Camille Crushes Waters In Chicago Shock

France's Camille Serme claimed an unexpected place in the semi-finals of the Women's METROsquash Windy City Open after despatching third-seeded English opponent Alison Waters in straight games in the Women's Squash Association (WSA) Gold 50 event at the University Club of Chicago in Chicago, USA.

In fact, the win marked world No8 Serme's third consecutive Tour victory over the world No3 from London.

After the 24-year-old from Creteil, near Paris, took the opening game, the second was neck and neck throughout. "At nine-all, it was anybody's game," reported event spokesman Jim Wellington. "Alison hit a nick and a tin - 10-10. Two winning drops - 11-11. Crosscourt winner, nick 12-12.

"Winning drop from Camille, tin from Alison - Camille is up two games to love!"

From six-all in the third, Serme took the next five points in a row to clinch her 11-4, 14-12, 11-6 upset in 45 minutes.

Six-time French champion Serme now needs to overcome a second England opponent, top seed Laura Massaro, if she is to make her first Tour final of the year.

World No2 Massaro celebrated a confidence-boosting triumph after beating Annie Au 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 - thereby ending a three-match losing streak to the Hong Kong number one.

The other semi-final will be the match predicted by the draw - between fourth seed Joelle King and second-seeded Egyptian Raneem El Welily.

New Zealander King took on Emma Beddoes, the English qualifier who made the last eight after ousting Ireland's No7 seed Madeline Perry.

After dropping the first, underdog Beddoes led 7-3 in the second game, only for Kiwi King to reel off seven points in a row to reach game-ball.

"Beddoes saved three game-balls to bring 10-10, and then took it 12-10," said Wellington. "With both players now on the board, the pace and tenacity went up, each fighting to get to the ball and keep it away from the other."

King took the third and looked to be heading to victory in the fourth. "Beddoes fought back to hold two game-balls at 10-8, and was then hit in the mouth with King's backhand follow through at 9-10, causing bleeding.

"It took less than ten minutes to stop the bleeding, and after several lets, Beddoes closed the game 11-9.

"Game fives are hard to predict," Wellington continued. "Joelle applied pressure with very good shots and didn't make errors when it counted most, closing out the match 11-3, 10-12, 11-5, 9-11, 11-2."

El Welily extended her career head-to-head record over Low Wee Wern to 7-1 when she beat the fifth seed from Malaysia 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [7] Camille Serme (FRA)
[2] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [4] Joelle King (NZL)

Windy City image courtesy of Marian Kraus Photography