Nicol David
Celebrates Maiden Triumph In Mexico
Malaysia's
Nicol David moved ahead of her Tour title tally in 2009 when she picked up
her eighth WISPA World Tour squash trophy of the year by beating
Australian rival Rachael Grinham in the final of the inaugural Women's
Torneo International Bicentenario Mexico at the Plaza Civica de Toluca
in Toluca.
Unbeaten in
any event so far in 2010, the world number one from Penang arrived in Mexico
fresh from her maiden gold medal success in the Commonwealth Games in
Delhi.
And in the
first WISPA Gold event ever to be staged in Mexico, David notched up her
34th successive match win with a 12-10, 11-4, 11-5 victory over world No5
Grinham in 35 minutes.
"As with the
semi-final, it was important to win the first game as I know how dangerous
Rachael can be and I just had to keep getting her shots back," explained David
after recording the 49th Tour title success of her career.
"It has been
great to have so many Mexican fans here, and I want to thank everyone that has
been involved in the event as it is fantastic - the setting, the crowds and
everything," continued the 27-year-old.
"I had been
talking to Samantha (Teran) about getting an event here and now she has made it
happen. I played an exhibition with her here two years ago and I could see the
enthusiasm then, so I knew it would be a fun event for all the girls."
Grinham, the
former world number one from Queensland who has now faced the Malaysian 31 times
over the past ten years, was upbeat after the match: "It's nice to get to a
final again, and I am motivated at the moment and want to keep enjoying my
squash so hopefully there will be some more.
"Nicol has
proved she is the best in the world, so all you can do is to try and make her
work as hard as possible to beat you."
David &
Grinham Renew Rivalry In Mexico Final
WISPA World
Tour
stalwarts Nicol David and Rachael Grinham will lock horns for the
31st time in their careers when they meet in the final of the inaugural
Women's Torneo International Bicentenario Mexico after surviving
contrasting semi-finals in the $67,500 squash championship at the Plaza
Civica de Toluca in Toluca.
The opening
semi-final in the first WISPA Gold event ever to be staged in Mexico was
a classic affair, with the deft lobs and drops of third seed Grinham countered
by the supreme athleticism of Kasey Brown.
The two
Aussies traded shot for shot, but despite her five-game win the previous day -
when the fifth seed upset second-seeded Englishwoman Jenny Duncalf - it
was Brown who came out faster, powering her way through the first.
However,
former world number one Grinham is known for her clever play - and, taking the
pace off the ball, she deadened Brown's attack and raced away with the second.
Maintaining a similar pattern, Grinham took the third and looked to be cruising
to victory at 4-0 in the fourth.
But Brown,
winner of three medals in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, had other
ideas - and stepped up the court, mixing short sharp volleys with fierce drives
as she pegged the game back to 9-9 before drawing level.
Grinham again
came out quicker in the decider - and, after the pair were locked at nine-all
again for several minutes, it was the more experienced Grinham who pulled away
to win 8-11, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 in 61 minutes.
Malaysian
starlet Nicol David booked her place in the final with a composed win
over talented young Egyptian Raneem El Weleily. The 21-year-old from
Alexandria started well with some exquisite squash, striking the ball purely and
easing to a 5-2 lead.
However, David
hasn't remained unbeaten for 12 months by panicking at such an early stage - and
steadily turned up the pressure on her younger opponent before gaining her
12-10, 11-6, 11-6 victory over the sixth seed.
"It was good
to get through in three games," said the relieved 27-year-old Malaysian
afterwards. "I expected at least four as Raneem is so talented. The first was a
bonus as she started well."
Nicol David
first met Rachael Grinham in the final of the Milo Open in Kuala
Lumpur in 2000 - when Grinham was top seed and 16-year-old David was seeded six.
The Australian came out on top - but has since seen David build up a 24-6 career
head-to-head lead.
"Nicol and I
used to play a lot, but that was when I used to make more finals," explained
33-year-old Grinham as she looked forward to the Mexican final. "We played in
Hong Kong but it will be nice to have another match with her.
"The altitude
makes it difficult to decide how tired you feel, so I'm hoping I will be fine
tomorrow."
David will be
celebrating her 64th career Tour final in Toluca, while Grinham will be marking
her 57th.
Duncalf Downed
In Mexico
England's
world number two Jenny Duncalf, a semi-finalist in all but one of the
last ten WISPA World Tour squash events in which she has competed,
crashed out of the quarter-finals of the $67,500 Women's Torneo
International Bicentenario Mexico at the Plaza Civica de Toluca in
Toluca after losing to Australian Kasey Brown in the first WISPA Gold
event to be staged in Mexico.
Duncalf
arrived in Mexico with two silver Commonwealth Games medals to her name
from Delhi earlier in the month - but Brown, the world No9 from New South Wales,
bagged three medals, including gold in the Mixed Doubles.
Fifth seed
Brown twice led in Toluca - and twice Duncalf drew level. But the 25-year-old
Australian, who had never beaten Duncalf before, raised her game in the decider
to close out the match 11-5, 12-14, 11-6, 8-11, 11-3 in 66 minutes.
"It's nice to
beat someone for the first time, as it gives you the confidence that your game
is moving in the right direction," said a jubilant Brown afterwards.
An
all-Australian battle now faces Brown when she takes on Rachael Grinham,
the third seed from Queensland who killed off local hopes for success by beating
seventh seed Samantha Teran 11-9, 11-3, 11-8.
Teran came out
to a boisterous welcome - and the 29-year-old from Mexico City didn't let her
fans down as she jumped straight to a 5-1 lead in the first game.
"It's great
making a semi-final in a major event as it has been so tough to do so over the
past year," admitted former world champion Grinham afterwards. "I am really
enjoying playing at the moment and look forward to playing Kasey, who is clearly
in form, tomorrow.
"It's actually
fun playing someone in their home country - the atmosphere is just as electric
when you play Nicol in Malaysia."
Nicol David
duly earned her place in the other semi after dismissing New Zealand's No8 seed
Jaclyn Hawkes 11-8, 11-2, 11-6. The world number one from Penang will
face surprise opponent Raneem El Weleily, the sixth seed from Egypt who
overcame No4 seed Madeline Perry 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 in her first ever win
over the world No6 from Ireland.
"I played well
today and enjoyed the match," said 21-year-old El Weleily afterwards. "It will
be tough playing Nicol tomorrow but it should be fun to play her, especially in
the semi final of a major event."
David Dashes
Diaz's Hopes In Toluca
Malaysian
favourite Nicol David eased into the quarter-finals of the inaugural
Women's Torneo International Bicentenario Mexico after beating local
qualifier star Ivonne Diaz in straight games in the $67,500 WISPA
World Tour squash event at the Plaza Civica de Toluca in Toluca.
Appearing in
her first Tour event since winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in
Delhi, world number one David despatched Diaz 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 in her opening
match in the first WISPA Gold event ever to be staged in Mexico.
At the
post-match press conference, David explained how all of the players have arrived
early to get used to the altitude. "Although you notice it a little in the first
couple of days you start to get used to it," explained the 27-year-old from
Penang. "It's great to play in such a public and stunning setting, and I am sure
that this event will motivate Mexicans to play squash.
"Sam (Teran)
has already shown it is possible to be very successful and she is one of the
main reasons this event is on. Thanks Sam!"
David will
next face eighth seed Jaclyn Hawkes. The New Zealander showed no mercy in
progressing to the last eight at the expense of another Mexican, qualifier
Karina Heredia Gonzalez, winning 11-2, 11-2, 11-0 in just 15 minutes.
Earlier,
Raneem El Weleily started off the second day of first round action in fine
form by knocking out USA's Latasha Khan. The skilful Egyptian seemed
unperturbed by the altitude causing the ball to speed off the front wall and
cruised to an 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 victory.
The sixth seed
will now line up against Ireland's Madeline Perry. The No4 seed took the
first two games against Annie Au, but had to save three game balls
against the rising star from Hong Kong before winning 11-9, 11-6, 13-11.
Local Star
Teran Advances In Toluca
A packed press
conference greeted Samantha Teran after the local favourite left the
court following her straight games victory over US qualifier Olivia
Blatchford in the opening round of the inaugural Women's Torneo
International Bicentenario Mexico, a $67,500 WISPA World Tour squash
event at the Estado De Mexico in Toluca.
Spurred in by
a crowd chanting 'Mexico, Mexico', Teran showed that she is back to full fitness
after an ankle injury that ruled her out of last month's METROsquash
US Open by beating 17-year-old New Yorker Blatchford 11-3, 11-6, 11-5.
"Obviously it
is fantastic to play in front of your home crowd, and I really wanted to win for
them and everyone who has put so much effort into putting on this event," said
the 29-year-old No7 seed from Mexico City - her country's highest-ranked woman
of all-time.
Earlier, a
crowd of over 800 graced Toluca's Plaza Civica to witness the official opening,
followed by the first round of the first WISPA Gold event ever to be staged in
Mexico. A host of local dignitaries, including a representative of the Mayor of
Toluca Enrique Pena Nieto, aided by World No1 Nicol David and
Teran officially opened the proceedings on the Manata All Glass Court.
The play got
underway with an impressive display by Australian Kasey Brown. Coming to
the event off the back of winning three Commonwealth Games medals in
Delhi, Brown was in impressive form in blowing away Hong Kong's Rebecca Chiu.
At 9000 feet
above sea level, the conditions in Toluca clearly didn't affect Brown as she
rattled off an 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 victory in just 22 minutes.
"It's not
often that I win quickly, so it's great to get through relatively easily as this
could prove to be a tough week at altitude," said the New York-based fifth seed.
"Obviously the (singles) bronze in Delhi has given me a lot of confidence so I
am looking forward to a good week here."
England's
world No2 Jenny Duncalf set up a clash with Brown with a straight games
victory over compatriot Emma Beddoes. Duncalf, the silver medallist in
Delhi, looked in fine fettle as she worked Beddoes around the court before
putting the ball away with trademark drops and volley drops.
"It's a great
venue to play in and wonderful to see so many people turn out to watch a squash
event," said Duncalf in the post-match press conference after her 11-8, 11-7,
11-5 victory.
Australia's
former world No1 and world champion Rachael Grinham soon quietened the
expectant crowd as she raced through the first game 11-1 against Mexican
qualifier Nayelly Hernandez. However, the 24-year-old - ranked 136 places
below the Australian - proved she wasn't overawed by matching her experienced
opponent point for point in the second - and indeed holding a game ball at 10/9.
However,
Grinham closed out the game and then eased through the third to record an 11-1,
12-10, 11-3 win.
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