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DAVID ENDS DROUGHT
WITH KL HAT-TRICK
Alex Wan reports from KL ...

Having not won any titles for a good three years, Malaysia’s very own Nicol David today changed that, in style that is.

She won the 2000 and 2002 edition of the KL Open and today completed her hat-trick by outclassing training partner Annelize Naude in only 19 minutes.

Both players started off fast, striking the ball very hard and running all over the court. But it was clearly David, the “Duracell Bunny”, that was the faster and fitter of the two. With the sometimes noisy crowd behind her, she thrilled all in the arena with some dazzling retrieving. The speed of this petite lass from Penang is unbelievable!

Naude was clearly disappointed with herself after the first game, staying in court a little longer after it ended to strike the ball to vent out her frustration.

The second was even quicker, probably because David had now got into her rhythm and Naude a little tired perhaps, and the third was very one sided with David outrunning her South African born Dutch opponent in every single rally.


Alex Wan                             ©2005 SquashSite

[1] Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK) bt [8] Amr Mansi (EGY)
      10/11 (1-3), 11/6, 11/1, 11/8 (42m)
 

Annelize Naude

Qualifying:

Finals:
Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Mami Nishio (JPN) 9-7, 6-9, 10-8, 9-0 (54m)
Christina Mak (HKG) bt Lee Hai-Kyung (KOR) 9-6, 9-5, 7-9, 9-4 (60m)
Tricia Chuah (MAS) bt Sally Looi (MAS) 9-4, 9-4, 9-4 (25m)
Louise Crome (NZL) bt Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) 9-1, 4-9, 10-8, 10-9 (41m)


First Round:
Mami Nishio (Jpn)  bye
Delia Arnold (Mas) bt Siti Munirah Juson (Mas) 9/0, 9/0, 9/0 (15m)
Christina Mak (Hkg)  bye
Lee Hai-Kyung (Kor) bt Sum-Mi Song (Kor)  9/0, 9/0, 9/0 (12m)
Sally Looi (Mas) bt Eun Ok Park (Kor)  2/9, 9/4, 10/8, 9/4 (34m)
Triciah Chuah (Mas) bt Kozue Onizawa (Jpn)  9/4, 9/5, 9/3
Lim Woke Yah (Mas) bt Elise Ng (Hkg)  6/9, 9/4, 9/4, 9/2 (32m)
Louise Crome (Nzl)  bye
 

10/11 (1-3), 11/6, 11/1, 11/8 (42m)

Amr Mansi

Qualifying:

Finals:
Shahril Shahidan (MAS) bt Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11-5, 4-11, 11-6, 11-10 (3-1) (25m)
Nafzahizam Adnan (MAS) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-7, 11-10 (3-1), 2-11, 11-6 (46m)
Nasser B Al-Ramzi (KUW) bt Muhammad Azfar Azan (MAS) 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 10-11 (1-3), 11-7 (52m)
Mohd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Joseph Desira (AUS) 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-10 (2-0) (58m)

04-Feb, Quarter-Finals:
MIXED FORTUNES
FOR MALAYSIANS
Alex Wan reports from KL ...

The Malaysian camp had mixed fortunes today as Nicol David outclassed a somewhat out of sorts Carla Khan while Annelize Naude overcame lapses of concentration to edge past Sharon Wee.

Wee Comes Just Short

Annelize Naude stopped an all-Malaysian final tomorrow when she took out (just!) the Malaysian number two Sharon Wee. Wee couldn’t have asked for a better start when she raced to a 5-0 lead in no time before Naude got into the game. Wee allowed the Dutch number two to catch up to 5-6 before she romped home for a 1-0 lead. The second, third and fourth games were bizarre, as they were very one sided. Naude took the second and Wee the next.

The fourth was a slightly better match and though the score will suggest otherwise, the first half of this game was not the case. The biggest turning point was when Naude was 5-1 up, the referee had called her pickup not up which she protested. Wee came to her rescue when she acknowledged the good pickup and from thereon, Naude quickly closed out the game.

This brought the score to 2-2 and if we look at the trend, Wee would win the decider, a thought shared by both Malaysian women’s coach Raymond Arnold and Desmond David, Nicol’s dad. However, this was not to happen as it was simply Naude all the way.

   [2] Annelize Naude bt [5] Sharon Wee
           6/9, 9/0, 1/9, 9/1, 9/1 (45m)

David Stamps Her Mark

Nicol David, playing as always with her parents in the stands, today played a near flawless game against Pakistan’s Carla Khan. The last time they both played, Khan became the only lower ranked player to beat her in 2004, claiming a 3-2 victory in the Irish Open.

David seemed to be out to prove a point tonight, never allowing Khan into the game from the beginning. 24 minutes was all it took for the task to be accomplished, very short for such a stage in this championship.

David was simply pushing Khan around all over the court, and Khan’s normally physical game never had a chance to take off as she was constantly off the T. She did have some nice flicks off the front walls but the ever quick David simply retrieved most of them.

David walked out victorious and definitely the clear favourite for the title tomorrow. After close to 3 years without a WISPA title, she would certainly welcome one on home soil. Coincidently, the last event David won was also the KL Open back in 2002.

     [1] Nicol David bt [3] Carla Khan
           9/2, 9/3, 9/2 (24m)

Alex Wan                             ©2005 SquashSite

[1] Shamsul Islam Khan bt
[3] Saurav Ghosal  11-2, 11-10(3-1), 6-11, 11-10(3-1) (42m)

[8] Amr Mansi bt [2] Yasir Butt
      11-9, 11-7, 2-11, 11-7 (43m)

The New Sharon
Wee faced Tegwen Malik, a player she lost to twice last year. On both occasions, Wee never got a game. Tonight, the small Malaysian crowd saw a new Sharon Wee, the first time since she moved her base to Antwerp under Shaun Moxham.

The aggressiveness and attacking volleys were evident, something previously unseen in her game. To a certain extent, I’m sure it surprised her Welsh opponent as well. Everything was equal between the two players and it was hard to tell who the favourite here was. Malik was strong in the front but Wee was deceptive. Even in the WISPA rankings they’re only separated by a single position!

Wee started off well, getting the first game before Malik levelled by winning the next. The fifth was a cruncher, both players really wanted it and chased down everything they threw at each other. Malik was leading most of the time, up to 6-5 when the referee called one of her pickups not up. She was furious and many in the crowd thought it was good too. Wee took the chance and never dropped another point and a no let call against Malik gave Wee, and the nation a cause to celebrate.

Easy for Top Two
In a rather contrasting match, the petite Nicol David totally outplayed Ireland’s Aisling Blake. The 23 year old lass from Dublin had taken out Amelia Pittock the night before but today, David was just far too sharp and fast for her. From the moment go, David went charging, opening a quick 4-0 lead. Blake crawled back to 3-4 but David then stepped up the pace, dropping just another point in the entire match that finished in less than 20 minutes.

Annelize Naude, the South African born Dutch player and second seed here, won her match convincingly as well, taking out New Zealander Tamsyn Leevey in just under 30 minutes. Naude plays Wee tomorrow for a place in the final on Sunday. Both players trained together in Amsterdam and whilst she is ranked higher, Wee has home support and is full of confidence after tonight’s win.

Million Dollar Matchup
Match of the night was definitely between the 2 million dollar faces, Engy Kheirallah and Carla Khan. The crowd who came to watch this match was even more than Wee or David’s, talk about patriotism!

The entire match was very physical as both players were running into each other, at times pretty extreme. Kheirallah started off well and confidently to build a 5-0 lead, often seen clenching her fist to motivate herself. Her patient game was a little different from the way Khan would’ve liked to play. However, a let decision she had hoped for a stroke turned things around, as she was just allowed another point by Khan.

The second was a carbon copy of the first, with Alexandria based Egyptian building a 5-0 lead, only to lose 5-9. At 2-0 up to Khan, I had written off Kheirallah and proceeded to watch the men’s games. I came back and the score was 2-2 to my surprise – 10-9 in the third and 9-0 in the fourth!

The fifth was point for point with many decisions for the local referee to make. Both were getting into each other’s way and it was the pint sized Egyptian who was the bigger culprit tonight. The Egyptian blew a 4-0 lead to allow Khan to come back, but then led again at 7-6. She was very visibly tired, taking a long time between points and Khan having to reserve a number of occasions. The Pakistani kept her cool and it paid off handsomely when she earned a place tomorrow against local favourite Nicol David.

Mansi hopping mad after
missing a drop-shot !!

Preview:

Nicol looks to get back
on home winning track ...
  
Although Nicol David has risen to number four in the world, the Kuala Lumpur lass hasn't had much joy at home in recent events.

She won the KL Open in 2000 and 2002, but lost the 2003 Malaysian final to Cassie Jackman, two 2004 finals (Malaysian and KL Opens) to Vanessa Atkinson, and missed out in the semi-finals of the KL World Open in December.

Now the top seed, she will be hoping to get back on the winning trail. Another Dutch player stands in her way though - not world champion Vanessa Atkinson this time, it's Annelize Naude who is scheduled to meet David in the final.

Steve Cubbins                                                     ©SquashSite