Egyptians Progress In Sharm El Sheikh Championship

Egyptians will feature in all but one of the quarter-finals in the inaugural Women's Soho Square Championship after first round action in the $41,600 WISPA World Tour Silver squash event at Soho Square Savoy Hotel in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh.

Third seed Omneya Abdel Kawy leads local interest in the event after beating Ireland's Aisling Blake 14-12, 11-4, 11-6. The 24-year-old world No8 from Cairo now faces New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes, the fifth seed.

The only quarter-final without local interest will be an all-English tussle between second seed Jenny Duncalf and No7 seed Lauren Briggs.

While Duncalf, the world No6 from Harrogate needed only 26 minutes to overcome 13-year-old Egyptian qualifier Nour El Sherbini - the sport's youngest ever world champion - 11-5, 11-1, 11-6, Briggs twice had to come from behind before getting the better of unseeded compatriot Sarah Kippax 6-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9 in 65 minutes.

1st round:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 (24m)
[8] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Sharon Wee (MAS) 11-5, 11-1, 11-3 (24m)
[3] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt Aisling Blake (IRL) 14-12, 11-4, 11-6 (34m)
[5] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt [Q] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 9-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-2 (39m)
[6] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [Q] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8 (35m)
[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [Q] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (29m)
[7] Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG) 6-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9 (65m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 11-5, 11-1, 11-6 (26m)