Top seed David survives five-game thriller
George Town — Top seed Nicol David survived a five-game test against determined Frenchwoman Camille Serme before booking her place in the world women?s championships semi-finals on Friday.
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Top seed Nicol David of Malaysia plays a volley against England?s Emily Whitlock at the Australian Open squash in Canberra on August 10, 2011
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The Malaysian seven-time world champion had won all 12 of her previous meetings with Serme but she had to raise her game before triumphing 9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 6-11, 11-4 in her home island of Penang.
Serme produced some sizzling attacking play to take the first game 11-9, before David hit back with an aggressive approach and reeled off the second and third games 11-5.
But Serme stormed back with renewed energy in the fourth game, forcing David into numerous unforced errors as she levelled the match at two games each.
However, any chance of an upset quickly went out of the window as David dominated the deciding fifth game with some sublime winners to seal the 11-4 win.
"My matches against Camille were always a close affair, it really always could go either way," said 30-year-old David, the long-time world number one.
"She just came firing in all cylinders, especially in the first and fourth, but I stuck to my game plan and am pleased to come away with the 3-2 win."
David also shrugged off any concerns about fatigue ahead of her semi-final on Saturday against Egypt's Nour El Sherbini.
"These sort of matches actually gets me going, so I will get adequate rest and be fresh for tomorrow," David said.
Sherbini, who beat English fourth seed in the second round, continued her giant-killing act by dismissing fifth seed Joelle King of New Zealand, 11-9, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6.
Second-seeded Englishwoman Laura Massaro, David's closest rival, also booked a semi-final spot when she fought back from the brink of defeat to oust Malaysian sixth seed Low Wee Wern 12-14, 11-6, 6-11, 13-11, 11-7.
Massaro will next play Egyptian third seed Raneem El Weleily, who beat Ireland's Madeline Perry 10-12, 14-12, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7.
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