WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Women's Monte Carlo Squash Classic, Monaco

Final:
[1] Linda Charman (ENG) bt Nicol David (MAS) 8-10, 9-1, 9-6, 9-1 (42m)

Charman Lifts Monte Carlo Classic Trophy

England's top seed Linda Charman came back from a game down to beat unseeded Malaysian Nicol David in the final of the Women's Monte Carlo Squash Classic to claim the prestigious title in Monaco for the first time.

David, the 20-year-old former world junior champion from Penang, had beaten three seeds - two in five games - to reach the Monte Carlo Classic final, while Charman had celebrated her 32nd birthday on semi finals day by comfortably disposing of third seed Stephanie Brind to reach the last day without dropping a game.

Both finalists had watched the Rugby World Cup final earlier in the day - Charman, from Eastbourne in Sussex, keenly and David a little bewildered by the rules and wincing at the power of the tackles.  The question was, would England win the squash final too?

David settled her nerves with two immaculate overhead kills, picked up a couple more points from extended rallies and soon moved to a 6-0 lead in the first in front of a capacity crowd at the Stade Louis 11 in Monaco.

However, Charman had watched her friend Fiona Geaves compete against David in the semis and began to settle into a better length, employ accurate lobs that demanded boasts and eventually levelled at seven all after a number of lengthy, exciting rallies. At 7-8, David's impetuous tinned overhead could have cost her the game but Charman soon returned the gift and it was tied at eight all.  David, with matching purple top and bandanna, edged ahead with a wide drive that left her opponent flapping at air and finished the game with a deft backhand drop.  First blood to the challenger.

Then the game changed. David stopped thinking; Charman chopped away loose returns and just five minutes later the games were tied.

David refocused and a tighter battle followed in the third game. David was proving immensely frustrating as she chased down every ball, Charman maintained a conservative approach to keep the Malaysian pinned back until an opening presented itself.  Three errors from Nicol late in the game and the English player was ahead 2/1.

Charman raced to a 4-0 lead in the fourth before David regrouped.  Soon, a stroke at 7-1 led to a match ball, which Charman took with a rasping cross court to win the Classic at her fourth attempt.   
     
Essentially, it was a match too far for the younger player.  As David said afterwards:  "I was tired before we started.  I tried to push through early but she kept me under pressure and in the end I couldn't cope."

The delighted winner, celebrating her tenth WISPA World Tour title, paid tribute to David:  "She has a really good attitude, is strong and fast. What a great personality to have on the circuit.  She is getting better and better.

"I started the year winning at Greenwich and it's nice to have another title.  With the Qatar Classic and the World Open coming up, it is good to have some hard matches and some good form under my belt before these huge events," Charman added. 
 


Linda Charman (left) with runner-up Nicol David at the Monte Carlo Classic presentations.