Alison Waters and Rachael Grinham fall to talented teenagers
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Correspondent
Egyptian teenagers Salma Hany Ibrahim and Nouran Gohar – both qualifiers – pulled off mighty upsets over experienced WSA World Tour opponents in today’s opening round of the Women’s China Open – Squash Stars On The Bund, the WSA Gold 50 event being staged at The Peninsula Shanghai in China’s largest city, Shanghai.
Ibrahim, the 18-year-old world No40 from Alexandria, claimed the biggest scalp – despatching England’s No2 seed Alison Waters, the world No6 from London, 11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 11-3..
Gohar, just 16, took on 37-year-old Rachael Grinham – and produced a performance beyond her years to beat the former world champion and four-time British Open champion from Australia 11-8, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7 in 60 minutes.
Ibrahim now lines up against Dipika Pallikal, the fifth seed from India who is back on the WSA World Tour for the first time since striking gold in the Commonwealth Games Women’s Doubles. With Australia’s legendary five-time world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald in her corner, Pallikal was made to work hard by unseeded Line Hansen before beating her Danish opponent 9-11, 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 11-6 in 56 minutes.
Cairo-based Gohar progresses to face Annie Au, the Hong Kong number one who needed four games to see off England’s Emma Beddoes 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9.
England’s Jenny Duncalf (right) was first into the quarter-finals with an 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 win over Chinese wildcard Gu Jinyue.
Malaysia’s world No7 Low Wee Wern looked as if she is fully recovered from her recent Dengue fever scare when she defeated Nicolette Fernandes, the world No22 from Guyana, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7.
The fourth quarter-final will see top seed Camille Serme take on England’s No8 seed Sarah Kippax – though both were taken to four games by qualifiers.
Top-ranked French player Serme beat Malaysian Delia Arnold 11-4, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3, while Kippax recovered from a game down to beat fellow Briton Tesni Evans, the Welsh number one, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6.
Women’s China Open – Squash Stars On The Bund, Shanghai, China:
1st round:
[Q] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) bt [2] Alison Waters (ENG) 11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 11-3
[5] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 9-11, 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 11-6 (56m)
[3] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (42m)
[6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [WC] Gu Jinyue (CHN) 11-8, 11-6, 11-4
[Q] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [7] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 11-8, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7 (60m)
[4] Annie Au (HKG) bt Emma Beddoes (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 (56m)
[8] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL) 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (42m)
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Delia Arnold (MAS) 11-4, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3 (48m)
Quarter-final line-up:
[Q] Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) v [5] Dipika Pallikal (IND)
[3] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v [6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
[4] Annie Au (HKG) v [Q] Nouran Gohar (EGY)
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) v [8] Sarah Kippax (ENG)
For all the latest WSA Tour news: wsaworldtour.com
Pictures by  Wu Peng