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AMSTERDAM - Malaysia's Nicol David believes her failure to make the semi-finals of the British Open helped her to survive a tough test and survive to the last four of the World Open on Friday.
There were moments while she was slipping to 2-6 in the third game that the top-seeded titleholder seemed in danger before she fought her way to an 11-6, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7 victory over Jenny Duncalf, the British national champion.
During the critical phases which followed that deficit David kept the ball tight along the walls and pushed Duncalf back as often as possible, attacking a little more again only after her opponent began to make errors and lose ground
"I think what happened last week has made a difference in this match," said David, referring to her shock defeat to Ireland's Madeline Perry in Manchester.
"I didn't want to think about losing this. I had to be strong and push trough and not let it slip any further.
"I realised I didn't want to let that thought get into my head - that familiar situation made me push through harder. You have phases where she starts having a roll and you realise sooner."
David next faces English fourth seed Alison Waters for a place in the final.
Her main title rival, Natalie Grinham will face sister Rachael in the other semi-final.
The second-seeded Australian, turned Dutch international, claimed an 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 win over England's Laura Massaro while Rachael Grinham, the 2007 World Open champion in Madrid, defeated Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy 6-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-8.
"I'm really not doing this in purpose," joked Grinham about her marathon clash.
"In the third game I started to get my lobs in a bit better, and then after that she started to tire and errors started to come."
Rachael had seemed quite relaxed, even when defeat looked likely. She was even more laid back about the prospect of playing a younger sister who looks to be in some of the best form of her career.
"Obviously it's great to know that at least one of us is going to be in the final, she said. "At least now I am relaxed and enjoying it. So if I lose it's not completely bad."
- AFP /ls
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