Top seeds Nicol David and Laura Massaro will contest the Women’s Delaware Investments U.S. Open Championship final at Drexel University in Philadelphia after coming through contrasting semi-finals of the Women’s Squash Association World Series Platinum event, which – for the first time ever – is providing equal prize money to the men’s event.<\/p>\n
Second seed Massaro, the world No2 from England, reached her second US Open final in three years – but needed five games and almost one and a half hours to get past surprise opponent Low Wee Wern, the No6 seed from Malaysia who ousted last year’s Egyptian runner-up Raneem El Weleily in the previous round.<\/p>\n
Massaro (pictured above, right, with Low) recovered from 1-4 to take the first game 11-6. The Malaysian underdog was ahead for most of the second game before drawing level.<\/p>\n
Again the next two games were shared, 29-year-old Massaro reclaiming the lead after the third and her 23-year-old seven-ranked opponent coming back from 1-4 down to take the fourth.<\/p>\n
The Englishwoman took the lead in the decider, 3-1 then 6-4, but a determined Low brought it back to seven-all.<\/p>\n
Massaro again took the lead at 8-7 before appealing a let which was over-ruled into a stroke for 9-7. A winning boast and a crosscourt dropshot gave Massaro the 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 victory after 86 minutes.<\/p>\n
“I started well, it’s just a pity I couldn’t carry on like that for the whole match,” said Lancashire lass Massaro. “But she played well, she’s like a human sponge, she just keeps soaking everything up and you end up just having to go for something.<\/p>\n
“It’s great to be back in the final in a big event like this. It was a long break over the summer so it feels good to be back playing these events again.”<\/p>\n
It took less than half the time for favourite Nicol David to earn her place in the final for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n
The world number one faced Joelle King, the No5 seed from New Zealand. Playing with her usual authority, David (pictured above, left, with King) led 8-2 in the opening game. But the Kiwi world No5 mounted an impressive comeback, drawing level at eight-all before moving ahead to game ball at 10-9.<\/p>\n
The world number one held firm though, taking the game 14-12 – and soon after wrapping up the match 14-12, 11-4, 11-6 in 38 minutes to move one step closer to becoming the first player for more than 20 years to successfully defend the US Open title.<\/p>\n
“I started well but Joelle came back strong at the end of the first,” said David. “I told myself I couldn’t let her get that one, so I dug in, then managed to push through in the next two games.<\/p>\n
“It’s good to be back in the final. I’ll just rest up, focus on what I need to do and go out and give it all.”<\/p>\n
David is celebrating the 88th WSA Tour final of her career, while Massaro is marking her 25th.<\/p>\n
Semi-finals: Top seeds Nicol David and Laura Massaro will contest the Women’s Delaware Investments U.S. Open Championship final at Drexel University in Philadelphia after coming through contrasting semi-finals of the Women’s Squash Association World Series Platinum event, which – for the first time ever – is providing equal prize money to the men’s event.<\/p>\n Second seed Massaro, the world No2 from England, reached her second US Open final in three years – but needed five games and almost one and a half hours to get past surprise opponent Low Wee Wern, the No6 seed from Malaysia who ousted last year’s Egyptian runner-up Raneem El Weleily in the previous round.<\/p>\n Massaro (pictured above, right, with Low) recovered from 1-4 to take the first game 11-6. The Malaysian underdog was ahead for most of the second game before drawing level.<\/p>\n Again the next two games were shared, 29-year-old Massaro reclaiming the lead after the third and her 23-year-old seven-ranked opponent coming back from 1-4 down to take the fourth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-others"],"yoast_head":"\n
RESULTS: Women’s Delaware Investments US Open, Philadelphia, USA<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/strong>
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [5] Joelle King (NZL) 14-12, 11-4, 11-6 (38m)
[2] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [6] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 (86m)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"