Aussie Veterans Cause World Doubles Upset

Commonwealth Games singles gold medallist Sarah Fitz-Gerald and former Aussie international Robyn Cooper staged the biggest upset on semi-finals day of the 3rd WSF World Doubles Championships when they removed the top-seeded Aussie duo of Rachael Grinham and Amanda Hopps in an enthralling five-game Women's Doubles encounter.

The Aussie veterans won 6-9 12-10 9-5 4-9 9-6 and will now take on New Zealanders Shelley Kitchen and Tamsyn Leevey in a surprise final. The third-seeded pair who caused a mini upset by defeating fellow Kiwis Lara Heta and Louise Crome, the second seeds, 9-6 11-9 7-9 1-9 9-7.

Australian Open singles champion Rachael Grinham made up for the disappointment of losing her Women's Doubles title by reaching the Mixed Doubles final, with doubles specialist Joseph Kneipp. The pair proved too powerful for the young Kiwi duo Lara Heta and Callum O'Brien, winning 10-8 15-13 9-6 to set up an all-Aussie final. In the other semi-final, Amelia Pittock and Cameron Pilley ousted the NZ pairing of Shelley Kitchen and Danny Sharplin - standing in for Glen Wilson, who had withdrawn with a hamstring injury - in an 11-9 7-9 10-12 9-6 9-6 scoreline

Joseph Kneipp becomes the only player going for two gold medals. The 30-year-old former world No10 from Brisbane partnered Dan Jenson into the Men's Doubles final, with a 7-9 9-7 5-9 11-9 9-4 win over fellow Aussies Cameron White & Cameron Pilley.

In the second all-Australian final, Kneipp and Jenson will face favourites Anthony Ricketts & Stewart Boswell, who ended the run of New Zealand giant-killers Campbell Grayson & Martin Knight 9-4 9-7 9-7.

Men's semi-finals:
[1] Anthony Ricketts & Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt Campbell Grayson & Martin Knight (NZL) 9-4, 9-7, 9-7
[2] Dan Jenson & Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt [3/4] Cameron White & Cameron Pilley (AUS) 7-9, 9-7, 5-9, 11-9, 9-4

Women's semi-finals:
[5/8] Robyn Cooper & Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS) bt [1] Rachael Grinham & Amanda Hopps (AUS) 6-9, 12-10, 9-5, 4-9, 9-6
[3/4] Shelley Kitchen & Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt [2] Lara Heta & Louise Crome (NZL) 9-6, 11-9, 7-9, 1-9, 9-7

Mixed semi-finals:
[1] Rachael Grinham & Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt [5/8] Lara Heta & Callum O'Brien (NZL) 10-8, 15-13, 9-6
[5/8] Amelia Pittock & Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [2] Shelley Kitchen & Daniel Sharplin (NZL) 11-9, 7-9, 10-12, 9-6, 9-6