KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champion Nicol David outclassed Malaysian team-mate Low Wee Wern to reach the semi-finals of the US$ 147,000 women’s World Open squash tournament in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt on Monday.
Nicol ranked No. 1 in the world since August, 2006, won 11-2, 11-5, 11-2 in 27 minutes.
The 27-year-old Nicol, who is gunning for her fifth world title, will face nemesis and third seed Alison Waters of England for a place in the final.
“It’s always hard when you are playing against your team-mate. But it’s the quarter-final of the World Open and you have to try and play your best squash,” Nicol was quoted on the website www.squashsite.co.uk.
“I feel as fit as I have ever been, and maybe I am faster to the ball which enables me to do more things.”
If Nicol had an easy match, the same cannot be said for Waters.
The English No. 2 was not at her best even though she ended the run of 2004 world champion Vanessa Atkinson of Holland with a five-set win.
Waters came back from a set down to win 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8 in 56 minutes.
Waters could have wrapped up the match in the fourth set after taking a comfortable 10-5 lead but she allowed Atkinson to chalk up seven successive points to win 12-10.
In the decider, Waters took a handsome 10-4 lead but again Atkinson managed to collect four points before losing out at 8-11.
“She showed her class in the fourth set,” said Waters. “She wasn’t going to let me win it easily at all. I got a bit tense, but a win is a win. She’s a great player.”
Although Nicol has never lost to Waters in their last 15 meetings, she is expecting a torrid time from the English lass who gave the Malaysian a real challenge of her life in the final of the Singapore Masters in July.
“I have to be disciplined against her. I’m sure tomorrow will be another hard one,” said Nicol, who has bagged 47 Women’s International Squash Players Association (Wispa) titles since turning pro in 2000.
Ninth seed Camille Serme of France created the biggest win of her career by stunning world No. 2 and second seed Jenny Duncalf of England 8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-2, 11-5 to qualify for the semi-finals.
Serme, ranked ninth in the world, will face fourth seed Omenya Abdel Kawy of Egypt for a place in the final.
Omneya also warded off a strong challenge from 10th seed Kasey Brown of Australia before prevailing 11-8, 14-12, 6-11, 11-5 in 55 minutes.
Serme and Omenya have met twice and their outings stand at 1-1. In the last meetings, Omneya won in straight sets in the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Open in 2009.
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