Nicol suffers quarterfinals exit at Windy City

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian squash queen, Datuk Nicol David failed to continue her blistering performance into the last four of the 2016 Windy City Open in Chicago, United States, on Monday.

The 32-year- old world number two lost her match to Egypt’s Nour El Sherbini in straight sets of 11- 9, 12-10 and 11- 9 in 36 minutes, at the University Club of Chicago. It was Nicol’s second defeat this year after losing in the semi-finals of the Tournament of Champions (TOC) in New York in January.

“Nicol is working on changing her game, but most of all, on trusting her attacking game more. It’s all about allowing her to take more calculating risks. It’s not there yet, but Nicol adapts very well to new elements.

“And if in the past, she had some motivation issues, that’s gone. She now knows what she wants, she is clear about it, and she wants back in. And that’s the most positive of all,” Nicol’s coach Liz Irving was quoted saying in the tournament official website, windycityopen.ussquash. com.

Nicol, who is making her second appearance at the tournament this year, lost in her final match to Egypt’s Raneem El Weleily.

Meanwhile, Nour admitted despite her 3- 0 win against Nicol that it was no easy task. “Playing Nicol is very hard..I have to prepare very hard to play her, every time.” — Bernama