Grinhams Tested In Malaysian Open

Australian sisters Rachael Grinham and Natalie Grinham were severely tested in today's quarter-finals of the CIMB Malaysian Open before taking their anticipated places in the last four of the $53,500 WISPA World Tour Gold squash event at the Curve Shopping Complex in Kuala Lumpur.

Third seed Rachael Grinham, the world champion from Queensland, was taken to tie-breaks in her first three games against Laura Lengthorn-Massaro before finally getting the better of the eighth seed from England 12-10, 11-13, 12-10, 11-3 in 48 minutes.

The women's event is the first being played under WISPA's new Pro-Scoring system, where - as has been the case on the men's PSA Tour for some years now - games are scored 'point-a-rally' to 11 points.

"The scoring is on my mind at the moment," Grinham senior conceded. "It's like you are in control but suddenly you are second guessing yourself when you have a chance to put the ball away.

"You approach it differently because of the consequences - it is not comfortable yet," added the Cairo-based world number three. "Practicing is one thing, but it is only in pressure situations in tournaments that you get used to dealing with the different mental thing - which is such a big part of the game."

Rachael Grinham now goes on to face local favourite Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who also dropped a game before clinching an 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4 victory over long-time rival Omneya Abdel Kawy, the seventh seed from Egypt.

Natalie Grinham, the world No2 who now competes under the Dutch flag, battled for five games before overcoming England's fifth seed Jenny Duncalf 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6 in 54 minutes.

The second seed will now take on Duncalf's England team-mate Tania Bailey. Playing in her first event for four months, after undergoing knee surgery, Bailey again scored a notable triumph by beating New Zealand's sixth seed Shelley Kitchen 11-7, 11-8, 11-4.

"I was stiff this morning, but not quite as achy as I expected," explained the fourth seed. "I iced my knee, sat on ice too and had a massage.

"Luckily I was able to control the ball, hit it down the line because it clings so well on this court and try and keep it away from Shelley's racket. But I got a bit nervy at the end as I couldn't believe I could actually be winning!"

There were contrasting victories for the two Malaysians in the men's 5-star PSA Tour event. While defending champion Mohd Azlan Iskandar needed just 18 minutes to despatch Pakistan's Mansoor Zaman 11-3, 11-5, 11-3, compatriot Ong Beng Hee - the second seed who, like Iskandar, is also a two-time champion - battled for 90 minutes against Farhan Mehboob, recovering from two games down to beat the seventh-seeded Pakistani 14-16, 9-11, 11-1, 11-8, 11-8.

But the toughest game of the day was the first fought out by Stewart Boswell and Omar Mosaad - the fourth-seeded Boswell ultimately earning the early lead by virtue of a 26-24 game score - a near record points total!

Mosaad, the fifth seed from Egypt, then struck back to take the lead going into the fourth game.

But Boswell, the Canberra-based 29-year-old who is also on a comeback trail after a back injury, restored his advantage to record a 26-24, 8-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4 win after 87 minutes.

Boswell faces Beng Hee in one semi-final, whilst - in a repeat of the 2004 final - Iskandar takes on event favourite Wael El Hindi in the other.

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [7] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4 (45m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [8] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) 12-10, 11-13, 12-10, 11-3 (48m)
[4] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 (32m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6 (54m)

Men's quarter-finals:
[1] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [Q] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 10-12, 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (54m)
[3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [6] Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (18m)
[4] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [5] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 26-24, 8-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4 (87m)
[2] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [7] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 14-16, 9-11, 11-1, 11-8, 11-8 (90m)