Squash: Nicol chasing a perfect 10 in Seoul

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian squash sensation Nicol David is gunning for a perfect 10 in Seoul today. 

Nicol, who has already won nine straight Wispa Tour titles, will have to see off arch-rival Natalie Grinham of Australia in the final of the Seoul City Open at the Seoul Plaza today. 

Classy: Nicol David thrashed England’s Jenny Duncalf 9-2, 9-2, 9-1 in the semi-finalof the Seoul City Open squash championship yesterday to set up a final showdownagainst Australian Natalie Grinham.

This will be the fourth straight time that the duo will clash in a final this year. 

The top two seeds scored contrasting wins over their semi-final opponents yesterday. 

While the top-seeded Nicol extended her unbeaten run in professional matches to 43 by cruising to a 9-2, 9-2, 9-1 win over surprise semi-finalist Jenny Duncalf of England, Grinham slogged for 53 minutes to beat fourth-seeded Tania Bailey of England 9-4, 9-3, 5-9, 9-5. 

It will be the fifth consecutive time that Nicol and Grinham will be meeting in a final since the World Open in Belfast last November, with the Malaysian coming out tops in all four previous meetings. 

Besides the World Open, their other three meetings were in the finals of the Kuala Lumpur Open (March), Kuwait Open and Qatar Classic earlier this month. 

Nicol has not lost a professional match since her defeat by Holland’s Vanessa Atkinson in the final of the KL Open in February last year.