After consistently failing to live up to expectations on her 'home' court at the National Squash Centre in Manchester for the past ten years, Vicky Botwright provided the dream outcome for the organisers of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships by earning a place in the women's final in the English city.

The world's leading players from more than 30 countries have been competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships – Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open and Women's World Open in the UK.

Botwright, the 11th seed, is bidding farewell to the WISPA World Tour after taking up the position of Head Coach at the Centre.  But, in the second round, the Manchester-based 31-year-old stunned the squash world by ousting Australian title-holder Rachael Grinham.

The former England number one then clinched her first appearance in the world final when higher-ranked England team-mate Jenny Duncalf retired injured after two games.

"I don't know what to say - it's unbelievable," said the jubilant Mancunian afterwards.  "I thought I could beat her - but I didn't want to do it like that.

"But even if I win the title tomorrow, I will still be back at work at the centre on Monday morning!"

Duncalf, the fifth seed from Harrogate in Yorkshire, was devastated to have pulled out prematurely:  "It was in the second rally of the match that something went in my right thigh - and I didn't know what to do.  I took a three-minute injury break in the game, but the injury affected my movement and after two games I couldn't go on.

"I've never come off injured in my life before - it's not a great time to do it in a World Open!"

Botwright will face strong favourite Nicol David in the final.  The world number one from Malaysia beat surprise opponent Madeline Perry, the 14th seed from Ireland, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 to reach her tenth successive Tour final since her shock second round defeat in the 2007 World Open a year ago in Madrid.

David acknowledged that she has raised her game over the past year:  "Every tournament I play, I learn more about myself - and with this new scoring, you have to be sharp.  You can't afford to lose concentration."

Later the capacity crowd in Manchester - which included two IOC delegates attending the event in the observation process for Squash's bid to become an Olympic sport in 2016 - witnessed a titanic all-Egyptian encounter in which 21-year-old Ramy Ashour beat defending champion Amr Shabana, the world No1, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7.

Shabana, who celebrated his 31st month in a row as world number one this month and was looking to become only the fourth player in history to win a fourth world title, rued his missed chances when leading 5-3 and 8-6 in the fourth game.

"I had my chances and missed them - I should have won in the fourth," said the 29-year-old from Giza afterwards.  "I played all right - he had to play well to beat me."

Fourth seed Ashour, who earlier in the tournament had admitted being nervous about being back in England for the first time since an injury-beset British Open in May, was delighted with his performance. 

"I think that was my best ever match - I gave it all.  I've never been so focussed."

In his first appearance in a World Open final, Ashour will face fellow countryman Karim Darwish, after the 27-year-old from Cairo beat Australia's former champion David Palmer 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 in 46 minutes.

"I'm so happy to be in the final of the World Open - the biggest event of the year," said the seventh seed.  "And I am so pleased to be in the final against my team-mate Ramy.

"Off court, we are really good friends, but on-court we don't think about it!"

It was 13th time lucky for England's Jenny Duncalf in the women's quarter-finals of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships when the world No5 from Yorkshire upset Dutch star Natalie Grinham to ensure the event's first English finalist for five years.

The world's leading players from more than 30 countries have been competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships – Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open and Women's World Open in the UK.

Domestic interest in the men's event expired when the English trio of Nick Matthew, James Willstrop and Adrian Grant all fell at the quarter-final hurdle - leaving Australian David Palmer and three Egyptians Amr Shabana, Ramy Ashour and Karim Darwish to contest the semi-finals.

With 12 successive wins over Duncalf over the past four years, world number two Natalie Grinham was favourite to win their match en-route to her third successive appearance in the women's final.

But a resolute Duncalf, 25, from Harrogate, fought back from two games to one down to beat her Australian-born opponent 11-8, 10-12, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7 in 65 minutes to reach her first world semi.

"I played my best ever squash in the fifth game to get to 7-1, then got the tingles when she fought back to win the next four points.  A certain English finalist?  That's brilliant for English squash," said the former British National champion.

"I'm really happy to have finally beaten Natalie!"

Duncalf now meets England team-mate and local star Vicky Botwright, the 31-year-old former England number one from Manchester who announced her retirement on the eve of the championships. 

The 11th seed, who ousted defending champion Rachael Grinham in the previous round, continued her 'giant-killing' run by taking out seventh-seeded compatriot Alison Waters 13-11, 5-11, 13-11, 11-9.

"It really is unbelievable," said Botwright later.  "The people you have to beat to get this far makes it so hard. 

"But I think the scoring changed just in time for me!"

In an extraordinary match later in the day, Ireland's 14th seed Madeline Perry showed the guts that took her to six in the world over two years ago when she fought back from two games and 9-7 down to beat unseeded New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes 6-11, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9 in 66 minutes.

Hawkes, who had arrived in the first major quarter-final of her career after a shock defeat of fourth seed Natalie Grainger in the previous round, failed to convert match balls from 10-5 in the fourth.

"It was pure determination, I guess," said the jubilant 31-year-old from near Belfast in Northern Ireland.  "But I really felt uncomfortable out there - probably because I knew I had such a good opportunity."

14th seed Perry is fighting back up the rankings after suffering a serious head injury in a mugging attack in Milan exactly a year ago.

"What I went through last year got me through that match.  I nearly died then.  I was told I'd never be able to concentrate.

"I don't think I've ever made a come back like that," said the world No16.

Perry will now take on Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who recovered from 5-8 down in the first game to beat Egyptian rival Omneya Abdel Kawy 11-8, 11-1, 11-9.

After narrowly losing to David Palmer in the final of the British Open in May, Englishman James Willstrop failed in his bid for revenge when he went down to the Australian 5-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5 in the men's quarter-finals.

Spurred on by the capacity partisan crowd, the third seed from Yorkshire led after the first and third games - but the experienced fifth seed Palmer romped to a 5-1 lead in the fourth, then a 4-1 lead in the decider before taking the match in 78 minutes.

"I'm so envious for players like James having the British Open and now the World Open here - we don't get tournaments like this in Australia." said the two-time champion from Lithgow in New South Wales.  "That felt like a final.  I can't imagine playing in front of a home crowd like this!"

"Perhaps he was under pressure.  The key for me was the start of the fourth and fifth games.

"As I said at the British Open, he'll win that title one day - and he'll come back to win this one too," added the former world number one.

Willstrop was devastated by the loss:  "He was awesome tonight - in those last two games he was better than me by a good distance.

"It was the most calm performance I've seen from him.  He handled the pressure well.

"He's a smart guy," added the England number one.  "He's managed to stay in excellent condition.  I felt more in control in the British Open final."

Palmer will now meet Karim Darwish, the No7 seed who beat England's Adrian Grant 12-10, 11-7, 11-7 in 47 minutes.

Defending champion Amr Shabana was in stunning form to beat compatriot Mohamed El Shorbagy, a 17-year-old qualifier, 11-2, 11-3, 11-6 in just 20 minutes.

In one of the most exciting 'draws' in squash, the world number one will face his country's newest star Ramy Ashour, the 21-year-old fourth seed 2-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 in 58 minutes.

Grant Takes Greg In Major World Championship Upset

England's Adrian Grant upset the form book in dramatic style in the third round of the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships after saving three match balls to beat France's No2 seed Gregory Gaultier to reach the men's quarter-finals at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity in Manchester.

The world's leading players from more than 30 countries are competing in the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships – Manchester 2008, the first ever joint staging of the Men's World Open and Women's World Open in the UK.

"My best result by far," was how Grant described his sensational five-game upset over the Frenchman who was runner-up in the last two World Opens.  The left-hander from London saved three game balls in the third game before taking a 2/1 lead in the match.

But Gaultier, the world No2 from Aix-en-Provence, struck back in the fourth to level the match for the loss of just a single point.  It was nip and tuck throughout the decider before the match favourite reached match-ball at 10-8. 

But Grant saved this, and two further match-balls, before clinching his career-best result by beating Gaultier 9-11, 12-10, 14-12, 1-11, 13-11 after 98 minutes.

"This is a massive step for me - definitely my best result by far," said the 28-year-old 14th seed.  "His record here is unbelievable.