Joshna in Liberty Bell Open final

India's ace squash player Joshna Chinappa has began 2009 on a bright note storming into the final of the USD 11,100 Liberty Bell Open Championship in Philadephia, US, scalping second seed Jaclyn Hawkes of New Zealand.

Chinappa (world No. 37), playing her first championship in the circuit after a gap of about two months, will take on top seeded Vanessa Atkinson of the Netherlands (world No. 11) in the title clash tomorrow.

In her last competitive event, Chinappa had won the NSC Super Satellite (Grade-4) in Malaysia defeating Low Wee Wern 11-8 11-7 11-6.

In the current tournament, fourth-seeded Chinappa was aggressive from the beginning against the higher-rated Hawkes (world rank 17) and won the match 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 in quick time.

Chinappa, a Mittal Sports Trust beneficiary and playing in the circuit for about three years now, would meet Atkinson for the first time in her career.

Atkinson, who had an easy outing in the first round against New Zealand's Larissa Stephenson (11-3, 11-4, 11-7) had to struggle hard before overcoming eighth-seed Joey Chan of Hong Kong in the quarter-final 9-11, 11-8, 16-14, 9-11, 11-4. However, she did not have to exert much in the semi-final against Latasha Khan of the US, winning 11-6, 11-6, 11-7.