David Beats Cornett As Title Defence Underway In Hong Kong by Howard Harding
photos courtesy Steve Cubbins
December 4, 2013
- Malaysia's world number one Nicol David successfully began her
defence of the Women's Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong
Open title when she beat Canadian qualifier Samantha Cornett in the
first round of the final WSA World Series Gold squash event of the year
at the Hong Kong Squash Centre.
Bidding to win her
ninth title in a row, the 30-year-old from Penang notched up her 41st
successive Hong Kong match win with her 11-5, 11-7, 11-4 victory over
22-year-old Cornett, the world No32 from Ottawa.
"I've seen that she's
had some good results," David (pictured above with Cornett) told
www.sport-asia.com later. "Being so tall, I knew she was going to be
strong volleying and she's an attacking player. I knew I couldn't give
her anything and I paid the price sometimes.
"She's keen, has
nothing to lose and wanted to go for any opportunities that are there.
Anything in the forehand volley and backhand volley, she was just
putting it in. This court is very unforgiving and when she was playing
her shots I had to really keep sharp, keep solid, and I did that at the
end of each game."
"At 7-7, it's always
crucial, so I just focused on that rally and then the next rally, when
I guess she was still thinking of the last point. I just wanted to keep
that momentum and get those few points when I needed to. Then I just
wanted to keep the intensity and put her under pressure, especially in
the third game," David continued.
"When the pressure was
on, she went a little bit too fine, too soon, and that's where I got
the advantage and I took the chances. I needed to keep to my game and
not fall into her patterns. I'm really pleased to come out playing well
at the end of each game and win it 3/0. Everything came together well."
The top seed now faces
French rival Camille Serme, the ninth seed who need four games to see
off Hong Kong Open debutante Emily Whitlock, a 19-year-old from
England, 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7.
Tesni Evans became the
second British qualifier to reach the event's last 16 after a stunning
five-game upset over Kasey Brown, the No10 seed from Australia. The
21-year-old Welsh number one, who survived a five-game qualifying
finals encounter, twice came from behind to overcome world No11 Brown
10-12, 11-8, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8 in 81 minutes to reach the second round
in her maiden appearance in the event.
But India's Joshana
Chinappa claimed the biggest upset of the day after removing No7 seed
Natalie Grinham. The unseeded 27-year-old from Mumbai despatched Dutch
star Grinham, runner-up in 2007, 11-8, 11-8, 11-4.
The shock win avenged 14th seed compatriot Dipika Pallikal's surprise first round defeat 24 hours earlier.
16th seed Nicolette
Fernandes provided Guyana interest in the second round for the second
year in a row after beating Australian Donna Urquhart 11-7, 11-9, 12-10.
World No19 Fernandes
(pictured above with left-hander Urquhart) will now line up against
England's Jenny Duncalf after the No5 seed denied the crowd double Hong
Kong interest in the last 16 round when she beat Joey Chan 11-9, 12-10,
6-11, 11-8.
RESULTS: Women's Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong
2nd round line-up: [1] Nicol David (MAS) v [9] Camille Serme (FRA) [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [16] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) [4] Alison Waters (ENG) v [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL) Joshana Chinappa (IND) v [15] Line Hansen (DEN) [8] Madeline Perry (IRL) v [11] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) [3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v Nour El Tayeb (EGY) [Q] Emma Beddoes (ENG) v [12] Annie Au (HKG) [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [13] Rachael Grinham (AUS)
