Final: [1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Annie Au (HKG) 11-4, 12-10, 11-9
Nicol David wins the new WSA World Series Gold event bearing her name, as she defeated Annie Au in the $60K CIMB Nicol David KL Open Championship.
In front of a home crowd, the Malaysian six-time world champion put down a spirited challenge from Au, who forced a tie-break second game, to win her 60th WSA World Tour title. David said after the match: “”I’m happy to have won the CIMB Nicol David KL Open. Knowing that it’s named after me, it feels extra special to win it.”
The tournament had otherwise been dominated by underdogs at the Berjaya Time Square shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. No2 seed Jenny Duncalf was eliminated by teenage prodigy and qualifier Nour El Sherbini,who went on to also beat experienced No6 seed Rachael Grinham. Fellow qualifier Dipika Pallikal got the better of No8 seed Kasey Brown, whilst eventual finalist, the unseeded Annie Au beat No7 seed Natalie Grinham, and No3 Laura Massaro on her way to the final.
Semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [5] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 15-13, 12-14, 11-6, 11-7 (49m)Annie Au (HKG) bt [Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (43m)
Au In First World Series Final
Semi final results:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [5] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 15-13, 12-14, 11-6, 11-7 (49m)Annie Au (HKG) bt [Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (43m)
Annie Au will make her first ever appearance in a WSA World Series final tomorrow after ending the run of fellow giant-killer, teenager Nour El Sherbini in the CIMB Nicol David KL Open 2012.
Sherbini had surprised onlookers by dispatching two experienced seeds on her way to the semifinals of the $60K World Series Gold event. But the 16-year-old qualifier from Egypt could not make it past Au, who herself has beaten two seeded opponents to make it this far.
The Egyptian’s form had looked likely to continue as the teenager took the first game from the Hong Kong national champion. But Au, ranked 10 in the world, dug in to win the next three games and book her place in the final.
Facing Au in the final will be Malaysia’s seven-time KL Open winner and world No1 Nicol David, who dismissed a spirited challenge from another young Egyptian, Raneem El Weleily.
El Weleily, currently enjoying her highest ever WSA world ranking of 5, lost the first game on the tie-break before forcing another in the following game, which she won to level the score at 1-1.
The experience of the six-time World Champion shone through in the following games however, as David rebuffed the Egyptian’s efforts and confirmed her place in her 76th WSA final.
Quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 11-5, 11-2, 11-6 (25m) [5] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [4] Madeline Perry (IRL) 13-11, 11-6, 11-2 (31m)Annie Au (HKG) bt [3] Laura Massaro (ENG) 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9 (76m)
[Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [6] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8 (41m)
1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (35m) [Q] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [8] Kasey Brown (AUS) 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (40m) [4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Camille Serme (FRA) 11-9, 11-1, 1-11, 12-10 (53m) [5] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (30m)Annie Au (HKG) bt [7] Natalie Grinham (NED) 11-9, 12-14, 11-6, 11-6 (55m)
[3] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Samantha Teran (MEX) 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 (31m) [6] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Heba El Torky (EGY) 8-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-5, 12-10 (88m) [Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9 (48m)