Massaro & Kippax Set Up English British Open Quarter-Final by Howard Harding May 14, 2014
- Home interest in the women's semi-finals of the Allam British Open
Squash Championship is already assured after No2 seed Laura Massaro,
the defending champion from Preston, and Cheshire's unseeded Sarah
Kippax today came through contrasting second round matches in the
Women's Squash Association (WSA) World Series Platinum event at The
Sports Arena in Hull.
Massaro cruised to an
11-7, 11-4, 11-6 win over Annie Au, the No9 seed from Hong Kong to whom
she had lost three times in their previous six meetings.
"To say I'm chuffed to
get through is an understatement," said the 30-year-old (pictured above
with Au) who made history in March by becoming the first Englishwoman
to hold both the World and British Open titles simultaneously.
"Although I can get quite fiery, I was even more fired up tonight. I
really wanted to win and I had to be at the top of my game as Annie is
such a talented player.
"It's really great to
play in front of a home crowd as they really get behind you. Of course
I'd like to win another one but I'm taking each round as it comes,"
added world No2 Massaro.
The title-holder will
line up against England team-mate Kippax in Friday's quarter-finals.
The Halifax-based 31-year-old maintained her 100% career record against
Guyana star Nicolette Fernandes - but her sixth successive win since
March 2004 was the first to go the full distance, with Kippax finally
emerging victorious 15-17, 11-7, 13-15, 11-3, 12-10 after 84 minutes.
"It was a long one!"
conceded Kippax (pictured above) after reaching the British Open
quarter-finals for the first time at her tenth attempt. "The first game
seemed to go on forever but it was a truly great match. It's my first
ever quarter final in the event, so I'm thrilled.
"It's even nicer to
play well in your home country. My sister and dad are both here as well
as my husband so I'm just pleased to do well in front of them too."
Kippax later told her
Twitter followers: "I'm incredibly privileged to have been involved in
one heck of a battle vs @NicoletteGuyana (complete warrior) on an
amazing stage @BOSquash."
WSA President Kasey
Brown was denied a second successive quarter-final berth after losing
to Egypt's No3 seed Raneem El Welily. The world No3 from Cairo was in
blistering form as she despatched Australian Brown, the 14th seed,
11-5, 11-6, 11-3 to make the last eight for the third year in a row.
The fairy-tale run of
England's unseeded Emma Beddoes also came to an end today - but the
gutsy 28-year-old, who ousted Egypt's world No7 Nour El Sherbini in the
biggest upset of the first round, staged a mighty come-back from two
games down to level the match against seventh seed Low Wee Wern.
But the Malaysian held
her nerve to regain control in the decider, ultimately closing out the
match 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 6-11, 11-9 in 76 minutes to move into her first
quarter-final.
RESULTS: Women's Allam British Open, Hull, England
2nd round (lower half of draw):
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [14] Kasey Brown (AUS) 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 (20m)
