PETALING JAYA: When Nicol David lost in the semi-finals of the KL Open in March and the final of the British Open in May – both times to England’s Laura Massaro – the critics were quick to jump to the conclusion that here’s a player on the wane.
But trust Nicol, who turns 30 on Aug 26, to do what she does always – make her critics eat their word.
And, boy, did she do it in style – brushing aside all and sundry en route to winning her third World Games gold medal in Cali, Colombia, on Sunday and retaining her world No. 1 ranking for 85 consecutive months.
Only a player with the drive, grit and determination that Nicol has in abundance could have thrived in the tough and challenging conditions in Cali.
The fact that Nicol won all her matches without dropping a set against a field of younger opponents – except against finalist Natalie Grinham of Holland – is a testament of her strength and quality.
The bigger concern now, however, is the form of national No. 2 and fellow Penangite Low Wee Wern, who finished a disappointing fourth at the World Games.
The 23-year-old had a strong finish last year and also began the year strongly, reaching a career-high No. 6 in the world.
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