NICOL David was so overcome with emotion that she slumped to the court and then leant on a wall with tears streaking down her face after winning a historic eighth World Championship title in Cairo on Saturday.
The raw display of emotion comes just nine months after Nicol was left in tears for a different reason when she missed an opportunity to win the world title in front of her own fans in Penang.
But determined to redeem herself, Nicol showed she remains at the top of her game by saving four match points to down World No 3 Raneem El Weleily and disappoint a partisan home crowd with a 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 14-12, 11-5 win in 66 minutes.
Widely acclaimed as the best player in the sport, Nicol enhanced her reputation further as one of the all-time greats by tying Pakistani legend Jansher Khan's record of eight world titles.
“I don’t know what to feel actually,” said Nicol after receiving her trophy. “You work so hard and when the final plays out like this you don’t know what to do with yourself. But I am so very happy.
“There were moments when I thought it could be over, but I didn’t want it to end that way. I dug very deep, because I wanted it badly.
“Raneem is so strong, and I knew that if I didn't do something about it she would take it. I wanted to make it happen, so, yes there was a change of emphasis in the way I played.
“It was quite difficult to do that, when Raneem is going for broke. It gives you a little less time to play. But I had to take time away from her too, and I found a way to do that.”
It almost did not happen for Nicol, who was made to work hard by Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy for an 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 win in Friday's semi-finals, as she was 2-1 down in games and facing four match points at 6-10 in the fourth.
But Raneem, perhaps feeling the pressure of expectations in her maiden world final, volleyed down three times to let Nicol off the hook and once the latter went to a fifth game, it became a foregone conclusion.
“I told myself I wanted to win the last point. I just kept repeating that it's not over until it’s over,” said Nicol of her near-defeat.
“Raneem was just playing too well, I just had to find something in me. I just wouldn’t let go and just kept fighting.
“I also want to say to Raneem, she was a real contender today. I'm happy to keep watching out for her, she’s a humble, honest and graceful champion.”
Nicol’s win crowned a great year which saw her win gold at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, win six other WSA Tour titles and lead Malaysia to a first appearance in the Women's World Team Championship final.
Nicol has also reigned for 100 consecutive months as the World No 1 and her win on Saturday at age 31 made a mockery of Egypt national coach Omar El Borolossy’s claim that the Malaysian will no longer be a factor in two years' time.