MALAYSIANS can rest easy. Nicol David plans on hanging around for a long while yet.

While many have fretted over the lack of a successor to Nicol, the Malaysian squash superstar has promised that she will not be going anywhere in the foreseeable future.

Nicol believes she still has a good eight to 10 years left in her before she does finally take her bow from a sport that has given her so much.

And when she does, she is not about to walk away from it all.

"If I can stay healthy and stay away from injuries, I can see myself playing on for the next eight to ten more years," said World No 1 Nicol in an interview on the sidelines of the recent Kuala Lumpur Open at the Berjaya Times Square.
"I just have to make sure that I take care of my body and hope I can stay the course. That is why it is so important to have a physical trainer with me at all times to work with."

Penang-born Nicol, who has reigned as the Wispa Tour's top-ranked player for the last 20 months, plans of giving back to the sport in as much the same way golf's Tiger Woods is doing -- by setting up her own academy.

"Once I'm done with the circuit, I would like to set up my own squash academy, first in Penang, then across the country. Squash is a big part of my life and I'm more than happy to give something back," said Amsterdam-based Nicol, where she trains under coach Liz Irving.

Despite winning eight titles on the Wispa Tour last year -- the most she has won in a single season -- Nicol had mixed emotions about a year which also saw her concede the British and World Open titles.

She missed out on clinching a hat-trick of titles at the two tournaments, but like the champion that she is, Nicol expects to regain both crowns this year.

"My main aim this year is to regain both titles starting with the British Open in May. I've taken the time with Liz to analyse what went wrong, cover every single aspect that could have triggered it."

"You learn more from your losses. You train hard and prepare the best you can, but it all comes down to that particular day when something just happens.

"It serves as a real motivation to continuously improve my game. To get to the World No 1 rank is one thing, but to stay there over a period of time means I have to constantly work on trying to be the best I can," added said Nicol, who first rose to the summit of the world ranking for an initial three-month reign from January to March 2006.

Nicol just can't help but feel there is still something missing from her repertoire of speed, deft boasts and drops on court.

"I still do not feel like I have reached my potential. I strive everyday in training with Liz and Sarah Fitzgerald to improve my game and move on to the next level.

"I'm trying to be the complete squash player but I'll never know if or when I'll be at that level. It is what keeps me going, besides trying to stay ahead of the girls on tour," said Nicol, who has enlisted Australian squash legend Sarah to help with her quest.

Nicol was clearly at her best again as she wrapped up her 26th Wispa Tour title at the KL Open without dropping a game in four matches.

She was too quick and agile on court for World No 2 Natalie Grinham of the Netherlands to win her fourth Wispa Tour title since her shock second round exit at the World Open last October.

There remains one burning desire which Nicol fears she may never get a chance to fulfil for all of her domination of women's squash -- to play in the Olympic Games.

"It is the highlight of any athlete's career, one which most can only dream of, to be world champion and win an Olympic gold medal.

"I know it's too late for London (in 2012) but there is a possibility of squash making it in 2016. We only lost out narrowly in the last vote and I think I should still be around then (if squash makes it).

"My only hope is that one day we (squash players) get a chance to be part of it (the Olympic bandwagon)." said Nicol. Nicol does not want to wade into the debate of the lack of a successor to her but she does believe that squash will continue to grow in Malaysia long after she has hung up her racquet.

"The beauty of squash is that anyone can pick it up. I always encourage kids to play squash in the hope that some of them will do well.

"There is a lot of hard work involved but there are just as many things that make it a whole lot of fun. There is the thrill of playing in different parts of the world and meeting different players and people.

"The National Sports Council has done a great job in supporting the sport and the Government too for making it a core sport. So I think squash will continue to grow here with all that effort that is going in."