Kennedy Carries Home Hopes Singlehandedly Into British Open Quarters

England No.1 Georgina Kennedy caused the biggest seeding upset in the women's L16 round of the Quilter Cheviot British Open when she beat 5th seed Sivasangari Subramaniam to become the only home player through to the quarter-finals of the PSA Squash Tour Diamond event in Birmingham.

Kennedy, whose last appearance in the quarter finals came two years ago, made it four straight Tour wins over the Malaysian with a 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5 triumph in 52 minutes at the Rep Theatre.

"Siva's form has been unbelievable over the past couple of years, and I have been lucky that I have avoided her because when she first graduated that's when we got matched up," said the London-born world No.9. "She has been absolutely storming through the rankings and is a world No.5.

"It's the end of the season, she has had such an incredible run and it must be really hard mentally to back up everything.

"It's honestly so much fun playing in front of home crowd, we don't get to do it often. I am often playing these top girls in different environments and don't have this kind of support, so I am really grateful and have the England team behind me."

Kennedy will battle it out with eight-time World Champion Nour ElSherbini for a place in the semi-finals after the world No.2 eased past Hong Kong's Sin Yuk Chan.

It will also be a first appearance in a Diamond quarter-final for Japanese No.1 Satomi Watanabe, who recovered from a game down to defeat Marina Stefanoni 3/1.

The world No.6, who also becomes the first Japanese player to achieve the feat of reaching the last eight of the British Open, beat the American 5-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5.

"It was really tricky" said Satomi. "I couldn't quite find my own game in the first and she was just firing everything in. It was almost like a different game for me as it wasn't quite how I wanted to play. After the first game I was trying to play my own game and not wait for her to do something beforehand."

Watanabe goes up against Olivia Weaver in the next round after the US No.1 battled back from 1/0 down to overcome Nele Gilis.

In the men's event, world No.22 Yahya Elnawasany overturned a 1/0 deficit to stun world No.9 and England No.1 Marwan ElShorbagy to progress to his first-ever Diamond-level quarter-final.

Elnawasany, who had already got the better of ElShorbagy earlier this season in the last eight of the Canadian Open, sealed his place in the last eight by coming from behind to upset the world No.9.

ElShorbagy, a five-time quarter-finalist at the British Open, edged a monumental opener 21-19 after 37 minutes, but that appeared to have taken a physical toll on the Englishman. Elnawasany, who suffered a self-inflicted injury in the fourth, capitalised by clinching the following games 11-4, 11-3, 11-9.

"I know Marwan had a longer season than me, so I knew I had more in the tank than him so I was trying to extend the first game. Okay I lost, but if I had won it, it would have been much better," said the Egyptian.

"I knew if I lost that I would have a physical edge over him - I was close to getting it in the first but I am glad that the plan worked.

"I have had a lot of firsts in everything: first win in England, first win at the British Open and here at the court. I won in the juniors, but I had never won a senior one.

"I have changed a lot this season - it's my first one where I don't have college so I am doing everything brand new and I'm glad it is working. I'm playing more and more major events and against the top guys."

Former World Champion and world No.1 Karim Gawad faces Elnawasany on Friday evening following his 3/0 win against Mexican Leonel Cardenas.

A maiden Diamond quarter-final awaits Aly Abou Eleinen, too, as the Egyptian ousted British No.1 Joel Makin in straight games. Two-time champion Paul Coll will take on Eleinen for a place in the semis after he dispatched England's Declan James 3/0.

"I didn't get much at the start of the season, but I have worked so hard to feel this freshness at the end of the season," Eleinen said.

"I knew it was going to be tough at the start, especially coming back from injury and playing against those top players is always tough, but I want to be able to finish the season strong."