Australians Make It Through To Both World Open Finals

Hopes of an all-English men's final in the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Privilege World Open were dashed in Hong Kong today when Egypt's Amr Shabana crushed fellow left-hander Peter Nicol in straight games in one semi-final and Australia's David Palmer avenged his defeat in last week's Qatar Classic final by edging out world No2 James Willstrop in the other.

There will also be Australian interest in the women's final after Queensland's former world number one Rachael Grinham defeated her younger sister Natalie Grinham in straight games to set up her sixth meeting this year with Nicol David. The Malaysian had double reason to celebrate her semi-final success, not only for beating the defending champion Vanessa Atkinson to reach her first World Open final, but also for ensuring that she will be the new world number one in the first WISPA rankings of next year.

Fifth seed Amr Shabana (pictured) was in sparkling form as he dismissed fellow former World Open champion Peter Nicol 11-8 11-2 11-6 in just 35 minutes to register his first career win over the 1999 champion. Both had achieved upsets in the quarter-finals, sixth seed Nicol dethroning title-holder Thierry Lincou in four games and the 26-year-old from Cairo, the champion in 2003, despatching fourth seed Lee Beachill in straight games.

Like Shabana, Palmer is also celebrating his second World Open final, after winning the title in 2002. After losing the first game of the second semi-final, Willstrop forced the next two games into tie-breaks, but was unable to convert either as Palmer powered his way to an 11-9 11-10 11-10 victory to reach his third PSA Tour final since last month, and the 37th of his career.

The men's final will be a repeat of last year's British Open final, won by the 29-year-old from Lithgow in New South Wales. It will also be the pair's fourth consecutive meeting in World Opens, with Palmer holding a 2/1 advantage. Shabana, however, has the form advantage, having beaten the Australian in their two earlier clashes this year.

Rachael and Natalie Grinham - the 'Toowoomba Twosome', ranked two and four, respectively, in the world - had faced each other eight times previously on the WISPA World Tour, but never before in a World Open. Rachael, the event favourite, needed 50 minutes to reach the final for the first time, beating her 27-year-old sibling 10-8 9-6 9-4.

But it was the other semi-final on which Asian eyes were focussed, knowing that the winner would be guaranteed top position in the January women's world rankings. Atkinson, the 29-year-old from the Netherlands newly promoted to world number one this month, came into the match having brought to an end a three-match winning run by David in September's Seattle Open.

But this was to be David's night as the 22-year-old from Penang recovered from a game down to triumph 6-9 9-1 10-9 9-3 in 47 minutes and claim her double prize! "This is the best match I've ever played," said Nicol David, unequivocally, to www.squashsite.co.uk

Both David and Rachael Grinham are making their maiden appearances in a World Open final, though the pair contested the World Games final in July - one of four meetings this year in which the Malaysian defeated the Australian.

Men's semi-finals:
[5] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [6] Peter Nicol (ENG) 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 (35m)
[3] David Palmer (AUS) bt [8] James Willstrop (ENG) 11-9, 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (2-0) (44m)

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) 10-8, 9-6, 9-4 (50m)
[3] Nicol David (MAS) bt [2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 6-9, 9-1, 10-9, 9-3 (47m)