Champ David in seventh heaven

Hong Kong is home away from home for Malaysia's world No 1 Nicol David, who won her seventh consecutive title in the city yesterday when she beat Frenchman Camille Serme 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7 in the final of the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open.

Unlike the previous day, when rain forced the men's semi-finals to be moved from the outdoor court at the Cultural Centre piazza in Tsim Sha Tsui to the Hong Kong Squash Centre in Admiralty, the weather gods were kind yesterday as the clouds cleared just before the finals began. This was important because two senior International Olympic Committee officials were in town to evaluate the sport, which is bidding to join the Games in 2020.

This time they got to watch the show against the spectacular backdrop of Victoria Harbour.

"The fact that they have seen the quality of the game, the way Hong Kong organises this tournament ... I hope we've impressed them," David said.

What surely was impressive was the quality of David's game even though, at 58 minutes, it was the Malaysian's longest match at this year's tournament.

"It's always special in Hong Kong. It was here that I won my first World Open title [2005] so there's always a special feeling when I play in Hong Kong," she said.