The American coach got off to a stumbling start in his debut, reports Inas Mazhar DEFENDING champions, top seeds and world number ones Nick and Nicol David both successfully defended their World Open titles in contrasting finals at the Luxor Theatre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands' City of Sports. Malaysian superstar David collected a record sixth World Open title in Rotterdam with a supreme performance to dismiss second seed Jenny Duncalf in straight games in just under half an hour. David beat Duncalf 11/ 2, 11/5, 11/0. The English world number two didn't do anything wrong, made very few unforced errors, but it was hard to see where her points were going to come from, such was the control that the Malaysian, moving and hitting supremely well, was exerting on the match and on her opponent. , who last year became the first Englishman to win the PSA World Open squash title, became the first player in 15 years to defend the premier PSA World Tour crown when he beat Frenchman Gregory Gaultier in a stunning final. defeat Gaultier 6/11, 11/9, 11/6, 11/5. Gaultier, playing in his third World Open final since 2006, pulled away to take a tough first game -- but the 31-year-old from Sheffield took an equally tough second, then pulled clear at the end of the third after the Frenchman took a small injury break after a mid-court collision. The defending champion made a strong start to the fourth, and at 6-1 it looked as if the end was in sight. But Gaultier, appealing to the crowd for help, started on a comeback that was cut short at 6-4 by a couple of errors. Once had re-established the lead, the Yorkshireman closed out the match 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 -- and raised his arms in triumph. , now with 21 Tour titles to his credit, had to avenge his shock defeat to young Egyptian Tarek Mo'men in last month's Qatar Classic in the second round, before surviving a tough five-game battle with world No 8 Mohamed El-Shorbagi, also a young Egyptian, in the third.
