Nicol now needs a win after loss to Massaro

Laura Massaro (left) returns a shot to Nicol David during the World Series Finals Group A match. - pix credit to squashpics.com

PETALING JAYA: Nicol David faltered when it mattered most and, with it, the chance to confirm an early ticket to the semi-finals of the World Series Finals in Dubai.

The world No. 5 lost 7-11, 11-8, 7-11 to world No. 2 Laura Massaro of England in her second Group A match on Wednesday.

Having opened her campaign with a win over American world No. 8 Amanda Sobhy, the 32-year-old Nicol needed to beat Massaro to book her place in the next round.

Instead, Nicol will now have to beat Egyptian teenager Nouran Gohar to stay alive.

World No. 6 Nouran is already out of the running after suffering her second straight defeat – losing 11-8, 5-11, 7-11 to Sobhy.

Massaro, who has now beaten Nicol eight times in 34 meetings, is set to qualify for the semi-finals as Group A champion.

Against Nicol, it was Massaro who took control of the first set, winning it 11-7.

Nicol is not known to go down without a fight and that was exactly what she did in the next set, battling back from 4-6 down to take it 11-8.

In the decider, Nicol looked to be on her way to victory when she led 6-3. But Massaro showed the kind of steely determination that has taken her to No. 2 in the world by storming back to seal victory in 49 minutes.

“The best-of-three format is actually tougher because the intensity is higher and each rally counts. So, mentally you have to be really prepared,” said Massaro.

“In the third, all I was thinking of was that I didn’t want to play the next game knowing that I needed to do something in order to get through ... so, I’m really happy with the result.”

In Group B, world champion Nour El Sherbini of Egypt bounced back from an opening day loss to thrash compatriot Omneya Abdel Kawy 11-4, 11-8 in just 15 minutes.

The world No. 1, who lost to compatriot Raneem El Welily on Tuesday, takes on French world No. 4 Camille Serme next. Both players need a win to progress to the semi-finals.

In the men’s event, England’s world No. 3 Nick Matthew bowed out after suffering his second straight Group A loss – a 10-12, 6-11 defeat to world No. 6 Mathieu Castagnet.

RESULTS
MEN
Group A: Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (Col) 11-8, 11-9; Mathieu Castagnet (Fra) bt Nick Matthew (Eng) 12-10, 11-6.
Group B: Simon Rosner (Ger) bt Omar Mosaad (Egy) 11-3, 11-7; Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt Cameron Pilley (Aus) 11-3, 11-1

WOMEN
Group A: Laura Massaro (Eng) bt Nicol David (Mas) 11-7, 8-11, 11-7; Amanda Sobhy (US) bt Nouran Gohar (Egy) 8-11, 11-5, 11-7.
Group B: Raneem El Welily (Egy) bt Camille Serme (Fra) 9-11, 12-10, 11-9; Nour El Sherbini (Egy) bt Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 11-4, 11-8.