She did it again

KUALA LUMPUR: Undisputed world number one Nicol David ended her professional season this year by retaining the Hong Kong Open crown at the Hong Kong Squash Centre yesterday and she also emerged with a 100% win record in 10 tournaments.

The 3-time world champion, however, faced a stiff challenge from third seed Rachael Grinham of Australia before prevailing 14-12, 11-13, 11-8, 11-8 in 53 minutes to clinch the title for the third consecutive time.

This was the first time that the Penangite had won 10 consecutive titles since turning professional in 2000.

She won eight of the 11 Women’s International Squash Players Association (Wispa) tournaments that she competed in last year.

This season, besides the Hong Kong Open, Nicol also emerged as the champion in the Apawamis, KL Open, British Open, Seoul Open, Malaysia Open, Singapore Masters, Dutch Open, World Open and Qatar Classics.

She also extended her unbeaten run to 53 matches since last November.

Yesterday, Nicol trailed Grinham 6-10 in the first set and she put up a gallant fight to level the score 10-10 before winning 14-12.

In the second set, Nicol led 11-10 but she was unable to seal it and lost 11-13.

Nicol was stretched to the limit in the next two sets before getting the better of Grinham.

“This is my third time in Hong Kong. I guess this city is my lucky charm, especially as it’s here that I won my first World Open (2004),” Nicol was quoted as sasying on the www.squashsite.co.uk website.

“It was one of the toughest final matches I have played in this year. Rachael stretched me to the limit.

“I am happy to end my professional season by winning my 10th straight title.”

Nicol will lead Malaysia’s team to the world team championship in Cairo from Nov 30-Dec 6.

World number one Amr Shabana of Egypt also won his third straight Hong Kong Open title.

However, the Egyptian was made to sweat for 76 minutes in the showdown by the second seeded Frenchman Gregory Gaultier before winning the match 11-7, 13-15, 8-11, 11-2, 11-3.

Source: The Star Malaysia

Nicol wins

MANCHESTER: Malaysian superstar Nicol David completed the double atonement she has been seeking for an entire year when she won back the World Open title and captured it for a third time here yesterday.

Having regained the British Open five months ago in Liverpool, she now repeated the achievement at the Tour’s most important tournament, beating the surprise finalist from England, Vicky Botwright 5-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-9.

It was not the best performance by Nicol and it was the first time she had dropped a game all week. However, it was one which showed her immense determination, some extra variety in her game, and increasingly versatile mental qualities in the difficult moments.

From the second game onwards, Nicol not only found greater accuracy with her basic line and length, but scored well in the front court, especially with volley drops.

She also found a way to win when Botwright came back dangerously in the fourth game to lead 8-7, when a decider - in which the home player’s support would have become immense - seemed dangerously possible.

Nicol produced a winning drop shot to get to 9-8 and a drive-dropshot combination to get to match point, which she converted when the British referees courageously, and correctly, gave a penalty stroke to the Malaysian when Botwright hit the ball back too close to herself.

”Every shot she played, every drive she made, was so tight,” said Nicol of her unseeded opponent.

”Credit to her, she’s done so well to get to the final - and what a final that was! I had to fight. But to win is such a great feeling. I’m so glad I’ve got it back after last year. Manchester is my lucky place, I guess. I was really pleased with my performance to hang in there.”

Nicol first won the World Open title in Hong Kong in 2005 and retained it the following year in Belfast. But she suffered a shock second-round defeat by Shelley Kitchen of New Zealand in Madrid last year.

The victory for Nicol yesterday was her eighth consecutive title this season and it took her unbeaten run to 43 matches.

She was the winner at the Apawamis, the Kuala Lumpur Open, British Open, Seoul Open, Malaysian Open, Singapore Masters and the Dutch Open. - AFP

Minyak turun

Alhamdulillah... Harga minyak petrol turun lagi. Kali ini penurunan sebanyak 15 sen, dari RM2.45 kepada RM2.30. Namun difahamkan, harga minyak dunia adalah jauh lebih rendah mencecah USD78 setong. Jadi, sepatutnya, harga minyak di Malaysia ni boleh diturunkan lagi sekurang-kurangnya 20-30sen.

Walaubagaimanapun, diharapkan agar harga barang runcit akan turut turun seiring dengan penurunan harga minyak. Para peniaga, pemborong & pengusaha nampaknya mengambil kesempatan utk mengekalkan harga lama yg (sangat) mahal untuk mengaut keuntungan lebih. Pihak yg berwajib (KPDNHEP) kenalah turun padang, rajin2la buat tinjauan, laksanakan tugas anda. Jangan hanya sibuk bagi komen je, kerja tak jalan, habuk tarak.

Senyum Kambing

Nasihat untuk Najib

Di pagi Jumaat yang mulia ini, saya memanjat kesyukuran kerana masih dikurniakan akal yang waras, tubuh yang sihat, negara yang masih aman damai walaupun ada sedikit kekecohan, dan diberikan ruang masa yang cukup untuk membaca blog2 kegemaran.

Saya amat tertarik dengan tulisan terbaru The Scribe yang menulis tentang "Nasihat Yang Tidak Diminta Buat Mohd Najib". Padat, lucu & terkesan. Itupun kalau DS Najib membacanya. Nasihat percuma yang diberikan adalah seperti berikut:

1. Pengundi memilih (atau tidak memilih) Datuk Seri. Mereka tidak pilih isteri, anak, menantu dan kawan rakan Datuk Seri;

2. Rakyat jelata menuntut hak dan pembelaan daripada Datuk Seri bukan daripada isteri, anak, menantu dan kawan rakan Datuk Seri;

3. Pembayar cukai menampung pembiayaan Datuk Seri selaras dan sejajar dengan kemudahan yang diberikan kepada Datuk Seri oleh Perlembagaan dan atur cara kewangan negara;

4. Tidak payahlah ada “presidential office” ala “4th Floor” (aka budak-budak tingkat 4) atau “spin doctor” yang putar-belitkan maklumat;

5. Seri Perdana pun sudah tersedia indah. Abdullah baru membelanjakan lebih RM12 juta mengubahsuai dan memperbaikinya. Tak perlulah belanja lagi. Ramai lagi rakyat jelata yang tinggal di rumah robek; dan

6. Ambillah iktibar daripada naik dan jatuh pendahulu (predecessor) Datuk Seri --- bagaimana dalam masa kurang lima tahun Abdullah bertukar daripada “Mr Nice” dan “Mr Clean” yang sangat disayangi kepada seorang yang pemergiannya dinanti-nanti.

*(^_^)* Jika DS Najib juga mempunyai ruang masa seperti saya untuk membaca blog The Scribe, alangkah bagusnya. Kita mengharapkan DS Najib akan membawa sinar baru kepada ekonomi negara, kemakmuran masyarakat berbilang kaum & kestabilan politik tanahair.

Dengan pengunduran Pak Lah, Malaysia mula bermandikan cahaya HARAPAN, harapan untuk terus maju, harapan untuk terus makmur, harapan untuk terus berjaya, dan harapan untuk mengangkat kembali maruah Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang disegani. Alangkah gembiranya rakyat Malaysia dgn pengunduran ini, seperti meraikan satu kemenangan besar tambahan pula ianya berlaku di dalam bulan Syawal, bulan mulia dia mana umat Islam meraikan kemenangan setelah sebulan berpuasa.

Pak Lah tarik diri

Finally, Pak Lah has made a very-very-very wise decision. A decision that we adore most, that we're waiting for so long, and a decision that giving us HOPE. We respect his decision (of course we are!) and thanks him for being so 'understanding' *(^_^)*.

Anugerah Squash Dunia

Pemain nombor satu dunia, Datuk Nicol David mengetuai senarai dengan menjadi calon utama untuk mempertahankan gelaran Pemain Wanita Terbaik Dunia buat tahun ketiga berturut-turut pada Anugerah Skuasy Dunia 2008 yang akan berlangsung di Manchester, England pada 18 Oktober ini. Selepas ditabal sebagai Pemain Terbaik Dunia 2006 dan 2007, selain muncul Pemain Remaja Terbaik Dunia 2005, Nicol yang memenangi semua tujuh kejohanan yang disertai tahun ini menjadi pilihan utama untuk merebut anugerah prestij itu.

Shalin on pro circuit

KUALA LUMPUR (The Star): A childhood dream to play in the professional circuit has turned to reality for bowler Shalin Zulkifli after a 16-year-long wait.

On Monday, the 30-year-old Shalin made it a historic day for Malaysia by achieving two major breakthroughs in Illinois.

Superb performances in the US Women’s Open made Shalin the first Malaysian and one of the few non-Americans to win an exemption card to play in revived Professional Bowling Association (PBA) Women’s Tour Finals this year.

Only 12 of the 55 professionals competing in the US Women’s Open get to feature in the Tour and Shalin made it by finishing in third place with a 32-game score of 6,740 after the completion of the four eight-game qualifying rounds.

She will begin her campaign in the Pro Tour in October.

She also made it a double joy for the country by becoming the first Malaysian to reach the top-16 elimination round of the US Women’s Open, which had attracted 186 bowlers.

Shalin finished in the sixth spot on 6,740 and will take on American Tennelle Milligan in the first round of the knockout stage.

“It took a while for me to absorb it (the achievement). As I was keeping the bowling balls, I had to tell myself many times that I did it. I could not believe it at first,” said Shalin in a telephone interview from Illinois yesterday.

“It has been such a long wait. Not many have made it to the American pro circuit and I just feel so happy.

“This has been a great week for me. From day one, I told myself that I could pull it off. I kept on motivating myself even though I had some bad shots. I was really positive throughout the qualifying rounds.”

Shalin admitted that the journey had been a trying one.

“I was 14-years-old when I had a dream to join the pro circuit. I could not pursue it because of financial constraints. A few years ago, I was ready but the pro circuit was suspended. Now everything has fallen into place,” she said.

She thanked the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress and the National Sports Council for their support but special mention went to her family and her boyfriend, Azidi Ameran.

“I would not be here if not for the support of my family and Azidi. Azidi gave his blessing for me to go after my ambition even though there were plans to get married this December,” she said.

On her immediate challenge in the US Women's Open, she said: “From now on, anything that comes my way is a bonus.”

Malaysia's three other representatives in the Open – Zandra Aziela Ibrahim Hakimi, Esther Cheah and Wendy Chai – finished in 35th, 54th and 90th respectively.

Debate 2008

Tonight, there'll be a debate between Anwar & Sabery Chik. The topic is "Hari ini bentuk Kerajaan, esok turunkan harga minyak". Well, we'll see how it will be going. I personally think that Sabery is not a suitable candidate to represent current government. Perhaps, the Finance Minister or Domestic Trade and Consumer Minister should be the one. I'm afraid of "terpandang rendah" to Sabery. It's hard to say. Just let us watch it tonight.

Di mana Bala?

Selepas membuat dua pengakuan bersumpah yg bercanggah, penyiasat persendirian Abdul Razak Baginda (suspek kes pembunuhan Altantuya) iaitu P.Bala tiba2 hilang secara senyap. Kaum kerabat, saudara mara mahupun sahabat handai P.Bala sendiri tidak tahu ke mana dia menghilang. Menyorok? Tapi kenapa? Apa motif sebenar P.Bala apabila dia bertindak memberikan dua pengakuan bersumpah yang berbeza dan bercanggah sama sekali? Siapa yang 'memandu' P.Bala? Siapa yang mendorong P.Bala berbuat demikian? Siapa yang mendapat kepentingan dari tindakan P.Bala dan siapa pula yang akan ditimpa bala akibat tindakan P.Bala?

Banyak soalan berlegar di fikiran saya. Ada sesiapa yang boleh memberikan jawapan?