"Her current world ranking of 22 doesn't reflect Tania's true status. She was definitely the one in the draw that nobody in the top 16 wanted to meet," added Atkinson.
"She's amazing - she's like a war-horse, she keeps coming back," said the former world champion who is originally from The Hague, but now living in Leeds in the UK. "Tania was so much stronger than she was last week - she's so gutsy."
Defending champion Nicol David destroyed Dutch dreams of local success in the Forexx Women’s World Open Squash 2009 when she beat Netherlands number one Natalie Grinham in today's (Sunday) final of the $118,000 WISPA World Tour event at Frans Otten Stadion in Amsterdam.
The Amsterdam-based Malaysian now becomes only the third player in the history of the championships to win four titles, alongside Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald and New Zealander Susan Devoy.
But it was second seed Natalie Grinham, showing the form of her life in these championships, who set the early pace in the 30th international meeting of their career - dropping just three points en-route to taking the first game.
Midway through the second game, it was again Grinham who looked to be heading to victory - a win which would have been her first over the long-time world number one since April 2007, and one which would have reduced the 22-7 head-to-head lead that Nicol had as the pair took to the court.
But the balance of play swung towards the favourite at 7-6 up in the second: David won the next four points to draw level, and soon established a 7-1 lead in the third.
Grinham, the former Australian who became a Dutch national last year, snatched a further two points before David again rattled off four points in a row to lead 2/1.
Thought by many to be hot favourite to win the title for the first time in her fourth final, Grinham established leads of 4-1, 6-3 and 8-6 in the fourth game - but a determined David just didn't give up.
Two lengthy and crucial rallies saw the score move to eight-all - then two winners from David followed by a miss-hit by Grinham took David to match-ball at 10-8.
Seconds later, referee Chris Sinclair awarded the Malaysian a stroke - and Nicol David raised her arms in delight and relief to celebrate her astonishing 3-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-8 title triumph after 51 minutes.
"I knew it was going to be tough - I felt those eight-all and nine-all points were so crucial," said the new champion, former winner of the crown in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
"I needed that second game. After she won the first, I just didn't want her to get any more confidence.
"I just knew that the rallies would go on and on."
Nicol David, the 26-year-old from Penang who this month became the third longest holder of the world number one ranking of all-time, arrived in Amsterdam with her invincibility slightly shattered after losing in the quarter-finals of the British Open.
"To come back from last week and win my fourth world title means a lot to me," added David.
"I'm so happy. I just don't know what to say."
Natalie Grinham was clearly devastated by the defeat: "I'm still thinking about the game," said the 31-year-old from Almere shortly afterwards. "I wish there was more to play.
"When I think of how sick I was at the start of the year, being able to get a silver medal in the worlds is a great achievement in a way - I’m really delighted to be competing again at such a high level.
"But I’ve been second three times already, and I didn’t come here to be second again, so of course I'm disappointed.
"I thought I was definitely up there."
Semi-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [4] Alison Waters (ENG) 4-11, 11-6, 15-13, 11-7
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 11-13, 11-6, 11-6, 11-4
Quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-6, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [7] Madeline Perry (IRL) 11-5, 11-8, 11-13, 11-2
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 6-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-8
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [8] Laura Massaro (ENG) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
2nd round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Camille Serme (FRA) 11-3, 11-5, 11-0
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Engy Kheirallah (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 11-8
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [16] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-13, 11-7
[7] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [13] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [15] Samantha Teran (MEX) 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [11] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 7-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-3
[8] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [12] Annie Au (HKG) 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt [10] Kasey Brown (AUS) 11-4, 11-8, 11-8
1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Orla Noom (NED) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
Camille Serme (FRA) bt [9] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 11-8, 11-13, 11-7, 11-7
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Delia Arnold (MAS) 11-4, 11-3, 11-4
Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt [14] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 12-10, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [Q] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 11-6, 11-3, 11-4
[16] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [Q] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6
[7] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [Q] Latasha Khan (USA) 11-3, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5
[13] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt [Q] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 2-11, 11-9, 11-3, 6-11, 11-6
[15] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) 6-11, 11-0, 11-7, 11-7
[6] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [Q] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4
[11] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Tania Bailey (ENG) 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-4
[12] Annie Au (HKG) bt [Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 8-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-3
[8] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Joey Chan (HKG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-8
[10] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [Q] Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-1
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt Lauren Briggs (ENG) 11-1, 11-3, 11-5
Qualifying finals:
Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt Dipika Pallikal (IND) 11-5, 2-11, 11-8, 10-12, 12-10
Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Victoria Lust (ENG) 16-18, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8
Latasha Khan (USA) bt Emma Beddoes (ENG) 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8
Joey Chan (HKG) bt Annelize Naude (NED) 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9
Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8
Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11-9, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9
Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-5, 11-8, 11-3
Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Sharon Wee (MAS) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8
2nd qualifying round:
Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt Leonie Holt (ENG) 11-2, 11-6, 11-3
Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Lisa Camilleri (AUS) 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8
Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Alexandra Norman (CAN) 11-6, 11-7, 11-2
Victoria Lust (ENG) bt Christina Mak (HKG) 11-5, 11-4, 7-11, 11-4
Latasha Khan (USA) bt Melody Francis (AUS) 11-1, 11-5, 11-2
Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt Lucie Fialova (CZE) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6
Annelize Naude (NED) bt Deon Saffery (WAL) 11-2, 11-6, 11-2
Joey Chan (HKG) bt Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10
Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Alana Miller (CAN) 11-9, 7-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5
Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Celia Allamargot (FRA) 11-9, 11-9, 11-5
Kylie Lindsay (NZL) bt Elise Ng (HKG) 5-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7
Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4
Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Lauren Selby (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 11-6
Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-5, 7-11, 11-3, 11-2
Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Lauren Siddall (ENG) 11-7, 12-14, 11-9, 6-0 ret.
Sharon Wee (MAS) bt Emma Chorley (ENG) 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8
1st qualifying round:
Leonie Holt (ENG) bt Olga Ertlova (CZE) 12-10, 11-5, 2-11, 6-11, 11-6
Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Cecilie Mayer (DEN) 11-5, 11-2, 11-4
Alexandra Norman (CAN) bt Jenna Gates (ENG) 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6
Victoria Lust (ENG) bt Maud Duplomb (FRA) 11-6, 10-12, 11-4, 11-5
Melody Francis (AUS) bt Dagmar Vermeulen (NED) 11-6, 12-14, 11-4, 11-5
Lucie Fialova (CZE) bt Milja Dorenbos (NED) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7
Deon Saffery (WAL) bt Linda Hruzikova (SVK) 11-9, 12-10, 11-3
Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) bt Adel Weir (RSA) 11-7, 12-10, 11-6
Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Fiona Moverley (ENG) 12-10, 11-8, 11-7
Celia Allamargot (FRA) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 7-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-3, 11-3
Kylie Lindsay (NZL) bt Margriet Huisman (NED) 11-9, 11-6, 14-16, 11-1
Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Birgit Coufal (AUT) 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5
Lauren Selby (ENG) bt Anna-Carin Forstadius (SWE) 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-4
Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) bt Karina Heredia Gonzalez (MEX) 11-3, 11-2, 11-4
Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Soraya Renai (FRA) 11-2, 11-3, 11-2
Emma Chorley (ENG) bt Lotte Eriksen (NOR) 11-9, 11-6, 13-11
Issued by iSPORTmedia