/ 15 March 2006

World squash champ eyes clean sweep

World champion Nicol David has targeted the Commonwealth Games gold medal as she attempts to complete a clean-sweep of major squash titles.

Malaysian star David became the first Asian woman to win the World Open when she triumphed in 2005, a golden year in which she also picked up the prestigious British Open title and claimed the world number one ranking.

David also recently picked up her fifth Asian squash title.

The 22-year-old was also Asian Games champion in 1998.

”I feel really good,” said Amsterdam-based David.

”The Asian Championships provided the best possible boost before the Commonwealth Games.

”All the tournaments I took part in this year, including the Asian Championships, have been run-ups to the Commonwealth Games.

”There is some pressure. A lot of top players will be in Melbourne. It will be just like another major event on the women’s Tour.”

David has already picked up a Commonwealth Games medal — at the last Games in Manchester in 2002, she teamed up with Beng Hee to take silver in the mixed doubles.

There have been doubts over the fitness of the Penang-born David but the Malaysian has an impressive record against her main gold medal rivals who are expected to be Australian sisters Rachael and Natalie Grinham.

Since 2005, Nicol has beaten second seed Rachael seven times in eight meetings and got the better of Natalie on all three occasions.

As a result, the pressure will be on the Australians for their country to win the singles title for third consecutive time.

Michelle Martin and Sarah Fitzgerald (both now retired) clinched the 1998 and 2002 women’s singles crowns respectively.

As top seed, David has a first round bye and won’t get her Melbourne campaign under way until Friday.

There will also be a new champion in the men’s event with Canada’s Jonathon Power having announced his retirement earlier this month. Australia’s David Palmer is the top seed.

The bronze medallist in Manchester returned to the top of the world rankings last month after a four-year gap.

The 29-year-old from New South Wales, a former World Open champion and three-times British Open champion, is expected to meet England’s second seed James Willstrop in the final.

Peter Nicol, the former world number one, who was Commonwealth Games champion as a Scottish competitor in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, before winning doubles gold for England four years later, is seeded four here.

Nicol was also runner-up to Power in Manchester.

The tournament here boasts a record number of entries.

”Squash will be represented by an all-time record of 28 nations and 91 athletes in Melbourne,” said World Squash Federation (WSF) chief executive Christian Leighton.

”This includes our two newest members — Mauritius and the British Virgin Islands.”

Also making their debut in the event are Malawi, Malta, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji and Norfolk Island. – Sapa-AFP