Champion Perry Powers Through To Granite Semis

Defending champion Sarah-Jane Perry is one match away from her second successive appearance in the final of the Women's Granite Open in Canada after overcoming English compatriot Sarah Kippax in four games in the quarter-finals of the WSA World Tour Silver 25 squash event at Granite Club in Toronto.

"Sarah (Kippax) got off to a great start, winning the first game 11-6," said tournament organiser Jessica DiMauro. "Sarah was fast and patient and really looked in control.

"In the second game, SJ rolled her ankle and took an injury time-out. After spraying freezing spray on her ankle and taping it up, Sarah-Jane went back on court and turned the match around.

"She won the next three games to take the match 3/1. These girls covered the court with ease and made some amazing shots."

The third seed's 6-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 victory - her third Tour win in a row over world No23 Kippax - takes Perry, ranked 16 in the world, through to face top seed Omneya Abdel Kawy. After narrowly surviving a first round battle in five games, the world No13 from Egypt eased into the last four after receiving a walkover from Denmark's injured fifth seed Line Hansen.

It was a close-fought match which went the full distance that eventually took No4 seed Amanda Sobhy into the semis at the expense of local star Samantha Cornett, the Canadian champion from Ottawa who twice led in the match.

"With a bit of bias, I would have to say that the second match of the night was the most exciting for the home crowd," continued DiMauro. "Sam Cornett played 'the best she has ever played' to barely lose 11-9 in the fifth to Amanda.

"Sam took the first game convincingly, but Sobhy came to life in the second to even the score at one-all. The entire match went back and forth in the same fashion but Sobhy pulled it out in the end. Such great, physical squash."

Sobhy was quick to express her delight via Twitter: "Holy moley. Won a nail biter 11-9 in da 5th against @CornettSamantha! I think we both killed ourselves the last point!"

The 4-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-3, 11-9 victory takes the 20-year-old US number one through to her third Tour meeting with Australian star Rachael Grinham, the 37-year-old former world number one and world champion.

Second seed Grinham showed that she still has what it takes when she saw off Welsh qualifier Tesni Evans 11-2, 11-7, 12-10.

"I don't think any of the Granite spectators had ever seen a player quite like Rachael," explained DiMauro. "'How does she do that?' was coming out of everyone's mouths.

"She's quick and crafty and fun to watch. Tesni is always a crowd-pleaser with her wise-cracks, smiles and of course, awesome squash. As much as Tez tried to weasel the ref, Rach was just too strong for her tonight."

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v [3] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [4] Amanda Sobhy (USA)