DPM Congratulates Shuttlers, Squash Player For Winning World Titles

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday congratulated squash queen Nicol David and three shuttlers who clinched world titles to create history in their respective sports. In squash, Women's World number one Nicol won the World Open crown for a record sixth time in Rotterdam while Zulfadli Zulkifli and Nelson Heg/Teo Ee Yi clinched the boy's singles and boy's doubles titles in the World Junior Badminton Championships held in Taiwan. In a statement on Sunday, Muhyiddin hoped the success of Nicol, Zulfadli, Nelson Heg and Ee Yi would become a catalyst and inspiration for others to win similar titles. "I am confident Malaysians will be proud of the success achieved by our heroes in the field of sports. Success would not have come without the determination, training, dedication, mental strength, perseverance and the trials and tribulations that Nicol, Zulfadli, Nelson Heg and Ee Yi had gone through. "Not to forget the sacrifices, prayers, support from their families, coaches, managers and fans," he said. Nicol who has won the World Open title five times before, outclassed England's world number two Jenny Duncalf 11-2, 11-5, 11-0 in a lop-sided women's final to claim her sixth title in seven years at the Luxor Theatre in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The win clearly shows that Nicol has no peers in women's squash at the moment, especially so since she had also surpassed the record she had jointly held with her mentor Sarah Fitz-Gerald from Australia. Meanwhile, National junior men's singles shuttler Zulfadli Zulkifli created history when he emerged champion after beating defending champion Viktor Axelsen from Denmark, 21-18, 9-21, 21-19, in the final. Nelson Heg/Ee Yi also followed in the footsteps of Zulfadli by overcoming Po Jui Huang/Chia Lu Yin from Taiwan, 21-17, 21-17. -- BERNAMA Malaysia