Resurgent Alison Waters Joins Top Three In Irish Semis
by Matt Wagg

April 27, 2012 - Just one top seeded player failed to make the semi finals of the $25K Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open in Dublin Ireland.

Alison Waters again caused a rankings upset as she continues her injury comeback, defeating fourth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy of Egypt in a close, hour-long spectacle.

Two surprise results had preceded the quarter final round, as Waters first dismissed No8 seed Line Hansen of Denmark, whilst home hope Aisling Blake also got the better of Egyptian teenager Nour El Tayeb.

Blake’s run on home soil was halted by No2 seed Laura Massaro, though the Englishwoman didn’t have things all her own way as Blake forced the match to five games in over an hour of play.  Massaro will face English compatriot Waters, who herself saw 60-mintues of match time in her quarter final.  These players’ head-to-head clashes date back as far as 1997 and the pair are currently tied at 10-10.

Things were more straight forward at the top end of the draw, as Madeline Perry dominated in front of a home crowd, gaining 3-0 wins against Heba El Torky and Nour El Sherbini.

No3 seed and last year’s Irish Open runner-up Jaclyn Hawkes also claimed straight wins against English pair Lauren Briggs and Sarah Kippax to set up a clash with the tournament favourite, Perry in a repeat of the 2011 semi final draw.

Semi-final draw:

[1] Madeline Perry (IRL) v [3] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)

[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Alison Waters (ENG)


Quarter-finals:

[1] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [7] Nour El Sherbini (EGY)      11-8, 11-9, 11-9 (38m)

[3] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt [6] Sarah Kippax (ENG)            11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (42m)

[Q] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [4] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)           11-13, 11-4, 11-3, 13-11 (60m)

[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Aisling Blake (IRL)     11-3, 5-11, 11-9, 13-15, 11-1 (63m)

1st round:

[1] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Heba El Torky (EGY)  11-4, 11-4, 11-8 (30m)

[7] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [Q] Lauren Selby (ENG)       11-4, 12-10, 11-8 (24m)

[3] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Lauren Briggs (ENG)  11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (28m)

[6] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL)               11-3, 7-11, 11-1, 13-11

[Q] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [8] Line Hansen (DEN)            11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (27m)

[4] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [Q] Deon Saffery (WAL)            11-6, 9-11, 5-11, 11-4, 11-8 (41m)

Aisling Blake (IRL) bt [5] Nour El Tayeb (EGY)       11-9, 11-4, 6-11, 11-6 (41m)

[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Gaby Huber (SUI)     11-6, 12-10, 11-9 (34m)

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