San Diego Title Brings Up Grainger Hat-Trick

US champion Natalie Grainger notched up a hat-trick of successive WISPA World Tour titles in her new home country when she beat Egypt's Raneem El Weleily in the final of the Women's Betteridge & Breitling San Diego Classic in San Diego, California.

After taking the Texas Open title in May, then struggling to a five-game win over the teenager only a week ago in the final of the Epstein Becker & Green Los Angeles Open, top seed Grainger was in sensational form as she romped to a 9-2, 9-3, 9-3 victory over the second seed El Weleily in 31 minutes.

"The capacity crowd at San Diego Squash enjoyed some of the best Squash of the weekend in the final, where Grainger asserted herself from the start," said tournament organiser Chris Walker, the former England international. "After a close five-game match last weekend in the final of the LA Open, Grainger knew she had to be on top form to keep the world junior champion at bay."

The win marked the latest stage in a remarkable comeback year for the 29-year-old former world number one from Washington DC who became a US citizen in February, then began a sequence of victories which included the US Nationals title and four further Tour crowns.

The San Diego triumph brings Grainger's haul to 15 WISPA titles in a career which began with success in the Coupe de Stade Francais in France in March 1997.

Final:
[1] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [2] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 9-2, 9-3, 9-3 (31m)