Malaysia’s most accomplished sporting champion Nicol David crashed out of the world squash championship despite home ground advantage on Thursday, ending her dreams of a ninth world title.
The Malaysian ace was dispatched by fifth seed Nour El Sherbini of Egypt 14-12, 4-11, 11-3, 11-7 in the quarterfinals.
David, one of the game’s all-time greats, is a national icon — her matches this week have been played at the Nicol David Arena.
The 32-year-old was seeking to win the PSA World Championship on home soil in Malaysia for the first time after falling short on two other attempts.
The defending champion has already won a record eight world championships but has seen her game falter lately, surrendering her world number one rank last September after a dominant nine-year run.
Meanwhile, world number one Laura Massaro of England went through to the semi-finals after defeating Egyptian Omneya Abdel Kawy 11-3, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7.
Massaro will next meet world number three Raneem El Welily from Egypt who beat Amanda Sobhy from the United States 11-5, 5-11, 12-10, 11-7 and booked a berth among the final four.
No world championship was held in 2015 after the event was suddenly called off in December amid controversy, with its previous promoter claiming that security concerns in Malaysia prevented it being staged.
Malaysian officials, however, denied any security threat and accused the promoters of a ploy to secure more financial support. –Â Agence France-Presse
