Willstrop & Duncalf In British Open Finals' Double

Yorkshireman James Willstrop ensured that there will be English interest in both finals of the Dunlop British Open for only the second time in 44 years when he overwhelmed Frenchman Thierry Lincou in straight games in tonight's men's semi-finals at the ECHO Arena Liverpool.

The 24-year-old world No3 from Leeds avenged his recent defeat by the former world number one in Kuwait, winning 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 in 50 minutes to reach the final for the second time.

Earlier Jenny Duncalf - also from Yorkshire - beat French qualifier Isabelle Stoehr to claim a maiden place in the women's final.

Willstrop, now in his sixth Tour final in seven events, was in stunning form against Lincou. The British national champion had answers for everything that the experienced Lincou could throw at him.

After winning the first two games, Willstrop returned to the court knowing that only two weeks earlier he had been in a similar position in the Kuwait Open - yet lost in a five-game thriller!

"Kuwait was a good lesson for me - tonight I kept it simple and had to be as positive and tough as I could," said the Englishman.

"For a squash player to be in the British Open final is a bit special."

When asked to comment on the comparison with his 2005 final appearance, the now 24-year-old said: "My little muscles have become a bit stronger since then. Hopefully I've got a bigger engine now - and I hope I'll be able to use it!"

A forlorn Lincou admitted that his opponent never showed any signs of fatigue nor gave him any easy points. "He was just too good - he played amazing squash," said the 32-year-old from Marseille. "I think he's in good shape to win it if he wants it."

Willstrop will face Australia's three times champion David Palmer.in Monday's final. The fifth seed, appearing in his seventh semi-final in nine years, led throughout the opening game against Karim Darwish, the No7 seed from Egypt who knocked out France's defending champion Gregory Gaultier in the previous round.

But it was all-change in the second as the 26-year-old from Cairo claimed the upper hand and took the game for the loss of just three points.

And Darwish continued to press home his advantage in the third until referee Wendy Danzey stopped the game, instructing the Egyptian to leave the court to have a 'blood injury to the knee' attended to.

Amazingly, it was only seconds after walking back on court that the former world junior champion turned back - signalling that he could no longer continue. It later transpired that he had also strained his Achilles tendon earlier in the match.

"It feels great to be in the final - but a little strange," said the 31-year-old Australian who was also taken aback by the abrupt curtailment of the match.

"I thought he'd caught his knee - I didn't realise it was anything to do with his ankle. But I was in trouble at that point in the match - I'd played pretty well in the first game but he totally turned it round in the next."

Jenny Duncalf, the world number eight who had never before lost to her lower-ranked opponent, admitted that she was "a little bit edgy" in the early part of the match against Stoehr - and dropped the first game.

The 25-year-old fifth seed from Harrogate fought back and finally converted her fourth match ball to record a 4-9, 9-3, 9-6, 9-6 triumph after 73 minutes.

"I'm ecstatic to be in the final - this has to be the best result of my life," added Duncalf.

Later Malaysia's top seed Nicol David put in a powerful performance to beat Natalie Grainger, the Manchester-born fourth seed from the USA.

Grainger led 5-2 in the first game - but only scored one further point in the match as David took control and stormed to a 9-5, 9-1, 9-0 victory in just 27 minutes.

"I got my momentum midway through the first game and started playing a much more attacking game," said the two times champion who suffered a shock defeat in the 2007 event.

Men's semi-finals:
[5] David Palmer (AUS) bt [7] Karim Darwish (EGY) 11-7, 3-11, 4-8 ret. (47m)
[4] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [6] Thierry Lincou (FRA) 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 (50m)

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [4] Natalie Grainger (USA) 9-5, 9-1, 9-0 (27m)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [Q] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 4-9, 9-3, 9-6, 9-6 (73m)