WISPA Trials Mobile Streaming In Pioneering Initiative At KL Open

Action from this week's semi-finals and final of the CIMB KL Open - the first Women's International Squash Players Association (WISPA) Gold event of the year - can be viewed on mobile phones for the first time in a ground-breaking trial that extends squash's regular TV and streaming options.

"WISPA have partnered with Squash Stars who will arrange for the uploading so that the potential of this medium can be assessed," commented WISPA Chief Executive Andrew Shelley. "Squash Stars - who have spearheaded this, and for whom Nicol David is a leading light - have mobile platform arrangements that make this possible. While it will not be live for this experiment, it will be free of charge and available worldwide."

The service can be automatically accessed from mobile phones by logging into www.squashstars.com/mobile via phone web browsers.

Local star Nicol David also begins her 2009 campaign as top seed in the $53,500 CIMB KL Open, from 4-7 March. Unbeaten since October 2007, the world number one from Malaysia will be hoping to reach the final for the ninth time since 1999 - and win the title for the sixth time!

David will arrive in KL fresh from a lengthy New Year training session in Melbourne with former world number one Sarah Fitz-Gerald. But the 25-year-old from Penang faces a tough opening match against in-form Irish champion Madeline Perry, the world No9 from Belfast.

The favourite will undoubtedly renew her Tour rivalry with the Australian Grinham sisters in her country's capital city. David is expected to face third seed Rachael Grinham, the world No3, in the semi-finals - and thereafter second seed Natalie Grinham, now flying the Dutch flag, in the final, for the third year in a row!

But fourth seed Natalie Grainger cannot be ruled out: The US champion already has two WISPA World Tour titles under her belt this year - and will be looking to upset the David/Grinham KL roadshow in a bid to extend her Tour title tally