M'sian Nicol Beats Raneem To Reclaim World Title For Eighth Time

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's squash queen Nicol David closed her 2014 season in style by reclaiming the Women's World Championship title after defeating the host nation's favourite, Raneem El Weleily, Saturday. With the win, the 31-year-old top ranking women's squash player lifted the coveted trophy for the eighth time. The competition which was held at Wadi Delga Squash Club in Egypt, saw Nicol having to encounter a gruelling and tense five-set match which lasted for an hour and six minutes. The Penangite was down to Raneem 5-11 in the first set but managed to level the score in the next set on 11-8. In the third set, Nicol started making mistakes which allowed Raneem winning the third set, 11-7. The fourth set was the turning point for Nicol as the match seemed to be on the world number three's side, as Raneem controlled the game and had the match ball at 10-6. Nicol regained composure and fought hard to level the tie on 14-12 and forced the decider. In the fifth set, Nicol had nothing to lose and sealed the match comfortablely on 11-5. "I told myself I wanted to win the last point. I just kept repeating that it's not over until it's over. "Raneem was just playing too well, I just had to find something in me...I just wouldn't let go and just kept fighting," said Nicol as quoted on the squash website www.squashsite.co.uk. -- BERNAMA