Nicol David takes first WISPA crown at age 16!

WORLD SQUASH NEWS. 2/28/2000. by WISPA

NICOL DAVID CELEBRATES HISTORIC FINNISH OPEN TRIUMPH
RESU LTS: Savcor Women's Finnish Squash Open, Mikkeli, Finland

[tournament results online]

Final:
[Q] Nicol David (MAS) bt [3] Salma Shabana (EGY) 9-1 9-0 9-5

Malaysian schoolgirl Nicol David has entered squash's record books by becoming the youngest ever winner of a WISPA World Tour event. The 16-year-old world junior champion from Penang, in only her first month as a member of the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA), beat Egypt's Salma Shabana 9-1 9-0 9-5 in the final of the Savcor Women's Finnish Squash Open in Mikkeli.

Nicol, who earlier had to fight through the qualifying tournament, was in a class of her own against 23-year-old Shabana, the 1996 Finnish Open champion. The Malaysian national coach was thrilled by her victory, saying that he had never seen Nicol play so well.

Nicol David's remarkable talent first made an impression on the world stage in August 1997 when, as a thirteen-year-old, she reached the quarter-finals of the Women's World Junior (U-19) championships in Brazil. Two years later (1999) in Antwerp, she won the title without conceding a single game - and will be young enough to defend the title next year! In addition to winning the Asian junior championships, she is also the Asian senior champion and winner of the gold medal in the Asian Games in December 1998.

Issued on behalf of WISPA by Howard Harding

For further information: Howard Harding Email: HowHard@aol.com