Nicol David Makes It An 11th Successive Malaysian Open Final
by Howard Harding

14 September 2013 - Malaysian squash star Nicol David delighted the packed and partisan crowd surrounding the all-glass court in the Curve Shopping Mall in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, today when she beat French rival Camille Serme to reach the final of the Women's CIMB Malaysian Open for the 11th year in a row!.

It was back in 2003 that the 19-year-old qualifier reached the event's final in her home country's capital city for the first time - three years later taking over the world number one ranking and retaining it until this day!

In today's semi-finals, the 30-year-old top seed faced outsider Serme, the No10 seed from Creteil near Paris who upset fourth seed Alison Waters en-route to the last four.

After coming through a close first game, David (pictured above, right, with Serme) took control and closed out the match 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 in 42 minutes.

"The first game was really close," David told squashstars.com later. "I was really happy to get through the second - and got a lot more control in the third.

"Camille is a fighter and is coming on strong so I needed to be sharp and alert," added David, now in the 86th Tour final of her career. "I'm pleased to be in the final and I'll give it my best tomorrow."

David will meet defending champion Raneem El Weleily in a repeat of the 2012 final which ended the Malaysian star's seven-year grip on the title.

The third-seeded Egyptian upset England's world No2 Laura Massaro - but needed five games and 78 minutes to prevail 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 10-12, 11-9.

Massaro, the reigning British Open champion, saved a match-ball in the fourth to force the decider - and saved two further match-balls in the fifth before former world number two El Weleily clinched victory.

"That was a very, very, very long match," said the relieved 24-year-old from Cairo later. "I think I played OK, and she played really well as well. It could have gone either way.

"I had to give it everything I had - but I am so happy to be in the final," said El Weleily, celebrating her 15th Tour final.

Massaro added: "Raneem played really well. I'm obviously disappointed to lose but she is so talented and if you don't play the right tactic you get punished."

RESULTS: Women's CIMB Malaysian Open, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [10] Camille Serme (FRA) 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 (42m)
[3] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [2] Laura Massaro (ENG) 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 10-12, 11-9 (78m)