Vanessa Atkinson, the number two seed, duly reached the final of the Alexandria Open in Egypt but had to stave off a strong and determined challenge from her Pontefract club-mate Lauren Siddall to do so.
Siddall fought back 2-0 down to level matters, only for former world champion and world number one Atkinson to re-assert herself to take the fifth.


Atkinson lost in the final to Rachel Grinham (Australia) 3-0 but the third game went to an extended tiebreak (20-18) as Atkinson fought to prolong the match.
Siddall made a lot of progress last season and, on the evidence of events in Egypt, continues to progress. To reach the last eight she put out higher-ranked Canadian Alana Miller.



James Willstrop, the world number three, goes to Amsterdam early next month for the Dutch Open where he is the number one seed.
The competition has attracted a strong field, including world number six Nick Matthew, who is coming back from a long-term injury, former world number one John White and top Dutch star Laurens Anjema.
Willstrop is also busy organising a charity doubles tournament at Pontefract Squash Club in memory of his mother, Lesley. All proceeds from the event, which takes place on August 29 and 30, will to to the Martin's House Hospice, Wetherby.


On Sunday, August 31, as part of the same event, there will be an open day at the Stuart Road club when all members of the public are invited along.
There will be opportunities to play the club's professional players, as well as a range of games and activities aimed at children of all ages.
Lee Beachill, president of the Professional Squash Players Association, and legal advisor Richard Bramall attended their first board meeting since their election in Cardiff last week.


They were joined on a new-look board by newly-elected Peter Nicol, the game's most illustrious player of the past decade. Nicol's role is to take the professional game forward.
The Yorkshire League starts up next month and Pontefract's National League programme gets underway in October.