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KUALA LUMPUR: Nicol David, the most dominant squash star in the past decade, crashed out of the World Championship in Malaysia on Thursday, ending her shot at a ninth world title this year.
The Malaysian ace was dispatched by fifth seed Nour El Sherbini of Egypt 14-12, 4-11, 11-3, 11-7 in the quarterfinals as a bumper crowd of Malaysian supporters were left disappointed.
World number one Laura Massaro of England went through to the semi-finals after defeating El Sherbini’s compatriot Omneya Abdel Kawy 11-3, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7.
El Sherbini’s sensational win over David came from the first game, as she recovered from 7-10 to take the lead at 14-12.
David recovered well to win the following one 11-4, but the Egyptian put on a masterclass display in the next two games to seal a comprehensive victory.
“If I had got that first game, it would have been a different story. I just let Sherbini in that third game and she gained in confidence. I was probably trying to do too much, too soon,” said David.
“I tried to come back fighting and did all I could, but she just put a few things together at the right time.”
David has already won a record eight world championships but has seen her game falter lately, surrendering her world number one rank last September after a dominant nine-year run.
Despite what seems like an end to her supreme dominance in the sport, the devastated defending champion vowed to return to top form.
David, one of the game’s all-time greats, is a national icon — her matches this week have been played at the Nicol David Arena.
She was seeking to win the PSA World Championship on home soil in Malaysia for the first time after falling short on two other attempts.
El Sherbani said she knew the home crowd obviously wanted their local hero to win but quipped “that’s sports and there’s nothing I can do”.
Massaro will next meet world number three Egyptian Raneem El Welily while El Sherbani will battle fellow Nouran Gohar, also from Egypt, in the semi-finals.
Gohar advanced with an 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 5-11, 11-8 win over fourth-seeded Camille Serme of France.
No world championship was held in 2015 after the event was suddenly called off in December amid controversy, with its previous promoter claiming that security concerns in Malaysia prevented it being staged.
Malaysian officials, however, denied any security threat and accused the promoters of a ploy to secure more financial support.
Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2016
