Pilley Puts Paid To Dutch Double Hopes In Amsterdam

Australian Cameron Pilley disappointed the packed crowd at the Frans Otten Stadion in Amsterdam when he fought back from a game down to upset Dutch champion Laurens Jan Anjema to reach the men's final of the Forexx Dutch Open.

But Dutch hopes of success in the women's $53,500 WISPA World Tour Gold championship were kept alive when second seed Natalie Grinham avenged the defeat of her older sister Rachael by beating England's Alison Waters to reach her first Dutch Open final as a Dutch player.

Grinham made a slow start in the first semi-final of the day, but once she got into her stride the 30-year-old - who became a Dutch national in February - always looked the likely winner against the British National Champion.

Like Pilley, Grinham had to recover from a game down before beating Waters, the eighth seed, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 in 51 minutes to reach the 31st WISPA final of her career, and her fourth this year.

"My legs felt heavy at the start, I really wasn't enjoying that first game, getting beaten," Grinham told the tournament website www.dutchopensquash.nl afterwards. "She has a beautiful stroke, and her volley is so good, she can hit so many winners. If you put it loose you just have to hope she hits the tin."

In the final, the 2003 and 2004 champion will face defending champion Nicol David, whose speed of movement and shot proved too much for Natalie Grainger, the fourth seed from the USA who twice came so close to taking a game but just fell short.

David, the world number one from Malaysia, won 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 to record her tenth successive win over Grainger since 2003 - and reach the 45th Tour final of her career, and the ninth in a row!

In the first semi of the day in the men's $30,000 PSA Tour event, Pilley found himself a game and 6-3 down in the second against the three times Dutch champion. The tall Aussie then proceeded to dictate the play against a tiring looking Anjema, despite the urging of the large crowd at the Frans Otten Stadion.

After 81 minutes of high quality squash, third seed Pilley prevailed over his new training partner, winning 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 in 81 minutes to reach his third Tour final of the year - and the 22nd of his career.

"He played well in the first, came out at 100 miles an hour and dominated the game," said the 25-year-old from New South Wales. "He started the same in the second too. I had to change something. I straightened up and kept it tighter at the back, stopping him from playing his winners.

"We've been training together for a few months now so we know each other's games well. Usually when we play, it's 3/2 - to get it 3/1 was a bonus!"

Pilley's final opponent will be top seed Nick Matthew, the Englishman who continued his return from injury against John White, the fourth seed from Scotland. The world number eight from Sheffield pulled back a 6-1 deficit against the hard-hitting and entertaining 'Whitey' to clinch the opening game.

In the next two games Matthew showed no signs of his shoulder injury as he romped home to an 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 victory over the Amsterdam crowd favourite in 38 minutes - to notch up his 23rd appearance in a PSA Tour final.

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [4] Natalie Grainger (USA) 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 (32m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [8] Alison Waters (ENG) 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 (51m)

Men's semi-finals:
[1] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [4] John White (SCO) 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 (38m)
[3] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [2] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 (81m)