Nicol Retains Hong Kong Open Title For Fifth Consecutive Time

National squash queen and world number one Datuk Nicol Ann David retained the Hong Kong Open for the fifth successive time after defeating arch rival Jenny Duncalf of England in the final Sunday.

In the final held at Plaza Hollywood Shopping Mall, Hong Kong, Nicol, the top seed, beat Duncalf in straight sets 11-6, 12-10, 12-10 in 40 minutes.

"I didn't want to let it go in this match and won it 3-0 against Jenny Duncalf in the finals. It was a great tournament overall for me," said the 27-year-old Penang lass in her social website, Facebook.

Nicol pulled away from 5-all in the first game but from positions of 9-all in the second and 10-7 in the third Duncalf would have felt she deserved a game, at least.

Duncalf was in contention in all three games but at the end it was the Malaysian who was stronger, taking the second 11-9 and reeling off five points in a row, aided by some unforced errors by Duncalf, to clinch the title.

They had played each other 23 times since meeting in the British Junior Open in 1997.

Nicol has won 21 of those matches but Duncalf's both wins came at the end of last year, and she was the last player to have beaten Nicol.

The win was Nicol's sixth title in the Women's International Squash Players Association (Wispa) competition this year, after the Chennai Open, Kuala Lumpur Open, Cayman Island Open, 2010 CIMB Malaysian Open and Singapore Master Open last month.

After having won here, Nicol will be vying to add the Women's 2010 World Open at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from Sept 15-22.

Meanwhile, Ramy Ashour of Egypt beat Gregory Gaultier of France 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 9-11 and 11-9 in 90 minutes to claim the Men's title.

This is the best. Way to go Nicol...consistent, humble, great champion !!!