HOLDER Michelle Martin's hopes of retaining her crown have been boosted by the exit of jinx rival Liz Irving in the quarter-final round of the Pak Fah Yeow Women's World Championships yesterday.
Irvine's downfall came on the pro-court specially set up for the tournament at the Hong Kong Park Indoor Games Hall.
She is the only player to have beaten world number one Martin in the past two years, achieving the feat four times with her last victory being only six days ago in the final of the Malaysian Open.
However, fifth-ranked Irving could not match the crafty game of fellow-Australian Sarah Fitz-gerald.
Irving opened up a 6-2 lead but Fitz-gerald changed her game, picking up the pace by going for the volleys and fully utilising the width of the court with deadly boasts and cross-court drives in the 9-6, 9-6, 9-3 win.
Fitz-gerald must surely be brimming with confidence going into today's semi-final against England's Fiona Geaves, whom she defeated most comprehensively in the Malaysian Open a week ago.
