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The women's final was the latest in a remarkable series of
marathon battles between the world's top two players. In the
World Open final in Belfast last November, it took five games
and 95 minutes to separate the pair - and in last month's Kuala
Lumpur Open climax, Nicol David delighted her home country fans
by beating Natalie Grinham again, this time taking 102 minutes
and a further five games to stamp her authority.
While many thought this might be the time for Grinham's revenge,
it was again the 23-year-old from Penang who emerged triumphant
in a 9-6, 10-8, 2-9, 9-1 scoreline. Record books showed that the
93-minute timing had never before been exceeded in matches with
fewer than five games!
"It's very disappointing," said Grinham, the world No2 from
Toowoomba in Queensland. "I wish I was paid by the hour"
- Howard Harding |
