Serme Storms Into Monte Carlo Quarters

Unseeded Camille Serme produced the only upset in the first round of the Women's Monte Carlo Classic when she beat England's eighth seed Dominique Lloyd-Walter to become the second French player to reach the quarter-finals of the $25,300 WISPA World Tour squash event in its 13th year at Stade Louis II in Monte Carlo in Monaco.

Serme, the three-time European Junior champion from Creteil, battled through two tie-break games - saving three game-balls in the second - before beating world No22 Lloyd-Walter 12-10, 18-16, 9-11, 11-8 in 46 minutes.

"I remembered the last two close matches and thought I would have a chance to win," recalled 19-year-old Serme later. "Although I was tired in the fourth game, I was tired more mentally than physically so I said to myself that I must keep focussed."

Serme's focus takes her into a surprise last eight clash with another English opponent Laura Lengthorn-Massaro. The second seed from Preston brushed aside Adel Weir, beating the South African qualifier 11-1, 11-4, 11-4 in just 18 minutes.

Beaten 2007 finalist Rachael Grinham cruised into the quarters with an 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 win in 19 minutes over French qualifier Celia Allamargot. The top-seeded Australian will now face England's fifth seed Tania Bailey for a place in the semis.

Former champion Vanessa Atkinson will also feature in the quarter-final line-up: The third seed from the Netherlands, winner of the title in 2005, beat England's Laura Hill 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 and will now face Egypt's sixth seed Engy Kheirallah.

1st round:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Celia Allamargot (FRA) 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (19m)
[5] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [Q] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 (20m)
[4] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 13-11, 11-8, 11-8 (32m)
[7] Annelize Naude (NED) bt [Q] Fiona Moverley (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 11-8 (25m)
[6] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Lauren Siddall (ENG) 11-1, 11-9, 11-5 (26m)
[3] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Laura Hill (ENG) 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (21m)
Camille Serme (FRA) bt [8] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 12-10, 18-16, 9-11, 11-8 (46m)
[2] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Adel Weir (RSA) 11-1, 11-4, 11-4 (18m)