Delia faces Massaro test after squeezing into main draw

Laura will be very tough but it’s not as if I don’t stand a chance ... I just need to step up my game.

— DELIA ARNOLD

PETALING JAYA: National No. 3 Delia Arnold can thank her lucky stars for not being blown away in the Windy City Open in Chicago.

The world No. 28 was far from her best but still scraped into the main draw.

But she had to do it the hard way – fighting from two sets down before overcoming world No. 45 Deon Saffery 811, 1012, 118, 117, 118 in the qualifying finals on Wednesday.

“It may be five sets but I’m still very happy to have pulled through ... I’m lucky to have even made it (into the main draw),” said Delia after the 75minute win.

“I used the wrong strategy against her in the beginning and made a lot of unforced errors.

“But I was more patient from the third set onwards and played a lot better after that.”

The 29yearold Delia’s run, however, should come to an end in the first round of the tournament proper as she’s been drawn to meet third seed and defending champion Laura Massaro of England.

But try telling the KLborn player that.

Delia, whose biggest win last year was beating England’s Alison Waters in the first round of the Malaysian Open, is confident she can defy the odds and overcome Massaro.

“Laura will be very tough but it’s not as if I don’t stand a chance ... I just need to step up my game,” said Delia.

There was no joy for men’s national No. 1 Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan as he lost 911, 117, 911, 711 to Mexico’s Cesar Salazar in the qualifying finals.

“I was just not good or consistent enough to win today. I did well in some rallies but poor in several others,” said the 28yearold Nafiizwan.

World No. 38 Salazar will meet former world No. 1 James Willstrop in the main draw.