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07-Mar, Finals:
[1] Peter Barker (Eng) bt [3] Adrian Grant (Eng)
[4] Natalie Grainger (Usa) bt [1] Nicol David (Mas)
11/8, 10/12, 11/7, 5/11, 11/6 (51m)
Grainger ends David's run
Unbeaten in 68 matches since October 2007 and aiming for her sixth
KL Open title, Malaysia's own Nicol David came unstuck at the hands
of Natalie Grainger as the US champion put in a tremendous
performance to end a 12-match losing streak against David that
stretched back to 2003.
Grainger had come close to beating David before, notably in the
British Open of 2007, but this time she made it stick to claim her
third title of the year and leave the Malaysian fans disappointed.
"No doubt, she's a strong contender.
You just have to be at your best to beat her but my game was up and
down today and she just took control when there was an opportunity.
"It was a close game though. She played well today. I just tried my
best but I wish I had played better, I had to bring something more,
but this time I couldn't get it on."
In the all-English men's final top
seed Peter Barker triumphed over Adrian Grant. Grant, who
tumbled over his opponent in mid court in the first game of the
final, was unable to reproduce the form he showed in the previous
round as Barker recorded an straight-games victory in 52 minutes.
"It was a bit up and down as I had a bad slip in the first game and
my right hamstring jarred," said the disappointed runner-up. "After
that I wasn't so confident moving."
Barker, whose PSA title tally now rises to 13, admitted that he
tried to ignore Grant's setback: "I definitely noted a bit of a
change in his movement after he fell. But I tried to carry on
playing my own game - being steady and boringly British!"
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"It has been a long time since I beat
Nicol, and I've taken six or seven poundings. She is a true
champion, she's young and she has so many titles already.
"But I feel that I have been playing well the last two years,
probably the most consistent of my life, and I am really pleased
that today was my day.
"I just tried to relax and stay focus despite the many
distractions...the crowd, the drums ..."
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 KL
Open 2009
02-07 March, Kuala Lumpur, $53k
National Squash Centre & Berjaya
Timjes Square, Kuala Lumpur |
Round One
04 Mar |
Quarters
05 Mar |
Semis
06 Mar |
Final
07 Mar |
[1]
Nicol David (Mas)
11/6, 11/8, 11/7 (26m(
Madeline Perry (Irl) |
[1] Nicol David
11/1, 10/12, 11/7, 11/9 (46m)
[5] Jenny Duncalf |
[1] Nicol David
9/11, 11/7, 11/5, 11/8 (34m)
[3] Rachael Grinham |
[1] Nicol David
16.00
[4] Natalie Grainger |
[5]
Jenny Duncalf (Eng)
11/8, 11/7, 11/6 (30m)
Sharon Wee (Mas) |
[3]
Rachael Grinham (Aus)
14/12, 11/4, 12/10 (24m)
[Q] Annie Au (Hkg) |
[3] Rachael Grinham
11/9, 4/9, 10/12, 11/8, 12/10 (63m)
[6] Alison Waters |
[6]
Alison Waters (Eng)
6/11, 11/6, 11/9, 11/8 (45m)
Shelley Kitchen (Nzl) |
Kasey Brown (Aus)
11/1, 11/7, 1/11, 11/6 (40m)
[7] Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) |
[7] Omneya Abdel Kawy
11/5, 11/5, 9/11, 11/9 (42m)
[4] Natalie Grainger |
[4] Natalie Grainger 9/11,
11/4, 11/7, 6/11, 11/6 (51m)
[8] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro |
[Q] Raneem El Weleily (Egy)
11/7, 11/7, 4/11, 19/17 (33m)
[4] Natalie Grainger (Usa) |
[Q] Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl)
11/7, 17/15, 11/3 (26m)
[8] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (Eng) |
[8] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro
11/6, 11/9, 11/6 (23m)
[2] Natalie Grinham |
[Q] Lauren Briggs (Eng)
13/11, 11/8, 11/9 (29m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (Aus) |
Qualifying:
03-Mar, Finals:
Annie Au (Hkg) bt Rebecca Chiu (Hkg)
11/9, 11/8, 11/7 (27m)
Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt Low Wee Wern (Mas)
11/5, 13/11, 11/8 (31m)
Lauren Briggs (Eng) bt Delia Arnold (Mas)
11/4, 11/6, 4/11, 11/6 (53m)
Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl) bt Emma Beddoes (Eng)
11/7, 11/5, 11/8 (39m)
02-Mar, Round One:
Rebecca Chiu (Hkg) bt Joelle King (Nzl)
11/8, 11/8, 8/11, 9/11, 11/6 (57m)
Annie Au (Hkg) bt Lisa Camilleri (Aus)
11/9, 11/6, 4/11, 11/4 (30m)
Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt Lauren Siddall (Eng)
11/8, 8/11, 11/3, 11/5 (38m)
Low Wee Wern (Mas) bt Donna Urquhart (Aus)
12/10, 11/6, 11/1 (25m)
Delia Arnold (Mas) bt Joshna Chinappa (Ind)
14/12, 11/3, 11/5 (29m)
Lauren Briggs (Eng) bt Kylie Lindsay (Nzl)
11/4, 11/6, 10/12, 6/11, 14/12 (45m)
Emma Beddoes (Eng) bt Annelize Naude (Ned) 7/11, 11/6, 11/3,
11/13, 11/3 (51m)
Jaclyn Hawkes (Nzl) bt Lim Woke Yah (Mas)
11/9, 11/7, 6/11, 11/3 (32m)
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 KL
Open 2009
02-07 March, Kuala Lumpur, $50k
National Squash Centre & Berjaya
Timjes Square, Kuala Lumpur |
Round One
04 Mar |
Quarters
05 Mar |
Semis
06 Mar |
Final
07 Mar |
[1]
Peter Barker (Eng)
11/3, 11/3, 11/4 (31m)
[Q] Alui Anwar Reda (Egy) |
[1] Peter Barker
11/8, 11/2, 11/5 (40m)
[6] Farhan Mehboob |
[1] Peter Barker
11/7, 10/12, 11/3, 11/4 (61m)
[4] Borja Golan |
[1] Peter Barker
15.00
[3] Adrian Grant
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[6]
Farhan Mehboob (Pak)
7/11, 11/9, 11/4, 11/6 (56m)
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (Mas) |
[4]
Borja Golan (Esp)
11/5, 11/7, 11/2 (25m)
Jan Koukal (Cze) |
[4] Borja Golan
11/7, 13/11, 11/5 (44m)
[Q] Yasir Butt |
[7]
Omar Mosaad (Egy)
11/6, 11/7, 6/11, 11/9 (45m)
[Q] Yasir Butt (Pak) |
[Q] Chris Simpson (Eng)
11/3, 11/6, 4/11, 11/4 (28m)
[8] Mansoor Zaman (Pak) |
[Q] Chris Simpson
11/6, 13/11, 11/9 (57m)
[3] Adrian Grant |
[3] Adrian Grant
7/11, 11/4, 11/3, 11/8
[2] Ong Beng Hee |
Tarek Momen (Egy)
11/9, 11/9, 8/11, 11/6 (73m)
[3] Adrian Grant (Eng) |
[Q] Aaron Frankcomb (Aus)
11/6, 5/11, 11/6, 8/11, 11/8 (90m)
[5] Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak) |
[5] Aamir Atlas Khan
11/5, 8/11, 11/9, 8/11, 11/1 (60m)
[2] Ong Beng Hee |
Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy)
11/3, 6/11, 11/4, 7/11, 11/6 (56m)
[2] Ong Beng Hee (Mas) |
Qualifying:
03-Mar, Finals:
Aaron Frankcomb (Aus) bt Ritwik Bhattacharya (Ind)
11/5, 11/6, 11/6 (45m)
Chris Simpson (Eng) bt Ivan Yuen (Mas)
11/7, 11/9, 11/9 (46m)
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) bt Matthew Karwalski (Aus)
11/6, 11/4, 11/7 (37m)
Yasir Butt (Pak) bt Shamsul Islam Khan (Pak)
11/2, 11/2, 11/7 (26m)
02-Mar, Round One:
Aaron Frankcomb (Aus) bt Kamran Khan (Mas)
7/11, 11/0, 12/10, 12/10 (64m)
Ritwik Bhattacharya (Ind) bt Elvinn Keo (Mas)
5/11, 11/4, 11/9, 11/8 (43m)
Chris Simpson (Eng) bt Graeme Wilson (Nzl)
11/6, 11/3, 4/11, 11/3 (39m)
Ivan Yuen (Mas) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (Mas)
9/11, 11/8, 11/9, 11/7 (64m)
Matthew Karwalski (Aus) bt Nafzahizam Adnan (Mas) 9/11, 11/4, 8/11,
11/6, 11/6 (53m)
Ali Anwar Reda (Egy) bt Choong Kam Hing (Mas)
11/8, 12/11, 11/6 (33m)
Shamsul Islam Khan (Pak) bt Le Roy Leong (Mas)
9/11, 11/7, 11/2, 11/8 (32m)
Yasir Butt (Pak) bt Ng Jo Wen (Mas)
11/2, 11/7, 11/7 (30m)
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2008 Event
2007 Event
2006 Event
2005 Event |
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Grant sets up
all-English final in KL
Third seed Adrian Grant battled for 61 minutes at Berjaya
Times Square in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur to end local
interest in the men's CIMB KL Open when he upset defending champion
Ong Beng Hee to set up the first ever all-English KL final.
The left-hander from London recovered from a game down to beat
second-seeded Malaysian Beng Hee, ranked three places higher in the
world top 20.
"Beng Hee was under pressure as defending champion and made some
errors today that gave me the advantage," said a delighted Grant,
now in the 22nd Tour final of his career. "It may be two British
players in the final - but we'll be worth the admission money!"
A downcast Ong Beng Hee added: "After the re-draw it got tougher for
me. I had gruelling matches but Adrian played exceptionally well and
deserved the victory. I am going to come back stronger for the
Malaysian Open though!"
Grant will face England team-mate Peter Barker - also a
left-hander and also from London. The top seed faced fourth seed
Borja Golan - and beat the in-form Spaniard to set up his 18th final
appearance.
Although the final will be the Englishmen's fourth Tour meeting - it
will be their first for more than two years, and the first in a
final.
Hopes of a Malaysian on the winner's podium were well-and-truly kept
alive in the women's event when Penang queen Nicol David, the
favourite, beat Australian rival Rachael Grinham.
Fresh from a six-week training spell in Australia with former world
number one Sarah Fitz-Gerald, David is making her 2009 Tour debut in
KL - and expected to win her country's capital city open crown for
the sixth time.
"I am trying to get my momentum going for this year, but it is tough
as all the girls are out to get me," admitted the 25-year-old after
her sixth win in a row over Grinham. "I am just watching my back and
trying to stay on the ball."
In the 49th WISPA final of her career, David will meet another
long-time Tour rival: Natalie Grainger, the fourth seed from
the USA, ended the run of England's surprise semi-finalist Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro, beating the eighth seed in 51 minutes.
"I finished the fourth really strongly and managed to get a few
tactics straight in my head," said Lengthorn later. "But Natalie
came out too strong, a little too strong. She is so precise that it
is tough mentally and physically."
Grainger, the WISPA President who is looking for her third title
this year, has reached a significant milestone in her illustrious
career: The 31-year-old from Greenwich is celebrating her 40th Tour
final appearance. |
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05-Mar, Quarters:
Laura leaps into KL semis
Seven of the eight top seeds duly progressed to the semi-finals of
the KL Open at Berjaya Times Square, joined by England's Laura
Lengthorn-Massaro, who recorded one of her best-ever victories
to oust second seed Natalie Grinham in four games.
Lengthorn now meets another Nat G, US champion Natalie Grainger,
who had her work cut out to make the semis, needing four games to
fend off the challenge of Omneya Abdel Kawy.
Malaysian star Nicol David will meet third seed Rachael
Grinham in the other semi-final. David was stretched by Jenny
Duncalf, the world champion winning in four games, while Grinham
narrowly escaped the fate of her sister, squeezing past Alison
Waters 12/10 in the fifth.
No upsets in the men's event, but local favourite and defending
champion Ong Beng Hee was taken the distance by Aamir Atlas
Khan before clinching a place in the semis.
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04-Mar, Round One:
Nicol on song in KL
Malaysian squash star Nicol David began her 2009 campaign on home
soil in fine style when she beat Madeline Perry in straight games in
the first round of the CIMB KL Open.
Undefeated since October 2007, the world number one from Penang is
seeded to reach the women’s KL Open final for the ninth time since
1999 - and win the title for the sixth time!
David despatched Perry, the 10-time Irish champion from Belfast, in
just 26 minutes – and will now face England’s Jenny Duncalf for a
place in the semi-finals. Duncalf, the fifth seed from Harrogate,
reduced Malaysian interest in the women’s event by 50% when she beat
Malacca-born Sharon Wee.
Second seed Natalie Grinham is another WISPA star starting out on
her 2009 trail. The Australian-born Dutch 30-year-old defeated
English qualifier Lauren Briggs and will meet another English
opponent when she faces eighth seed Laura Lengthorn-Massaro en-route
for her expected place in the final for the third year in a row.
Two seeds failed to claim their anticipated places in the second
round of the men’s $50,000 PSA Tour event. Pakistani qualifier Yasir
Butt secured the biggest scalp by beating Egypt’s No7 seed Omar
Mosaad.
English qualifier Chris Simpson continued his recent run of form
with a 3/1 defeat of eighth seed Mansoor Zaman, also from Pakistan.
Simpson will now face fellow countryman Adrian Grant – but the third
seed from London was kept on court for 73 minutes before prevailing
over unseeded Egyptian Tarek Momen.
Local hero Ong Beng Hee was also taken the full distance before
stemming the advances of the sport’s bright new star Mohamed El
Shorbagy. The 18-year-old twice recovered from behind to force the
match into a decider – but defending champion Beng Bee battled on to
win after 56 minutes.
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David aims for another KL title
Local star Nicol David begins her 2009 campaign as top seed
in the $53k CIMB KL Open. Unbeaten since October 2007, the world
number one from Malaysia will be hoping to reach the final for the
ninth time since 1999 - and win the title for the sixth time!
David will arrive in KL fresh from a lengthy New Year training
session in Melbourne with former world number one Sarah Fitz-Gerald.
But the 25-year-old from Penang faces a tough opening match against
in-form Irish champion Madeline Perry, the world No9 from
Belfast.
The favourite will undoubtedly renew her Tour rivalry with the
Australian Grinham sisters in her country's capital city. David is
expected to face third seed Rachael Grinham, the world No3,
in the semi-finals - and thereafter second seed Natalie Grinham,
now flying the Dutch flag, in the final, for the third year in a
row!
But fourth seed Natalie Grainger cannot be ruled out: The US
champion already has two WISPA titles under her belt this year - and
will be looking to upset the David/Grinham KL roadshow in a bid to
extend her title tally ...
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