Perry loses British Open decider

Perry defeated world number one Nicol David in the last eight

Northern Irish player Madeline Perry found Australian Rachael Grinham a bridge too far in the British Open final in Manchester on Monday.

Perry defeated world number one Nicol David in the quarter-finals and Alison Watters in the semi-finals but lost in straight games against Grinham.

The Aussie took the opening two games 11-6 and 11-5.

Perry, 32, came back from 10-6 to level in the third game before Grinham clinched her fourth British Open title.

But while Perry was unable to reproduce her quarter-final and semi-final heroics, the Banbridge woman can look back on a tournament where she made a major breakthrough.

The British Open is almost on a par with the World Open and her performance looks certain to improve Perry's current global ranking of seven.

The Banbridge woman, who defeated David in Manchester on Saturday, secured a 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 over English player Watters in Sunday's semi-final.

In the quarter-final, Perry survived three match balls in the third game as she stormed back to beat David on a 6-11, 12-14, 15-13, 11-5, 11-9 scoreline after a marathon 76-minute contest.

Perry spoke of her delight at reaching the decider after the win over Watters.

"I was more emotional after I beat Nicol but I am just so happy to have reached the final as well," said world number seven Perry.

"I had never even been in the semi-finals before let alone the final so it's been a good weekend."

This week's achievement represent a greater triumph even than Perry's effort in the same stadium here last year, when she reached the semi-final of the World Open before losing to David.

They were also further reward for the immense courage she showed in recovering from a career-threatening head injury two years ago when she was mugged in Milan.

Perry will be in action in the World Open which starts in Amsterdam later this month.