Squash: All-New Zealand semifinal at world doubles squash

Louise Crome and Lara Petera won both their final qualifying matches to book an all-New Zealand semifinal at the world doubles squash championships in Chennai, India.

Having upset Malaysian second seeds Nicol David and Tricia Chuah in their first match on Monday, Crome and Petera beat Australians Heidi Mather and Amelia Pittock 9-4, 5-9, 9-3 11-8, then South Africans Diana Argyll and Angelique Clifton-Parks 9-1, 9-5, 6-9, 9-2.

They face a semifinal against compatriots Shelley Kitchen and Tamsyn Leevey, who beat Louisa Hall and Latasha Khan of the United States, 9-4, 6-9, 9-3, 9-4.

It means the New Zealand women are guaranteed at least a silver medal.

The other two New Zealand combinations successfully negotiated the qualifying rounds to make the knockout stages.

Kitchen made the quarterfinals of the mixed event with Glen Wilson, with wins over Indians Joshna Chinappa and Saurav Ghosal 9-2, 9-8, 6-9, 9-4, and Americans Latasha Khan and Jamie Crombie 9-6, 9-4, 9-7.

Petera and Callum O'Brien also made the quarters.

- NZPA