Local Hero Corren Conquers In Salt Lake City

Australian Mike Corren, now based in Salt Lake City, delighted his new US fans when he pulled off the biggest upset in the quarter-finals of the Squashworks Salt Lake City Open by defeating fourth seed Laurent Elriani.

It was a dramatic marathon encounter in which the unseeded Corren withstood a brave fight-back by the Frenchman, then survived a nail-biting fifth-game tie-break to prevail 11-10 11-7 4-11 8-11 11-10 in 90 minutes.

He now meets fellow Australian Stewart Boswell, the No2 seed who brushed aside Ireland's Niall Rooney 11-2 11-3 11-5 in just 35 minutes.

There was a notable upset in the women's quarter-finals when England's 20-year-old Suzie Pierrepont upset Canada's experienced third seed Melanie Jans Burke 9-4 9-1 9-4 to earn a surprise semi-final clash with another Canadian, second seed Runa Reta.

Men's quarter-finals:
[1] Phillip Barker (ENG) bt [5] David Phillips (CAN) 11-9, 11-4, 11-4 (30m)
[8] Shawn De Lierre (CAN) bt [3] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 11-2, 3-11, 11-10 (7-5), 11-8 (92m)
Mike Corren (AUS) bt [4] Laurent Elriani (FRA) 11-10 (2-0), 11-7, 4-11, 8-11, 11-10 (4-2) (90m)
[2] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [7] Niall Rooney (IRL) 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 (35m)

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt [6] Jenna Gates (ENG) 9-3, 9-1, 9-5 (28m)
[4] Alana Miller (CAN) bt [7] Tara Mullins (CAN) 9-0, 9-2, 9-5 (25m)
[5] Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) bt [3] Melanie Jans Burke (CAN) 9-4, 9-1, 9-4 (26m)
[2] Runa Reta (CAN) bt [8] Shabana Khan (USA) 10-8, 9-0, 9-1 (25m)