Thursday October 25, 2012
Nicol to defend HK Open crown
PETALING JAYA: Nicol David may be absent from the China Open due to a visa snag but the world No. 1 squash player will still make the trip to Hong Kong in search of her seventh successive title there.
The 29-year-old Nicol is fancied to win the Hong Kong Open, which begins on Nov 25-Dec 2, following the absence of Malaysian Open champion Raneem El Weleily.
The Penangite will face England’s Sarah Kippax in the first round and should progress to face local hope Joey Chan in the next round.
If the six-time world champion can beat Joey, she’ll face either Madeline Perry of Ireland or Australia’s Kasey Brown in the quarter-finals.
A potential clash against third seed Jenny Duncalf looms next.
National No. 2 Low Wee Wern is seeded seventh and will face a qualifier in the first round.
In the men’s event, national No. 1 Ong Beng Hee is the only Malaysian in the main draw and he’ll face the speedy Miguel Angel Rodriguez of Colombia in the first round.
However, Beng Hee is not expected to go any further as he faces world No. 1 James Wilstrop in the second round.
In the ongoing China Open in Shanghai, national No. 3 Delia Arnold’s run of dismal results continued after she was beaten in four sets – 3-1 – by Omneya Abdel Kawy in the qualifying finals.
Malaysia’s hopes in the tournament now rest on the shoulders of Wee Wern, who faces Australian Rachael Grinham in the first round today.