Delia Delights In Kuwait
26 Oct 2010
Malaysia's Delia Arnold notched up the sixth WISPA World Tour squash title of her career when she beat surprise opponent Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy in the final of the Women's Sheikha Sheikha Saad Al Sabah International in Kuwait.
The Kuala Lumpur-born 26-year-old only faced Egyptians throughout the $11,600 event at the Qadsia Sporting Club in Hawally - and ended unseeded Salma Nassar's brave run in the semi-finals in straight games.
But it was in the other semi that El-Defrawy, the third seed from Cairo, made her breakthrough - after fighting back from 2/1 down to topple India's second seed Dipika Pallikal 11-8, 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7 in 61 minutes.
Arnold, the world No20, took the opening game against Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy - but the 16-year-old, ranked 19 places lower, levelled the score after taking the second.
Arnold regained the advantage as the third game developed and went on to clinch her 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 title-winning victory after 53 minutes.
The win, the Malaysian's first for more than a year, takes Arnold's career Tour total to six titles.
1st round:
[1] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt [Q] Fatema El Khateeb (KUW) w/o
[6] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt [Q] Mayar Aly Ezzo (EGY) 11-8, 11-9, 11-5 (21m)
[4] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt Mariam Dashti (KUW) 11-0, 11-1, 11-1 (13m)
Salma Nassar (EGY) bt [8] Adel Weir-Nunan (RSA) 11-3, 11-4, 12-10 (21m)
[5] Laura Pomportes (FRA) bt Celia Allamargot (FRA) 11-9, 11-7, 11-4 (24m)
[3] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) bt Faustine Gilles (FRA) 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 (25m)
[7] Surbhi Misra (IND) bt [Q] Ali Bushra (PAK) 11-1, 11-7, 11-8 (21m)
[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [Q] Merhan Amr Mahmoud (EGY) 11-7, 11-7, 11-2
Quarter-finals:
[1] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt [6] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 10-12, 11-3, 11-6, 11-9 (50m)
Salma Nassar (EGY) bt [4] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 13-11, 11-6, 11-8 (29m)
[3] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) bt [5] Laura Pomportes (FRA) 6-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (44m)
[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [7] Surbhi Misra (IND) 11-4, 11-4, 11-1 (14m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Salma Nassar (EGY) 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (26m)
[3] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) bt [2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 11-8, 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7 (61m)
Final:
[1] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt [3] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 (53m)
