RESULTS: Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships, Manchester, England
Women's final:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [11] Vicky Botwright (ENG) 5-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-9 (44m)
Nicol David shared the honours in the Hi-Tec World Open Squash Championships after victories in today's (Sunday) finals of the first joint staging of the Men's World Open and Women's World Open in the UK at the National Squash Centre at Sportcity in Manchester.
Spurred on by a capacity home crowd in the English city in which she was born and raised, England's Vicky Botwright took the opening game against favourite Nicol David in the women's final - but failed to prevent the world number one from reclaiming the title she lost last year in Madrid.
Botwright, the 11th seed playing in her last competition before retiring to take up a position as Head Coach at the National Centre, led throughout the opening game to take a surprise lead.
But, after dropping her first game of the tournament, David raised her game in the second to draw level after the loss of just a single point.
The Malaysian superstar extended her lead by taking the third. It was nip and tuck in the fourth before David clinched the match 5-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-9 in 44 minutes to win the world title for the third time - and extend her unbeaten Tour run to 43 matches since last October.
"I knew I had to play my best squash of the week - after all she's world number one, the best player in the world," said the 31-year-old local heroine who made her breakthrough when beating Australia's defending champion Rachael Grinham in the second round.
"It's been a fantastic week - the crowd were fantastic. When they started shouting as I went onto court, I felt a bit emotional. But I am definitely not going to play on the Tour anymore," Botwright confirmed.
David, who has massive support in her home country, acknowledged the significance of the crowd: "I now know what it's like for people to play me in Malaysia."
But she was full of praise for her opponent, ranked 12 in the world: "Every shot she played, every drive, was so tight," said David of her unexpected opponent in the final. "She really kept on fighting - it was a great achievement to get to the final."
Less than 24 hours after competing in the world final, Botwright will be back at work for her employers Manchester City Council, running a coaching session at the city's Abraham Moss Recreation Centre!
Official site: www.worldsquash2008.com
