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[1] Nicol David (Mas) bt [11] Vicky Botwright (Eng)
5/11, 11/1, 11/6, 11/9 (44m)
Nicol reclaims the crown
Unbeaten since she unexpectedly crashed out of last year's World
Open in the second round, Nicol David has been firm favourite to
reclaim the world title for 12 months. She duly fulfilled that
prediction today, but didn't local heroine Vicky Botwright, the
unexpected finalist playing her last match, make her work for
it.
Vicky took the game to Nicol from the start, attacking strongly
and not letting Nicol settle and taking the game 11/5 to the
delight of the packed crowd.
It was Nicol who was out of the blocks faster in the second
though, racing through the game with Vicky only troubling the
scoreboard once. She maintained the pressure in the third, and
although Vicky put in a mid-game burst it was too late as Nicol
moved one game away.
The Mancunian wasn't done though, the rallies were tough, and
Nicol wasn't allowed to take anything for granted. 4-all, 6-all,
7-all, 8-all, Nicol goes 9-8 with a drop Vicky thought she could
get to, responds with a short kill, 9-all.
Another Nicol drop takes her to match ball, and Vicky hits the
ball too close to herself. The players turn, both knowing what
is coming, and as the stroke is declared Nicol is the champion
of the world again ...
"Oh,
that was tough. She was just firing everything in, every shot,
every drive was tight and I was just hanging in, trying to stop
her playing shots like those again.
"All credit to Vicky for getting to the final and what a final
it was, she didn't stop for one moment. I was so pleased and a
bit lucky to take those last two points.
"It's a great feeling getting it back after last year, I guess
Manchester is my lucky place now!"
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"I
knew I had to play my best squash of the week, she's been world
number one for three years and she's the best player. I threw
everything at it, I played as best as I could but she's just
better than me.
"I started better, but she was completely in front of me for the
next two games and the fourth was close. I would have liked to
take it to five, then it would have been anyone's."
"What
a great way to finish though, I'm definitely going to cry, but
I'd like to thanks England Squash, EIS and the performance
programme, they supported me even when I was rubbish ... the
England girls, we were a great team, and especially my parents
who supported me, shouted at me, comforted me when I needed it.
And my future husband Stewart, I hope we have a happy marriage
and life together.
"I'm due to do a squash disability clinic tomorrow morning -
I'll have to check the time!"
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