Laura Tested In Monte Carlo Quarters

After producing the only upset in the first round of the Women's Monte Carlo Classic, unseeded Camille Serme looked on course to add a second scalp to her collection when she had a match-ball against second seed Laura Lengthorn-Massaro in 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, led after the first game - then took the fourth to force the match into a fifth game decider. At 5-8 down, Lengthorn-Massaro took the next four points to lead 9-8. But Serme stretched herself to claim a match-ball at 10-9 before the experienced Lengthorn-Massaro, ranked eight in the world, restored her advantage to win 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10 in 46 minutes.

The relieved winner said that she had felt a little flat, but was full of praise for her opponent: "Camille has improved a lot since I played her last time. I learnt a lot for the next time! When she hit those tins in the fifth it relaxed me and I thought aha, I am back in this!"

The Englishwoman will face former champion Vanessa Atkinson for a place in the final after the third seed from the Netherlands beat Egypt's Engy Kheirallah 11-8, 11-4, 11-9.

The final match of the day promised a great deal, and top seed Rachael Grinham delivered, beating England's fifth seed Tania Bailey 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 in 30 minutes.

"Grinham was unstoppable, so light, so fast, so assured," said tournament organiser Andrew Shelley. "Bailey had picked a bad day to match up against the former world number one."

A rueful Bailey added: "She played really well I thought. Even my best shots were coming back. She was literally on everything."

Graham will face Isabelle Stoehr after the fourth seed from France earned a walkover following the withdrawal of seventh seed Annelize Naude who was suffering with a stomach virus.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [5] Tania Bailey (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (30m)
[4] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [7] Annelize Naude (NED) w/o
[3] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [6] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (30m)
[2] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) bt Camille Serme (FRA) 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10 (46m)