Siti Munirah Jusoh

Siti progressed through the event without dropping a game, before reaching Liu Tsz-Ling in the final. She then dispatched her opponent from Hong Kong, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10, 11-7.

The draw for the event heavily featured a contesting local contingent of players, and Tsz-Ling was one of just three first round entrants not of Malaysian descent. Carmen Lee, also of Hong Kong made it as far as the quarter finals, but Mi Jin Kim of South Korea was forced to concede a walkover in the first round.

Final:
[1] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt [2] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) 11/4, 7/11, 12/10, 11/7 (56mins)
Semi finals:
[1] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt [4] Pushppa Devi (MAS) 12-10, 11-6, 11-3 (31mins)
[2] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [7] Tan Yan Xin (MAS) 11-8, 9-11, 4-11, 8-11 (24mins)
Quarter finals:
[1] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt [8] Vanessa Raj (MAS) 11-2, 11-6, 12-10 (31m)
[4] Pushppa Devi (MAS) bt [5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) 6-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9 (48m)
[7] Tan Yan Xin (MAS) bt [3] Carmen Lee (HKG) 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 (27m)
[2] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [6] Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (29m)

1st round:
[1] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt Zoe Yuk Han Foo (MAS) 11-6, 11-2, 11-3
[8] Vanessa Raj (MAS) bt Jadeleen Lee (MAS) 11-1, 11-2, 11-8
[4] Pushppa Devi (MAS) bt Aika Azman (MAS) 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7
[5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Mi Jin Kim (KOR) w/o
[7] Tan Yan Xin (MAS) bt Michelle Wong (MAS) 11-3, 11-7, 11-5
[3] Carmen Lee (HKG) bt Celine Yeap (MAS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-9
[6] Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) bt Lim Jee Nee (MAS) 11-9, 11-9, 11-2
[2] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Min Jie The (MAS) 5-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-4

Urquhart will face reigning Cleveland Classic champion Laura Massaro in the next round, after the Englishwoman beat Malaysian Low Wee Wern. Massaro took a well-deserved lead early on thanks to some strong lengths and canny shot selection. Wee Wern, still only 21-years-old, fought well and managed to claim the third game, before Massaro’s experience saw off the contest after 53-minutes.

The last remaining US hopeful Amanda Sobhy played well in front of home-crowds as she dispatched the experienced Rachael Grinham in straight-games. Grinham’s error count was unusually high, frequently hitting the tin early on to allow Sobhy the opportunity to establish and hold a lead from the start. From there the Harvard student found a consistent length to trouble her opponent and her intelligent use of drop shots eased her unfancied progression to the next round to play Jenny Duncalf.

No2 seed Duncalf beat English compatriot Sarah Kippax after a well-contested effort from the qualifier. After registering a controlled first-game victory, Duncalf was troubled by a more settled game-plan by Kippax, but at the midway stage of the second game, play was halted after the higher ranked played sustained a nasty blow to the knee from a Kippax racket-swing. An injury break of nearly 20-minutes was held whilst Duncalf recovered, but Kippax was clearly embarrassed by the incident and seemed unable to regain the focus she had found early on. The 3-0 result that followed was a hollow victory for the world number two.

There was nearly a surprise result at the top of the drawer, as Nicol David was forced to five-games against New Zealand qualifier Joelle King. Last week’s Greenwich Open finalist went two games down against the world No1 and David’s progression seemed inevitable as she took a 6-1 lead in the third game.

King tried a last-ditch change of tactic however, and launched upon an impressive attacking tirade to come from behind and claw back a game in her favour. More of the same followed in the fourth game as King drew level, standing firm as David looked to extend the rallies and look for signs of weakness in her opponent’s game.

At 6-5 up, King looked on the verge of a momentous upset but the world No1, using all her experience from years at the top of the sport, further tightened her width and won six points in a row to sneak ahead of the 23-year-old and progress to the quarters.

David will play Annie Au of Hong Kong in the next round, who should be well rested following the withdrawal of her first round opponent Camille Serme, following a last minute back injury.

No4 seed Madeline Perry looked to get over her disappointing Greenwich Open exit last week, with a strong 3-0 win over qualifier Jaclyn Hawkes. Hawkes, perhaps fatigued after an close 80-minute scrap with Emma Beddoes in qualifying finals the day before, was never able to establish herself against the experienced Irishwoman.

Perry’s progression sets up an intriguing quarter final clash with young Egyptian Raneem El Weleily, winner of last week’s Greenwich Open. The world No7 from Alexandria faced a stern test against former world No2 Natalie Grinham, who herself saw victory last week, winning the WSA Tournament of Champions title in New York.

Both players tend to favour the attacking drop shots and there was nothing separating the pair at 11-11 in the first game. Grinham showed little concern for the score line as she slotted in a crosscourt nick from well behind the service box, taking her to a game ball that she was able to convert. El Weleily struck back, extending a 7-point lead in the second game before a lapse in concentration saw Grinham back in the hunt at 8-7. Refocused, the Egyptian got her head down and saw off the game to draw level at 1-1.

In the third, El Weleily was able to string together a whole game of dominance, with Grinham unable to respond. But again some youthful erraticism crept into her play in the fourth and allowed Grinham a glimmer of hope at 8-4. The Egyptian flicked the switch back on though, and with some racket wizardry, worked seven out of the next eight points in her favour, to progress through to the next round.

Quarter final draw:

[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [8] Annie Au (HKG)

[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) v [7] Raneem El Weleily (EGY)

[3] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS)

[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Amanda Sobhy (USA)

1st round results:

[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Joelle King (NZL) 11-4, 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7 (63m)

[8] Annie Au (HKG) bt Camille Serme (FRA) w/o

[4] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [Q] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (35m)

[7] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Natalie Grinham (NED) 11-13, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9 (36m)

[Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [5] Kasey Brown (AUS) 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 13-11 (62m)

[3] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-4, 11-5, 9-11, 11-5 (53m)

Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [6] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 11-3, 11-7, 11-2 (19m)

[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 (52m)

Quarter finals:
Dipika Pallikal (IND) beat Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 7-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 13-11
Raneem El Weliely (EGY) beat Natalie Grinham (NED) 12-10, 11-3, 6-11, 11-8
Joelle King (NZL) beat Madeline Perry (NIR) 11-7, 11-3, 5-11, 11-7
Samantha Teran beat Kasey Brown 7-11, 2-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8

Joelle King proved to be too strong for local wildcard entry Lilly Lorentzen. Lorentzen looked nervous from the outset and King was intent on stamping her authority on the match. Although Lorentzen looked strong on occasion, it wasn’t enough to prevent King from advancing to the next round.

Jaclyn Hawkes sprung a surprise on No5 seed Annie Au after coming from a game down to progress to the quarters. The early exchanges were close, but the third game proved crucial as Au relinquishing both a 8-5 and 10-8 lead before Hawkes snatched the game 13-11. Hawkes then came out ‘all guns blazing’ in the fourth and sealed the 3-1 victory.

Dipika Pallikal showed her dominance in a confident, controlled performance against local stand-in Line Hansen, who took her place in round one after the withdrawal of injured Rachael Grinham. Although she didn’t get the victory Hansen played some solid squash at times and was graceful in defeat.

Brown took on local hope Amanda Sobhy in the first round. Sobhy was after another upset following her 3-2 qualifying win the day before, and pushed Brown to five games but fell just short as Brown’s experience eased her progression.

Natalie Grinham played some immaculate squash against the young Egyptian, looking comfortable in the first two game, before a closer third game encounter was forced to a tie-break.  The experienced Grinham held her nerve however, to see out a 3-0 win.

Samantha Teran started brightly against Low Wee Wern, putting the Malaysian on the back foot from the start, and continued to take her chances well as she dispatched her opponent in four games.

Egyptian start Raneem El Weleily looked comfortable throughout her match as she took on the athletic Donna Urquhart from Australia. El Weleily took the first two games with ease 11-3 and 11-4 demonstrating a sharp and accurate attacking game that kept Urquhart on the back foot for most of the match. In the last game the Australian showed more resolve but El Weleily knocked back her opponents advances.

Round1:

[1] Madeline Perry (IRL) beat [Q] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9

[8] Joelle King (NZL) beat Lily Lorentzen(USA) 11-1, 11-3, 11-6

[Q] Dipika Pallikal (IND) beat [L] Line Hansen (DEN) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6

Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) beat [5] Annie Au (HKG) 8-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-5

[6] Natalie Grinham (AUS) beat [Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 11-7, 11-7, 13-11

[4] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) beat Donna Urquhart (AUS) 11-3, 11-4, 11-9

Samantha Teran (MEX) beat [7] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-9, 4-11, 11-3, 11-8

[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) beat [Q] Amanda Sobhy (USA)  11-5, 11-6, 7-11, 9-11, 11-4

Liberty Bell winners 2012 Maria Toor Pakay and Miranda Ranieri

Pakistani qualifier Maria Toor Pakay stormed past four seeded players on her way to winning her first ever WSA title in the Women’s Liberty Bell Open in Berwyn, Philadelphia.

Having made it through two qualifying rounds, the 21-year-old then beat No6 seed Celia Allamargot, tournament favourite Misaki Kobayashi and No3 seed Olivia Blatchford. She then capped off a remarkable run of form by beating the No2 seed Miranda Ranieri in the final, 11/3, 11/8, 11/7.

This giant-killing spree is made all the more impressive by the fact that Pakay did not drop a single game throughout the competition, and now holds the claim of being the first ever qualifier to win the Liberty Bell Open’s main draw.

Pakay’s first tour win comes in her third WSA World Tour final.

Final
[Q] Maria Toor Pakay (PAK) bt [2] Miranda Ranieri (CAN) 11-3, 11-8, 11-7.

Semi finals
[Q] Maria Toor Pakay (PAK) bt [3] Olivia Blatchford (USA) 11-6, 11-7, 11-3.
[2] Miranda Ranieri (CAN) bt [4] Salma Hany (EGY) 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6.

Quarter finals
[Q] Maria Toor Pakay (PAK) bt [1] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 11-5, 16-14, 11-7.
[3] Olivia Blatchford (USA) bt Adel Weir-Nunan (RSA) 9-11, 6-11, 11-5, 13-12, 11-7.
[4] Salma Hany (EGY) bt Leonie Holt (ENG) 11-5, 11-8, 12-10
[2] Miranda Ranieri (CAN) bt Suzie Pierrepoint (ENG) 11-8, 13-11, 11-7

Round 1
[1] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt [Q] Salma Nassar (EGY) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9
Q] Maria Toor Pakay (PAK) bt [6] Celia Allamargot (FRA) 11-8, 11-7, 11-3
[3] Olivia Blatchford (USA) bt Katja Amir (GER) 11-2, 11-2, 11-1
[7] Adel Weir-Nunan (RSA) bt Elpiniki Clement (USA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5
Leonie Holt (ENG) bt [8] Kristen Lange (USA) 12-10, 11-13, 11-8, 4-11, 11-7
[4] Salma Hany (EGY) bt Sabrina Sobhy (USA) 11-9, 10-12, 11-4, 12-10
Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) bt [5] Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) 11-5, 14-12, 11-8
[2] Miranda Ranieri (CAN) bt Georgina Stoker (ENG) – won by default

WSF, 10 January 2012 –

El Shorbagy, aged 18 and from Alexandria, is the reigning world junior champion after winning the WSF Men’s World Junior Individual Championship crown in Belgium in July—since when he has made rapid progress in the PSA world rankings.

Title success in the Indian Junior Open in September helped India’s 17-year-old Mahesh Mangaonkar move up to second place—pushing Egypt’s Mohamed Abouelghar, runner-up to El Shorbagy in Belgium, down to No3.

Dutchman Tom de Mulder bursts into the rankings for the first time at No4 after a runner-up finish in October’s Nordic Junior Open in Sweden.

After winning the Canadian Junior Open, then finishing in third place later last month in the US Junior Open, Mexican Mario Yanez also makes his first appearance in the list at No5.

Emily Whitlock tops the chart!

Emily Whitlock, the 17-year-old British national junior champion, is rewarded for her focus and success on the world junior circuit by taking over the top spot—succeeding Egypt’s world junior champion Nour El Tayeb.

Whitlock, who became the European Junior champion for the first time last April, added the Belgian Junior Open title to her trophy collection in November.

And India’s Anaka Alankamony also moved up in the list to take over second place. The 17-year-old from Chennai followed her unexpected success in last year’s Asian Junior Championships by winning the Indian Junior Open in her home city September.

American Maria Elena Ubina, 16-year-old winner of the US Junior Open, leaps up to fifth place, below Egyptians Nour El Tayeb and Nour El Sherbini, at 3 and 4, respectively

The WSF World Junior Circuit Rankings—which are based on the under 19 age grouping and were launched last October—will be issued quarterly, based on results achieved in national junior opens, regional championships and WSF World Junior Individual Championships. In the coming months, as players compete in more events (there are sixteen already on the circuit in the first half of the year), players will have more results with which to find a level.

Men’s top 10:

Women’s top 10:

Full lists available at www.worldsquash.org (click on Junior Circuit)

Photo by jordanmansfield.co.uk

SkySports continued their live coverage at Queens Club in London, for the final day of the event that saw the reigning world No1 contain a spirited challenge from Madeline Perry, ranked two places below her.

Perry, who knocked out England’s home hope Jenny Duncalf in yesterday’s semi final, played a confident game from the start and took an early lead in the first game.  David wasn’t going to let her opponent build up too much of an advantage however, and was always within touching distance.

The scores stayed tight right the way up to 9-all, with Perry stepping forward to volley early and easily matching the higher seed for width and precision.  It was only at this stage that David upped the pace, working Perry out of position and finishing off two rallies to take the first game 11/9.

This became the pattern for the rest of the match too. Neither player was ever more than three points away from one another, as the finalists seemed to cancel each other out with their efforts.  Similarly, at 9-all in the second game, Nicol again found an extra half-yard of pace and her lethal attacking shots saw off the second game in her favour, also 11/9.

Just as in the previous games, the score-line showed exactly how closely fought this contest was, with every bit of ground gained by one player, the other would immediately pull level.  The standard of line and length squash on display was at it’s highest all week and easily the most closely matched contest of the week.  Again the scores were tied at 8-8 and again, Perry seemed to lack the quality finishing in the most important periods of the match.  David on the other hand, held game-ball’s in the first two games and finished each off on the first time of asking.  Match-ball was a similar story, with Perry managing to reduce the deficit by one point before David claimed the title as her own.

Photo by jordanmansfield.co.uk

The Malaysian played five matches this week and dropped just one game, coming at the hand of Laura Massaro in the semi finals.  No player deserved a game more than Perry today for a sterling effort against the world No1 but on this occasion it wasn’t to be.

David said after winning the title: “Winning the World Series Finals title is a great start to 2012 and having the top 8 players here and contending for it makes it very special.  It’s never easy but I’ve felt good all week and very pleased to be playing well.  Hopefully there’s more to come!

“Knowing that tonight was going to be a longer game felt weird after playing best of three all week.  It felt like a longer game today, which is strange as yesterday I played three game too, but I don’t tend to approach matches differently depending on that.   I played well during the crucial points tonight and I’m delighted to have won.”

Photo by jordanmansfield.co.uk

Posing with men's champion, Amr Shabana

ATCO World Series Final

Nicol David bt Madeline Perry – 11/9, 11/9, 11/9 in 41mins

View all fantastic photos by Jordan Mansfield here.

6 time world champion Nicol David retains her spot at the top for another month andJenny Duncalf makes it a further month at no.2. Madeline Perry leaps back above Laura Massaro to return to number 3 whilst Rachael Grinham also jumps back above Kasey Brown to return to number 5.

Natalie Grinham moves up to number 8, her highest ranking since August 2010.Samantha Teran’s strong year in 2011, including a semi final place at the World Open has seen her move up one to number 12, her highest ranking since November 2010 and one away from her highest ranking of 11.

Dipika Pallikal won her 3^rd title of 2011 in December at the Crocodile Cup in Hong Kong beating Joey Chan in a thriller, 14-12 in the 5^th. This win sees the Indian number 1 record another milestone as she moves up 2 places to a career high of number 15. Her opponent in the final, Joey Chan, also reaches a career high by moving up 1 place to number 19.

Outside the top 20 there were career highs by a number of players:

Swiss no.1 Gaby Huber moves up to no.29.
World Junior Semi-Finalist Emily Whitlock moves up to no.33.
Australia’s Melody Francis, winner of 5 WSA titles in 2011 moves up to no.34.
Japanese no.1 Misaki Kobayashi moves up to no.37.
Canadian no.1 Samantha Cornett moves up to no.42.
Czech no.2 Olga Ertlova moves up to no.46.
French no.2 Coline Aumard moves into to the top 50 at no.50 for the first time.
England’s Sarah-Jane Perry moves up to no.65 after winning her first title at the Manor Open.

There were further career in the top 100 for:
Korean no.1 Ahn Eun Chan moves up to no.52, New Zealand’s Amanda Landers-Murphy moves up to no.54, Hong Kong’s Liu Tsz-Ling at no.55, Australia’s Sarah Cardwell at no.57, Brazilian no.1 Thaisa Serafini at no.59, Welsh no.1 Tesni Evans at no.60, Australia’s Tamika Saxby at 71, USA’s Kristin Lange at no.80, New Zealand’s Megan Craig at no.81, Australia’s Christine Nunn at no.82, USA’s Elpiniki Clementat no.83, Australia’s Vanessa Pickard at no.84, Canada’s Genevieve Lessard at no.88, England’s Carrie Ramsay at no.89 and Zephanie Curgenven at no.91, France’s Chloe Mesic at no.93, USA’s Sabrina Sobhy at no.95, Scotland’s Alex Clark at no.97 and Australia’s Bethany Brazier at no.98.

Egypt

Top seeds Momen, the men’s world No20 from Cairo, and El Weleily, the women’s world No7 from Alexandria, led strong fields featuring players from Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.

The favourites were keen to retain the titles won by compatriots Amr Shabana and Engy Kheirallah in the 2007 Arab Games in Egypt.

After overcoming Kuwaiti Abdullah Al Muzayen – also a semi-finalist in 2007 – in four games, Momen lined up against fellow countryman Karim Abdel Gawad in the men’s final.

Alexandria-born Gawad, the 20-year-old second seed, took a 2/1 lead – but the more experienced 23-year-old Momen regained control to close out the match 11-6, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4 to claim the gold medal.

El Weleily also faced a second-seeded compatriot in the women’s final – and Omneya Abdel Kawy also established an early lead.

But it was to be a silver medal for the second time in a row for the former world No8 from Cairo as the in-form El Weleily marched on to gold medal success, winning 7-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-6.

“Current Egyptian domination of the Arab Games squash is a given,” commented World Squash Federation CEO Andrew Shelley. “But with the improvements from other competing nations – and the participation of Iraqi players, for example – the breadth and depth in the region is growing too.

“These Games, like all the other major multi-sport events in which squash takes part, are pinnacles for all players until we achieve a place in the one that transcends them all, the Olympic Games.”

The quadrennial Arab Games were first played in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1953.

RESULTS: Arab Games Squash Championships, Doha, Qatar

Men’s quarter-finals
[1] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 13-11, 11-5, 11-6
[3/4] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Rasool Hashim Abdullah (IRQ) 11-4, 11-8, 11-5
Ali Bader Al-Ramzi (KUW) bt [3/4] Ahmad Alzabidi (JOR) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6
[2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) 12-10, 11-5, 11-3

Semi-finals:
[1] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [3/4] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-2 (40m)
[2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Ali Bader Al-Ramzi (KUW) 11-8, 11-2, 11-7 (21m)

Final:
[1] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-6, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4

Women’s quarter-finals:
[1] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Ghufran Ayoob (IRQ) 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (18m)
Aisha Al-Hamad (KUW) bt Rand Alsa’AD (JOR) 11-4, 11-8, 11-3 (16m)
Mariam Dashti (KUW) bt Rana Janabi (IRQ) 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 (17m)
[2] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt Shahd Najada (JOR) 11-2, 11-3, 11-7 (22m)

Semi-finals:
[1] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Aisha Al-Hamad (KUW) 11-2, 11-2, 11-2 (17m)
[2] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt Mariam Dashti (KUW) 11-2, 11-0, 11-3 (16m)

Final:
[1] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [2] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 7-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-6

Photo with thanks to Jordan Mansfield @ jordanmansfield.co.uk

Farah Abdel Meguid had taken out two higher seeds on her way to the Coronation London Open final, and she wasted no time at all in setting about adding the no1 seed to her hit list.

The Egyptian raced ahead to a 4-point lead before her opponent, England’s Tania Bailey, had time to get into the game.  She held a high tee-position, looking to attack the ball at any opportunity and it took Bailey a few rallies to find competitive length to combat the teenager.

Back at 4-all, the points were then distributed evenly between the pair, as neither was able to truly dominate the court and put away the points that mattered.  Farah got to game ball first though and pipped Tania to the finish line, 11/8.

More deadlocked squash followed in the second.  Bailey was unable to build upon a three point lead she forced early on in the game, and Meguid came back to challenge the Englishwoman right up to game-ball.  An increase in pressure forced a tin from the 19-year-old however, and Bailey was able to close out the game 13/11.

Buoyed by the last game, Bailey began to find a better, more consistent length and she frustrated her opponent on numerous occasions.  As the match progressed, Meguid suffered from poor shot selection as the pressure increased on the court.  Bailey was able to use this to her advantage and took the lead for the first time as she won the third 11/8.

Bailey’s years of experience on the pro tour was a massive part in her staying in the match after some great play by Meguid.  But the opposite also held true for the Egyptian teenager, as at times her inexperience showed as she seemed a downcast figure on court for the fourth game.  Her English opponent was now well in charge of the game and dictated the tempo of the match from her comfortable tee position.  At times, Meguid looked conflicted in her decisions, especially when it came to let calls, and the mental edge she had created from her bright start had faltered over the course of the game.

The former world no4 powered on, claiming the fourth 11/2 to complete her first tour win following an inspired injury comeback that saw her out of the game for over a year.

A thrilled Tania said: “I hadn’t really seen Farah play before as I’ve been away for quite a while and she’s a lot younger than me.  I know she’s played a few senior events but because I’ve been out for the last year I’ve never really come across her.

“She had a good win in Qatar against one of the top players, Jackie Hawkes, so I knew that she was going to be good but I still didn’t really know what to expect.  The first few rallies she really took me by surprise and I knew I was going to be in for a really tough game, which it was!

“It’s my first win for quite a while, at least a few years, which is really nice. It’s lovely to play in England for a change too, and good to have the home support and family here to watch too.  It’s been a great week and I’m very happy with the win.”

Photo with thanks to Jordan Mansfield @ jordanmansfield.co.uk

Final result:

[1] Tania Bailey (ENG) beat [5] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) – 9/11, 13/11, 11/8, 11/2

Semi finals:

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will meet David at his office tomorrow (Monday) to congratulate the 28-year-old from Penang on creating history by winning a record sixth world title last month in the Netherlands.

Nicol David followed her World Open success in Rotterdam by claiming her 57th WISPA World Tour title at the Hong Kong Open—but still then found time to lead the WSF Ambassador Programme visit to Latvia at the end of November before heading home to Malaysia for an end-of-year break.

The country’s most successful squash player of all-time was greeted by hundreds of fans on arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport—all eager to see her world championship gold medal.

“I played my best match ever to win my sixth World title,” admitted David after her historic Rotterdam triumph.

“But I would happily trade all my six world titles for Olympic Gold.”