Top seeds cruise through

> Nicol and Massaro strolled into quarters

DEFENDING champion Nicol David and world No.1 Laura Massaro marched into the quarterfinals of the world squash championship in Kuala Lumpur yesterday with confident secondround wins.

Malaysia’s Nicol, who has dominated the sport over the past decade, defeated Alison Waters of England 11-9, 11-3, 11-5 to keep alive her hopes of a ninth world title.

Nicol had to battle from behind to overtake former champ Rachel Grinham of Australia in five games a day earlier, but looked sharper yesterday against Waters, buoyed by a boisterous home crowd.

After taking the first two games with little fuss, Nicol found herself behind 15 in the third.

But she roared back with 10 straight points to secure the match.

“You just need to be on from every point and I was just feeling that today,” said Nicol, the second seed and world No.5.

Nicol is one of the game’s all-time greats and is the most accomplished sporting champion yet produced by Malaysia, where she is a national icon – her matches this week have been played at the Nicol David Arena.

She has already won a record eight world championships but has seen her game falter lately, surrendering her world No.1 rank last September after a dominant nine-year run.

The two top seeds remained on course for an eventual clash as Massaro dispatched India’s Joshna Chinappa in clinical fashion, 11-3, 11-6, 11-3.

“I just wanted to make a fast start and be positive from the beginning,” said Massaro, who won the world championship in 2013.

Massaro will next face Egyptian sixthseed Omneya Abdel Kawy, while David will meet Kawy’s compatriot Nour El Sherbini.

Nicol is seeking to win the PSA World Championship on home soil in Malaysia for the first time after falling short twice before. – AFP