Hill Fights Through To Wolverhampton Quarters

Derbyshire fire-fighter Laura Hill fought through to the women's quarter-finals of the Wolverhampton Open after upsetting fifth-seeded fellow Englishwoman Sarah Kippax in the first round of the UK's biggest club-based squash championships in Wolverhampton, England.

The 31-year-old world No54 recovered from 2/1 down to overcome Kippax, ranked 19 places higher in the world, 9-7, 3-9, 9-10, 10-9, 9-1. Hill now meets another English opponent Dominique Lloyd-Walter, the third seed from Harrow, for a place in the last four of the WISPA World Tour event.

French qualifier Camille Serme also pulled off a notable upset, beating sixth-seeded Dane Line Hansen 9-2, 6-9, 0-9, 9-6, 9-3 in 64 minutes - the longest match of the day. The 18-year-old European Junior Champion will now take on England's No2 seed Laura Lengthorn-Massaro, the title-holder from Preston in Lancashire who despatched another French qualifier Celia Allamargot 9-0, 9-1, 9-3.

Ireland's top seed Madeline Perry secured her place in the quarter-finals with a confident performance over Jenna Gates of England, taking just 22 minutes to record a 9-2, 9-3, 9-1 victory.

In the men's $30,000 PSA Tour event, top-seeded Englishman Lee Beachill produced a typically clinical performance to overcome qualifier Jesse Engelbrecht.

The South African, who had reached the first round via an arduous qualifying competition, attacked his experienced opponent with forceful drives and volleys to capture the opening game. But Yorkshireman Beachill - the three times British National Champion, twice Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist and former world No1 - countered with almost faultless squash to quickly close out the match for the loss of only nine further points, winning 10-11 (0-2), 11-1, 11-5, 11-3.

Mathieu Castagnet, the 20-year-old Frenchman who also claimed his place in the main draw via the qualification competition, kept Englishman Adrian Grant on court for more than an hour before the No2 seed from London prevailed 11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 11-6.

Chris Ryder, the Head Squash Coach at Wolverhampton's premier tennis and squash club, was unable to exploit the vociferous support from the partisan crowd - and went down 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (2-0), 11-8 to Australian Cameron Pilley.

Egyptian Omar Abdel Aziz caused the only upset in the men's event when he beat Pakistan's No8 seed Shahid Zaman 11-4, 11-10 (2-0), 11-4. The 24-year-old from Cairo now meets fourth seed Pilley for a place in the semi-finals.

Men's 1st round:
[1] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [Q] Jesse Engelbrecht (RSA) 10-11 (0-2), 11-1, 11-5, 11-3
[5] Bradley Ball (ENG) bt [Q] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-4, 11-7, 2-11, 11-4
[3] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [Q] Jonathan Harford (ENG) 6-11, 11-2, 11-1, 11-6
[7] Stacey Ross (ENG) bt Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) bt [8] Shahid Zaman (PAK) 11-4, 11-10 (2-0), 11-4
[4] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Chris Ryder (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (2-0), 11-8
[6] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) 11-2, 11-3, 11-4
[2] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 11-6 (61m)

Women's 1st round:
[1] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Jenna Gates (ENG) 9-2, 9-3, 9-1
[8] Tenille Swartz (RSA) bt [Q] Emma Chorley (ENG) 9-2, 9-7, 9-0
[3] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt [Q] Soraya Renai (FRA) 9-1, 9-0, 9-4
Laura Hill (ENG) bt [5] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 9-7, 3-9, 9-10, 10-9, 9-1
[7] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Carla Khan (PAK) 0-9, 10-9, 7-9, 9-1, 10-8
Orla Noom (NED) bt [4] Tricia Chuah (MAS) 1-9, 0-9, 9-1, 9-4, 9-0 (60m)
[Q] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [6] Line Hansen (DEN) 9-2, 6-9, 0-9, 9-6, 9-3 (64m)
[2] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Celia Allamargot (FRA) 9-0, 9-1, 9-3