GLASGOW: Women’s squash singles champion Datuk Nicol David was beaten for the first time in Glasgow but she and women’s doubles partner Low Wee Wern still progressed to the quarter-finals.
The Malaysian pair’s participation in the competition was in doubt after they were beaten 11-8, 11-5 in 17 minutes by Indian pair Dipika Pallikal and Joshana Chinappa in their second pool game.
But Nicol and Wee Wern, the fourth seeds, responded by seeing off the threat of Sri Lankans Mihiliya Methsarani and Nadindhi Ugangaw 11-2, 11-2 in just nine minutes.
“You just know the doubles is anyone’s game but we have to learn from our defeat,” said Nicol. “We have to be really confident from the start.”
Next up for Nicol and Wee Wern are English pair Emma Beddoes and Alison Waters, the third seeds, who won all three games with number six seeds Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy of New Zealand also qualifying from Pool C.
On a day when the pools matches in the men’s and women’s doubles were completed, there were no major surprises with the elite players all progressing.
Top seeds Jenny Duncalf and Laura Massaro won both their matches on Wednesday and all three in total to safely make it through to the quarter-finals where they will face Australians Lisa Camilleri and Donna Urquhart. Second seeds Kasey Brown and Rachael Grinham won Pool B while Pallikal and Joshana Chinappa won Pool D. — AFP