Nicol glad to be back in favourite hunting ground
PETALING JAYA: For Malaysian squash icon Nicol David (pic), Hong Kong is more than just a bustling city – it’s where her dreams came true.
And she’s looking to relive some of those fond memories when she competes in the Hong Kong Open in Kowloon this week.
The eight-time world champion enjoyed many pleasant moments in the city dating back to 1994 when she won her first international junior title – the Hong Kong Under-13.
And it was also where she realised her dream of becoming a world champion when she won her first-ever World Open in 2005 to top the world rankings for the first time in her career at the age of 22.
After that, the city continued to be her favourite hunting ground as she dominated the Hong Kong Open – winning it for 10 consecutive years from 2006 to 2015.
It was only in 2016 that her winning run came to an end when she fell in the semi-finals and quarter-finals the following year.
“It (Hong Kong) has always been a special place for me since my junior days – winning my first-ever international junior title all the way to winning my first world open title. So each time I go back, it brings back a flood of fond memories.
“I can still remember winning my first world title there on the harbour front in Kowloon by the Arts and Cultural building.”
“All my dreams came true all at once being the world champion and world No. 1 for the first time. Truly a special time for me.”
Nicol attributed part of her successes and top performances to the support of the locals and the ambience of the city.
“It really is an amazing city with a great buzz.
“The people are really nice and the energy and vibe are always fun.”
“When I’m happy and in a nice environment, I perform better in that tournament.”
Nicol said she was energised after a one-month break and was hoping to make a winning charge for the title.
She had been on her toes from August to mid-October. She won the individual gold and the team bronze at the Asian Games in August and also competed in the China Open, San Francisco Open and US Open.
“I’ve recovered well after the heavy two months of back-to-back tournaments. I started my training with a fresh mind and body and now I’m ready for battle.”
Nicol received a first-round bye yesterday and will now take on English lass Millie Tomlinson in the second round.
Meanwhile, her teammates Low Wee Wern, Rachel Arnold and S. Sivasangari failed to get past the first round but Nafiizwan Adnan and Ng Eain Yow entered the second round with comfortable opening-round victories yesterday.