Nicol David exclusive: The secret behind being squash World No. 1 for 108 months
In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, the Malaysian squash legend reveals her rich sporting heritage and highlights what we can expect from her sport’s Olympic debut at LA 2028.
Squash
Growing up, Nicol David was one of only three girls who played squash in the Malaysian state of Penang. The other two were her sisters.
That the siblings were sporty was no surprise. Their father was the Malaysia national football team's goalkeeper and encouraged his children to try many sports.
However, squash had no significant tradition in the Southeast Asian nation, and it was purely by chance that a five-year-old David picked up a racket for the first time.
“I grew up in a sports family, with different balls in the house and rackets and hockey sticks all over the place.” Nicol told Olympics.com.
“We had so much encouragement growing up to play sports and a squash complex was introduced as a public square centre in my hometown. So my two older sisters, Lianne and Cheryl, started playing and I joined them. So if it wasn't for that public square centre, I would have never played squash.”
Nicol David's record-breaking achievements
David fell in love with it immediately, demonstrating a natural ability to land silver in the Under-14 category of the 1992 Penang State Junior Championship.
She then announced herself on the world stage by becoming the first player ever to win the World Junior title twice, in 1999 and 2001.
Renowned for her boundless energy, the Asian star won the World Open a record eight times and the British Open five times between 2005 and 2014, and won the World Player of the Year award on seven occasions before retiring in 2019.
Perhaps most impressively, David became the world number one in August 2006 and held that ranking for a record-breaking 108 consecutive months. But how did she do it?
“When I got to that number one position, I didn't feel that I was fully there. I didn't feel that I was the number one. I just knew that I was still the number two aspiring to be number one. And that was my mindset probably every year that I went into competition wanting to win another world title. Wanting to improve myself,” she continued.
“It’s easier said than done, and it was tough but that was my mindset going into a new year, setting new goals with my coach, Liz Irving, the former world champion from Australia. Her method of guiding me, of improving those small details made me a better player.
“If I ever had a bad day and lost, I would only go down slightly and the others had to play their best squash, and I still felt that I could be ahead of them.” - Nicol David to Olympics.com.
David’s achievements dramatically changed the sporting landscape in Malaysia.
Where squash was once an outlier, it is now a mainstream sport for kids all around the country.
“In my state alone we have like probably 400 kids playing squash and it is still growing. There are about 1000 kids all around Malaysia playing the sport.
“This is what it's all about, having role models to follow suit. Now the next generation is coming forward to pave the way for the generation after.”
Squash's Olympic debut at LA 2028
On top of Nicol’s popularity, the opportunity to win Olympic gold is driving more kids towards squash in Malaysia.
In October 2023, the IOC Executive Board accepted the LA28 Organising Committee’s recommendation to give the sport its Olympic debut at the LA 2028 Games.
Despite never getting the chance to compete for a gold medal, David has a deep affinity with the Games having carried the Olympic torch for Malaysia during the build-up to Athens 2004, and served as Malaysia's Deputy Chef de Mission for Paris 2024.
“I'm so thrilled that squash is in the Olympic Games in LA 2028. All our efforts have paid off,” she said.
“Obviously it hasn’t happened during my time playing the sport, but personally I just wanted to see that dream come true where a squash player can finally be an Olympian and win an Olympic medal. So whether it's from Malaysia or it's from another country, I just want to see a squash player on the podium.”
Malaysia has a rich heritage in racket sports, particularly badminton where it has some of the world’s top players.
The addition of squash to the Olympic programme greatly increases the nation’s chance of winning its first Olympic title.
Players like Sivasangari Subramaniam, who recovered from a major car accident and is currently a women’s top-10 ranked player, and Ng Eain Yow on the men's side, are picking up where David left off.
*“*I'm very fortunate to be part of a programme in Malaysia called the Road to Gold. This is our campaign to push our athletes and to give them the right support in any way to get Malaysia’s first Olympic gold medal,” David said.
Nicol Ann David of Malaysia (blue) competes against Sivasangari Subramaniam of Malaysia (grey) during women's singles final at the Asian Games on August 26, 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
David has maintained her fitness since she finished with competitive squash, and few people know more about winning than her.
So would the GOAT be tempted to come out of retirement for a shot at Olympic gold?
“Not at all! Just watching the squash game right now makes me tired. It's already a five-year retired body, so it's not a squash player's body anymore.”