Australians Home In On Open Finals

Ten years after winning her only Australian Open squash title, evergreen Rachael Grinham is just one win away from playing in another final.

38-year-old Grinham could not have been more impressive in beating seventh seed Joey Chan, of Hong Kong, in straight games 11-9, 11-6, 13-11 at the Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre.

The tournament third seed will now play another Hong Kong player, top seed Annie Au, in Saturday's semi-final.

In the men's draw, Australia is guaranteed a player in Sunday's final with top seed Cameron Pilley and third seed Ryan Cuskelly to face off in one of Saturday's semi-finals.

Grinham said she didn't expect to get this far in the tournament.

"I've had a few issues in the months leading up to this, so on a personal level I came here not having any expectations how I was going to play," said the former world No.1.

"But I've managed to pick up my form a bit - I've been getting a bit more confidence.

"To be fair this wasn't one of Joey's better days. I'm not the fittest, I haven't played that many matches, I had to take every opportunity that was there."

Both Cuskelly and Pilley are chasing their first ever Australian Open titles, with Pilley beating fellow Australian Rex Hedrick 5-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-5 in the quarter finals.

And Cuskelly had to see off determined compatriot Steven Finitsis, who had his third consecutive five-game marathon at the Open.

28-year-old Cuskelly eventually triumphed 11-7, 10-12, 12-10, 4-11, 11-6.

"That was my first five-game match for two weeks, so it was pretty tough," Cuskelly said.

"He played really well and attacked, and I was a bit defensive tonight. I have to work on that for the next round, because I want to be aggressive but I was a bit defensive, so lesson learnt.

"I won the first a little easier so I thought he might slow down, but he came out firing."

In Saturday's other semi-finals, two New Zealanders will have a chance to make Sunday's finals.

Former world number four Joelle King will continue her comeback from serious injury when she takes on Malaysia's Delia Arnold.

King beat Australia's Donna Urquhart in four games to make the semi, while in the men's draw fellow New Zealander Paul Coll will take on Pakistani fifth seed, Nasir Iqbal.

Coll is the only unseeded player left in both the men's and women's draw of the tournament.