Grainger Retains Carol Weymuller Crown

US squash star Natalie Grainger celebrated her third successive appearance in the final of the Women's Carol Weymuller Open by retaining the established WISPA World Tour Silver 30 title at Heights Casino in New York.

But Shelley Kitchen, the fourth-seeded New Zealander who scored one of the best wins of her career when she beat Australian favourite Rachael Grinham in the semi-finals, took the opening game in her maiden appearance in the final.

But second seed Grainger began to take the upper hand, controlling the 'T' and taking Kitchen in short whenever she could.

"Shelley fought hard to try and contain Natalie, but by the fourth Natalie was now on a rampage - her body language looked awesome, she was now in her stride and her infamous back hand drop and volley drops were now in full flow," explained tournament organiser Fiona Geaves, winner of the title 15 years ago.

"There was not one error in the whole game - which she took with the loss of only one point to defend her title and become The Weymuller Champion for 2008," added Geaves.

The 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-1 victory not only takes Grainger's WISPA World Tour tally to 19 titles - but it also brings to eight the number of Tour trophies Grainger has won on 'home soil' since becoming a US citizen in February last year.

Final:
[2] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [4] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-1