SquashTalk >Cathay Pacific World Open 2005, Hong Kong, China > Finals

Amr Shabana smothered David Palmer in the world open finals . Photo © 2005 Fritz Borchert [More Men's Final photos]

Report Filed by Howard Harding; 4-dec-05 15:08 EST

More Photos: [Men's Finals] and [Women's Finals ]

Nicol David Realizes Malaysia's Hopes by Winnning World Title.

Nicol David wins the woFritz Borchert [More Women's Final photos]

Egypt’s Amr Shabana and Malaysia’s Nicol David have been crowned world squash champions after upsetting higher seeds in today’s (Sunday) finals of the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Privilege World Open in Hong Kong.

In an anticlimatic final, reflectingAmr Shabana's confidence, versatility, ebulliance, and relentless march through the 32-man draw, Shabana vanquished a tired David Palmer today, lifting the world title for the second time in three years and completely silencing detractors who had termed his first world title a fluke.

In a much more closely contested women's final, Nicol David calmly overcame a slight one game deficit to charge through the final three games with the first World Squash Title (adult) for Malaysia. She had previously been a world junior champion twice.

Shabana, the fifth seed, regained the title he first won two years ago in Pakistan when he beat third seed David Palmer, the 2002 champion from Australia, 11-6 11-7 11-8.

Within 24 hours of winning the semi-final match which guaranteed her status as the next women’s world number one, third seed Nicol David added ‘world champion’ to her credits when she beat Australian favourite Rachael Grinham 8-10 9-2 9-6 9-7.

After dropping his only game of the tournament in his first round match against English qualifier Simon Parke, Amr Shabana reached the final following a straight games dismissal of England’s 1999 world champion Peter Nicol, who in the previous round had dethroned title-holder Thierry Lincou in four games.

The world open finals venue . Photo © 2005 Alex Wan [More Women's Final photos]

Palmer also defeated a high-flying Englishman in the semis, avenging his defeat in the Qatar Classic final six days earlier by beating the new world number two James Willstrop in three close games.

But the 26-year-old left-hander from Cairo was in devastating form against the Australian, winning 11-6 11-7 11-8 in 40 minutes to become the first player to win the World Open title more than once since the great Jansher Khan a decade ago.

“It’s such a dream to win this title for a second time, it’s like entering history as nobody has done it since the great Jahangir and Jansher,” said Shabana to the press.

The Hong Kong success marks the ninth PSA title of Shabana’s career, four of which he has secured since September.  After leading Egypt in the Men’s World Team Championships in Pakistan, starting on Thursday (8 December), Shabana will rejoin the PSA Tour on 16 December at the $127,500 Saudi International in Al-Khobar, where he is the fourth seed.

The rapid rise of Nicol David over the past few months has made the 22-year-old from Penang one of Malaysia’s most celebrated sports stars.  David twice led in the first game of the final and saved a game ball at 7-8 before Grinham, the world No1 for 16 months until this week, took the opener.

But the pint-sized Malaysian fought back to even the match after only losing two further points, then outlasted her experienced opponent to clinch a sensational victory – and the sport’s most prized title - 8-10 9-2 9-6 9-7 after 53 minutes.

“This has come maybe sooner than expected.  I simply cannot believe it,” said an emotional David after becoming the first Asian women’s world champion.  “This is only the beginning, I’m looking forward to the future.  I’ve got so much more to learn, so much more to work on.”

The Hong Kong triumph rounds off a magnificent year for Nicol David, who won the Kuala Lumpur Open in February and went on to remain undefeated in six further WISPA Tour finals – in addition to the World Games final in July – to bring her Tour title haul to ten.  It was in February 2000 that David won her maiden professional trophy in the Finnish Open – becoming, at 16, the youngest ever winner of a WISPA title.

RESULTS:         Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Privilege World Open Squash Championships, Hong Kong

 Men's Finals:
[5] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt [3] David Palmer (AUS) 11-6 11-7 11-8 (40m)

Women's Finals:
[3] Nicol David (MAS) bt [1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 8-10 9-2 9-6 9-7 (53m)

Jahangir congratulates Amr Shabana. Photo © 2005 Fritz Borchert. [More Women's Semi final photos]

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