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LIVERPOOL, England: Nicol David, aiming to win back the British Open title after losing from match point up in last year's final, produced a hugely impressive performance to reach the final.
The world number one from Malaysia overwhelmed Natalie Grainger, the former world number one from the United States, 9-5, 9-1, 9-0, and did so by taking the attack away from one of tour's best attacking players.
David was 2-5 down in the first game, and then lost only one point, finishing the match in a mere 23 minutes.
It was a great omen not only for Monday's final against Jenny Duncalf, the surprise survivor from England, but for the longer term prospects of David's career.
David made many more and better volleys, more accurate drops, and more penetrating drives to a length than she might have done a year or two ago.
"I got the momentum when I started coming back in the first game," she said. "I got more confidence, started to force errors, and pushed right through.
"I was pleased with that game. I had to take it away from her,using the attacking when there are opportunities."
It made the two-times former champion an even greater favourite to win title number three, even though Duncalf followed Saturday's career-best win over World and British Open champion Rachael Grinham by reaching her first final.
But although Duncalf had been superb with the way she pinned the Australian back before punishing her, it was a much more scrappy encounter in a 4-9, 9-3, 9-6, 9-6 win against Isabelle Stoehr of France in the semi-finals.
Stoehr looked as though she might take it the distance when she led 3-1 and 5-4 in the fourth game. But then Duncalf started to score a little more heavily with drops, especially in the top backhand corner, helping to become the first home woman in five years to reach the final.
"It's the highlight of my career to make the British Open final," said Duncalf. David sounded hardly less pleased about it, despite her far greater experience.
"When you get to the final of this it's a real thrill, so I am really looking forward to tomorrow," she said. - AFP/de
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