LAURA Massaro missed out on a second Delaware Investment US Open title after losing a marathon final to world number one Nicol David.

The top two players in the world thrilled fans at the Drexel University in Philadelphia in a gripping 84 minute five-game showdown.

In a tournament where prize money in the men’s and women’s competition was equal for the first time, there could not have been a more fitting finale.

Massaro, the world number two from Chorley, was looking to win her second US Open title while Malaysian superstar David was the defending champion.

In the end, it was David who just held off her biggest rival, winning 13-11, 11-13, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5.

Massaro, who won the title in 2011, had her chances of victory. Leading 2-1 in games and 7-4 up in the fourth, the former Albany High School pupil had the title in her sights.

But David showed just why she has been world number one since January 2006, as she won seven of the next eight points to take the game 11-7 and force the decider.

In the fifth and final game, David capitalised on two rare Massaro errors to open up a 7-3 lead and she never looked back and clinched the game 11-5 to retain her title.

While Massaro was clearly disappointed, it was a mark of her levels of recovery to push David all the way having won an equally tough semi final against Low Wee Wern the previous day.

Massaro, who lives in Hoghton, beat the world number six 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 in a match that also went beyond the 80 minute mark.

After victory, David said: “It’s been such a journey this year. I knew Laura was playing well, and I would have to dig deep.

“When I was down in the fourth, she maybe stepped off it a little, I just knew I had to keep going and going to the last point.”