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Women's World Open NEWS |
22-Nov-06:
Nicol David Fully Prepared
For World Open Defence
by Howard Harding
 Malaysian
squash star Nicol David is "ready for anything" as she
prepares to meet a qualifier in the opening of her defence of
the title today in the Women's World Open Championship in
Belfast .
The world's most prestigious squash event, and the biggest ever
to be staged in Northern Ireland, is currently underway in
Belfast, with action from the last sixteen onwards staged on a
state-of-the-art four glass-walled court in the auditorium of
the city's world-renowned Ulster Hall, from 23-26 November.
World No1 Nicol David will defend the title she won for the
first time last year in Hong Kong . The top-seeded 23-year-old
from Penang is enjoying a stunning run of form after notching up
her fifth successive WISPA World Tour title at the Hong Kong
Open last month, and extending her unbeaten run to 22 matches!
"The World Open is a huge event, one you train hard for more so
than any other. But once you're here, all you want to do is get
the first round underway," said David on the eve of the event.
Strong local interest in the event has focussed on Madeline
Perry, the world No6 from Banbridge - some 20 miles from
Belfast, who is seeded to reach the quarter-finals.
"Madeline seems to have been busy, but that comes with the
territory," said David, a mega-star in her home country. "But
she's obviously been doing a great job."
David faces a qualifier in the first round: "You just have to be
ready for anything, you have to expect tough competition in the
first round."
When reminded that the World Open, with a world record $112,500
prize-fund, is the biggest ever women's squash event, David
admitted: "It's nice to be part of the biggest ever WISPA
event."
A known 'shopaholic', David has already checked out the host
city, and attended the Opening Ceremony at the City Hall, hosted
by Belfast City Council: "It's been nice to look around the
city, with its lovely buildings and architecture. You can really
feel the history in the City Hall.
"They say that Belfast is one of the cities of the world that
you just have to visit once in your lifetime, and it's great to
have been able to experience this through these championships,"
David concluded.
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But Vanessa would like a second title too ...
World Champion in 2004, Dutch star Vanessa Atkinson is second
seed in Belfast, and after a relatively poor run of recent results she's
declared herself fully fit and raring to go as she seeks a second world
title the would be "extra special" ...
"I'm really looking forward to this tournament. I've had a poor run, so
my expectations are low, which is when I usually play my best.
"Training has been going well, I feel as if I'm playing to the standard
I was at the start of the year. But that's in training, so I'm trying to
take it one match at a time and not look too far ahead.
"I underestimated how long it would take to get over my back injury.
it's the first serious injury I've had and getting over the injury was
one thing, but getting back to full fitness took much longer than I
expected.
"My preparation has been as good as it could be, I'm playing as well as
I can, I just hope I can turn that into match performances.
"The draw's tough. If I win my first match I could play Natalie
Grainger, which is not a draw you'd want in a second round, but there's
not many easy ones these days, so you just have to get on with it.
"I don't really like playing on these type of courts, I much prefer the
glass courts, so, assuming I get through, it's good that the last 16
onward is on the glass court.
"A second world title would be fantastic, probably better than the first
one. Two years ago in Malaysia it just sort of happened, I knew I was in
with a chance but I wasn't the favourite.
"Once you're on the top of the pile it's hard to stay there, or to get
to that level again, so to win it again here, especially with my injury
problems, would be extra special."
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