News

Fitz-Gerald tries Norwegian Summer (June 23)
Australian squash player Sarah Fitz-Gerald has been involved in a world tour to promote the sport, organized by the Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA). Her latest stop was Norway.
WISPA reports: Seeing Sarah and Nicol play - and beat - the top men in our country will have a great motivational effect on our squash players, especially our young girls, who will now have the confidence to work harder and achieve greater goals in the sport in the future," said Norwegian National Coach Stig Olsen on the last day of the third and final leg of the 2006 WISPA Promo Tour to Norway. The eighth annual promotional tour, led by Malaysia's world champion Nicol David and Australia's five-times former world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald, is the latest initiative by the Women's International Squash Players' Association in its continuing drive to support local development of the sport and promote the women's game around the world.
After opening the Tour in Estonia, then travelling to Svalbard in northern Norway, David and Fitz-Gerald visited three clubs during their stay in Oslo - the Lysaker Club, SATS Fitness Club and Baerum Squash Club, the oldest centre in Norway. The programmes included coaching clinics, playing with seniors and juniors, playing exhibition matches and meeting the media.
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Grinhams are grinners (Mar 26)
Australian sisters Natalie and Rachael Grinham have won gold in the Commonwealth Games Women's Doubles Squash match, and have each won a medal in the Mixed Doubles, after they earlier won gold and silver respectively in the Women's Singles. In the Squash Mixed Doubles, Australia’s Natalie Grinham and Joseph Kneipp took the gold medal after they defeated the No. 4 seeds, England’s Vicky Botwright and James Willstrop. Natalie Grinham and Kneipp lost the first game to England 6-9 but came back very well in the following three games, 9-6, 9-5 and 9-6.
Natalie’s sister Rachael Grinham and her team mate David Palmer won over New Zealand’s Shelley Kitchen and Glen Wilson in the bronze match, 3-0.
It was an easy win for Rachael Grinham and Palmer as they clinched the bronze within half an hour. The two sisters have also won the Women’s Doubles Final against New Zealand’s Shelley Kitchen and Tamsyn Leevey, who take home silver medals. After their win, the sisters were extremely happy with their dominant performance. "It's unbelievable, I have no words. After a shower and a break it will sink in and I will probably be screaming from the rooftops," said Natalie. "We know each other so well. We have an advantage over most teams as our communication is always there. It's really great for us," said Rachael after her win. Natalie and Rachael Grinham battled each other for the gold and silver in the earlier Women’s Singles, with Natalie taking the top podium.

Squash Sisters through to semi-finals (Oct 16)
Australian sisters Rachael and Natalie Grinham have advanced to the semi-finals of the British Open Squash Championships in Manchester.
Top seeded Rachael Grinham defeated England's no. 7 seed Jenny Duncalf 5/9, 9/4, 9/6, 9/1 in a match that lasted 60 minutes.
“I had trouble getting the ball tight in the first game and Jenny played really well,” said Rachael Grinham after her win.
She will go on to play the no.3 seeded Malaysian Nicol David in her next match. David secured her place in the semi-final after defeating England's favourite Vicky Bortright where she fought back after losing the first two games.
Younger sister and no. 5 seed Natalie Grinham will face English woman Tamin Bailey in the second semi-final.
If both sisters can win their semi-final berths then they will face each other in the final.
Rachael Grinham is chasing her third consecutive title at the event that has been referred to as “the Wimbledon of squash.” If Rachael Grinham wins the title she will become the first player to do so since fellow Australian Michelle Martin who won six consecutive British Open titles from 1993 to 1998.
After the new October Women's World Squash rankings were revealed, it showed that Rachael Grinham still holds the top ranking position. She has remained at the top spot for fifteen consecutive months and won last month's Seattle Open.
Younger sister Natalie Grinham hasn't been as lucky after slipping down one spot to be ranked no. 5. Natalie Grainger of the US overtook the no. 4 position.
Natalie Grinham has had a disappointing run recently after failing to achieve her seeding on three out of the last four events she has competed in.
Both sisters also made the semi-finals in the Malaysian Open in August, however they both lost their matches in five games.
The next event Rachael and Natalie Grinham are scheduled to play at is the Airdrie Chrysler Calgary Open in Canada this month.
By Danielle Tralli

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