made her breakthrough in the first round when she upset Australia's sixth seed Amelia Pittock.

Miller, from Winnipeg, caused a bigger upset in the first round when she beat top seed Sharon Wee. But the Malaysian had arrived in Toronto with no bags, clothes, racquets or shoes - after spending some 35 hours at JFK airport with flights cancelled due to snow storms. The world No18 ended up being kitted out by organiser Nicole Pirko - but was unable overcome her adversity.

In the quarter-final, Russell beat Pan-American champion Miller 10-8, 5-9, 9-5, 9-6 - and goes on to meet Isabelle Stoehr, the third seed from France who had to fight back 1/2 down to beat USA's No5 seed Latasha Khan 10-8, 2-9, 1-9, 9-6, 9-7.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [7] Runa Reta (CAN) 9-0, 9-0, 9-1
[4] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt [8] Peta Hughes (AUS) 8-10, 9-7, 9-3, 10-8
[3] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [5] Latasha Khan (USA) 10-8, 2-9, 1-9, 9-6, 9-7
Carolyn Russell (CAN) bt Alana Miller (CAN) 10-8, 5-9, 9-5, 9-6