Americans Amanda Sobhy, Preston Quick, and Natalie Grainger have each reached the semifinals of two different J.P. Morgan & Trunk Club World Doubles professional divisions following the conclusion of the first day of match play Friday at the Racquet Club of Chicago, MetroSquash Academic & Squash Center, Onwenstia Club, University Club of Chicago, and Winter Club of Lake Forest.
Sobhy & Grainger, defending women’s world champions, recovered from losing the first game to win their opener 14-15, 15-8, 15-4, 15-12 against fellow Americans Dana Betts—Grainger’s recent national title-winning partner—& Sarah West. Sobhy & Grainger now face England’s two seeds, Georgina Stoker & Victoria Simmonds Saturday afternoon.
The top half of the women’s draw went according to seeding with England’s top seeds, Suzie Pierrepont & Carrie Hastings, and Canada’s four seeds, Seanna Keating & Stephanie Hewitt, set to contest first semifinal.
Both Sobhy & Grainger will first contest a mixed division semifinal at 12pm noon, local time before their women’s semifinal together. Sobhy, partnering with SDA veteran Chris Callis, upset England’s four seeds, Mike Ferreira & Victoria Simmonds, Friday afternoon to reach the semifinals against England’s top seeds John Russell & Suzie Pierrepont.
Grainger, meanwhile, rekindled her silver medal-winning mixed partnership with Quick to upset third-seeded Americans, Betts & Greg Park, in five games Friday. Grainger & Quick now face Canada’s two seeds, Viktor Berg & Stephanie Hewitt.
In the men’s division, Quick & Park recorded one of the biggest upsets of the round over one of the top SDA teams this season, England’s Ferreira & Jonny Smith, in four games. The Americans will contest their semifinal against another top 10 SDA team, England’s John Russell & Clive Leach, Saturday afternoon at Onwenstia Club.
Defending world champions Damien Mudge & Ben Gould remain unscathed following two, three-game victories Friday. The SDA world No. 1’s will face Canada’s Freddie Reid & Viktor Berg in their semifinal Saturday afternoon.
Visit www.worlddoubles.com for professional and age division draws, live scoring, and the World Doubles live stream.