Impressive semi-final upsets by third seed Siyoli Waters and fifth seed Olivia Blatchford have led to a surprise final of the Women's Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas, the WSA Tour 15 squash event at Universidad Anahuac in Huixquilucan, Mexico.
Blatchford, the world No61 from the USA, broke local hearts when she overcame Mexican number one Samantha Teran. Eager to shine in her country's leading Tour event for the first time, Mexico's most successful squash player of all-time took the opening game and forced the second into a tie-break.
But 21-year-old Blatchford, ranked 22 places behind the experienced 33-year-old Mexican, clinched the game to draw level, then survived a further tie-break game before claiming her surprise 4-11, 14-12, 12-10, 11-9 victory.
The win takes New Yorker Blatchford into the fifth WSA World Tour final of her career - but her first since January last year, and her first off home-soil.
Waters, the reigning South African champion from Cape Town, lined up against top seed Samantha Cornett - and stormed into a 2/0 lead. The top-ranked Canadian fought back to draw level, but Waters regrouped to take the decider and wrap up an 11-8, 11-9, 2-11, 6-11, 11-6 victory.
Waters, the 31-year-old world No37, is celebrating the 15th Tour final of her career - but her second this month after finishing as runner-up in the Orange County Open across the border in California last week. For all the latest WSA Tour news: wsaworldtour.com
