Vanessa Tested In Dutch Open Quarters

Dutch champion Vanessa Atkinson was taken the full distance in the Women's Dutch Open before securing her anticipated place in the semi-finals of the $25,300 WISPA World Tour squash event at Victoria Squash in the city of Rotterdam.

The crowd were out in force to see Atkinson set out on the next leg of her quest to claim a second Dutch Open title in her final outing in the event. Winner of the title 2002, the former world champion and world number one from The Hague has gone on to compete in the event every year since then, reaching the final again in 2003.

It started off well for the third seed against Sarah Kippax, well in control in a first game in which the fifth seed from England was struggling to get a foothold. That foothold was all but given to her as Atkinson made a series of unforced errors at the start off the second, and soon Kippax led 7-1.

The world No24 from Halifax, went on to open up a 2/1 lead - but the Dutch star came out in the fourth showing every sign of a fight back, leading 7-1, then 10-4. The crowd, and Vanessa herself, were getting nervous as Sarah pulled back point by point. Two delicate drops from midcourt brought her to within a point, but a third attempt was picked up and despatched by Vanessa.

There was less anxiety about the fifth - Atkinson raced to 10-4 and finished on the second attempt after 51 minutes.

"I felt quite tired at the start of the match," admitted Atkinson after her 11-3, 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5 victory. "I was setting a high pace and the nervous energy from the support got to me a bit I think. But it was working, I stepped back a bit in the second, I should have kept going, that gave her some confidence and made a bit of a momentum shift.

"The third was close all the way, but I played a good fourth and knew the fifth would be tough as I was starting to feel it physically then. Fortunately I got a few quick points at the start. It's great having everyone here, and a relief too as I normally lose when my parents come to watch," added the UK-based world No8.

Atkinson will face favourite Rachael Grinham for a place in her third final after the Australian despatched Manuela Manetta, the No8 seed from Italy, 11-7, 11-1, 11-7 in 29 minutes.

Rachael's younger sister Natalie Grinham, playing under the Dutch flag, showed her six-month-old son Kieran that her comeback is gathering strength as she won the all-Dutch battle with Orla Noom.

The unseeded 25-year-old from Hoofddorp was unable to repeat her heroics of the previous day - when she upset seventh seed Latasha Khan - but still gave former world number two Grinham a good workout.

After her 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 win, Grinham junior will face second seed Madeline Perry - who survived another all-Irish battle with Aisling Blake, beating the sixth seed 11-3, 11-9, 11-7.

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [4] Vanessa Atkinson (NED)
[2] Madeline Perry (IRL) v [3] Natalie Grinham (NED)

For all the latest news, visit the official event site: www.dutchopensquash.nl