Aussies prepare for Birmingham 2022 doubles quarterfinals

Three Aussie pairings will feature in doubles quarterfinals action at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on Friday.

It’s getting to the business end of competition at the University of Birmingham Squash Centre after an impressive day on court which saw five doubles pairings advance to the next round.

Rachael Grinham and Donna Lobban will be first out on court for the women’s doubles quarterfinal where they’ll come up against Malaysia’s Aifa Azman and Rachel Arnold on Court 1 at 1:30pm (local time)/10:30pm (AEST).

The Malaysian duo are a relatively new pairing after Arnold's partner Sivasangari Subramaniam, who she won bronze with at World Doubles Championships in April, withdrew from playing in Birmingham as she is recovering from a car accident. 

Later in the day, Lobban will combine with Cameron Pilley, who will have a tricky quarterfinals match on their hands as they continue their gold medal defence.

The cousins from Yamba will come up against Lobban’s husband Greg and partner Lisa Aitken. 

It will be the first time Donna and Greg come up against each other.

The Aussie pair downed India's Joshana Chinappa and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu 2-0 in the round of 16 with Greg and Aikten winning their clash for Scotland just hours later to set up the husband v wife clash.

Talking with the Australian Associated Press (AAP) Lobban says she has “already started the mental warfare” with Greg.

"I've started to wind him up already. I was telling him we were fist-pumping when we got that draw," she said.

The match will get underway on Court 1 at 7:30pm (local time)/ 4:30am (AEST).

In the last quarterfinal of the day, Grinham and Zac Alexander will face no.1 seeds Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Saurav Ghosal of India on Show Court at 8:15pm (local time)/5:15am (AEST). 

The Gold Coast 2018 silver medallist beat Welsh duo Emily Whitlock and Peter Creed in the Round of 16. They also took out the World Doubles Championship mixed doubles title.

There will also be action in the men’s doubles event with the Round of 16. 

Pilley and Rhys Dowling will begin their doubles campaign against Chanithma Sinaly and Shamil Wakeel of Sri Lanka on Court 1 at 12pm (local time)/ 9pm (AEST). 

Meanwhile, after winning their opening match on Thursday, Alexander and Ryan Cuskelly will face Julian Morrison and Christopher Binnie of Jamacia on Court 1 at 2:15pm (Local time)/ 11:15pm (AEST).

The squash competition is being played at the University of Birmingham Squash Centre, with the action live and free on 7plus.

For the full schedule and results from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, click here.

Photo Credit: PSA