Nicol wins Carol Weymuller Open

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's top woman squash player Nicol David clinched her sixth professional title for the year after beating Natalie Grinham of Australia in the final of the Carol Weymuller Open championship in New York on Sunday.  

Second seeded Nicol beat the third seeded Australian 5-9, 9-6, 9-4, 9-3. It is her second successive win over Natalie, the younger sister of world number one Rachael.  

She had also beaten Natalie to win the British Open crown in Manchester last month. 

 

Earlier report: 

Nicol in New York Final 

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's Nicol David staved off a strong challenge from English fourth seed Vicky Botwright to advance to the final of the Carol Weymuller Open squash tournament in New York on Saturday. 

The second seeded Nicol flirted with danger before eventually booking her place in the final with a 5-9, 9-1, 3-9, 9-6, 10-8 win over Botwright. 

Nicol had also beaten Botwright in five games in the quarter-finals of the British Open in Manchester recently and went on to become the first Malaysian to win the prestigious title. 

She is now just one match away from winning her sixth professional title this year.  

Nicol will play against third seed Natalie Grinham of Australia in a rematch of the British Open final on Sunday. 

Natalie, the younger sister of world number one Rachael, beat French giant-killer Isabelle Stoehr 10-9, 6-9, 9-2, 9-1 in the other semi-final. Stoehr had sent top seed Vanessa Atkinson of Holland packing in the quarter-finals on Friday. 

The 22-year-old Nicol had lost to Natalie in four previous meetings over the last two years but turned the tables on the Australian in Manchester. 

Besides winning the British Open, Nicol also emerged as the champion in the Open tournaments of Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Holland and Malaysia this year. She also won the gold medal in the World Games in Duisburg, Germany, in June.  

Meanwhile, in the men's Motor City Open in Detroit, top seed Jonathan Power of Canada will play against second seed John White of Scotland in the final.  

RESULTS 

CAROL WEYMULLER OPEN 

Semi-finals:

Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) 10-9, 6-9, 9-2, 9-1; Nicol David (Mas) bt Vicky Botwright (Eng) 5-9, 9-1, 3-9, 9-6, 10-8. 

MOTOR CITY OPEN 

Semi-finals:

Jonathan Power (Can) bt Nick Matthew (Eng) 11-9, 1-12, 11-6, 11-6; John White (Sco) bt Wael El Hindi (Egy) 13-11, 12-10, 11-5.