KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaafar hopes Malaysia's squash queen Nicol David will stay focused on the upcoming Women's World Open squash championship in Madrid, Spain on October 21-27.
The tournament which offers a total prize money of US$114,000 (RM433,200) will be held in a glass court adjacent to the Royal Palace (Palacio Real) in the Spanish capital.
"I think the pressure on Nicol is tremendous at the moment. Being the world number one, everyone is gunning for her. I hope the defeat is just a temporary slip.
"We can't expect her to win all the time, but I hope she will win the World Open for the third time," said Tunku Imran when asked to comment on Nicol's defeat at the British Open early this morning.
He said the British Open championship was one of the major championships for squash, just like the Wimbledon for tennis and the All England for badminton.
"I'm sure being an athlete, she knows what to do next. Her mind is now focused on the World Open. She has probably analysed why she lost to Rachael (Grinham).
"I'm sure between now and the World Open she will be well prepared. And we hope she will deliver the best result," said Tunku Imran.
Earlier this morning, Australia's Rachael Grinham denied Nicol a hat-trick in the final of the 2007 British Open held at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.
The 24-year-old Penangite took the lead in the first two sets on 9-7 and 9-4 but Grinham clawed her way back in the last three sets and Nicol was down to 3-9, 8-10 and 1-9 in a gruelling 87-minute match.
-- BERNAMA
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