Retired Malaysian squash queen Datuk Nicol David shares how she developed the mindset of a champion and the important lessons she takes with her
Only a handful of people can claim that they have held the title of world champion. Former Malaysian professional squash player Datuk Nicol David achieved that extraordinary feat not once but eight times.
She held the world No 1 position for a record-breaking 108 consecutive months from 2006 to 2015. She also won the World Squash Championships (formerly known as the World Open) eight times and the British Open title five times.
Her achievements have garnered admiration around the globe, establishing her as one of the greatest squash players in history.
Following her retirement from the sport in 2019, David has dedicated her time and energy to the Nicol David Organisation. Through the organisation’s Little Legends programme, she fosters positive values, such as confidence and respect, in young children through sports and education.
Read more: Retired world No 1 squash champion Datuk Nicol David wants to see more inclusion in sports
In November 2023, David spoke at the Tatler Gen.T Summit in Hong Kong and shared insights that business leaders can learn from elite athletes. Here are some of our favourite quotes.
If you prefer listening to our conversation with her, you can listen to the podcast below.
On being not afraid to start over
“I was fortunate to have a female coach, Liz Irving, who supported me throughout my journey. She served not only as a coach but also as a mentor and friend. She advised me to start afresh from the beginning as I had to change my entire game and mindset to suit the demands of a professional squash player. She wanted me to strive to become the best in the world,” she said.
“I had to relearn the basics: how to hold a racket, hit the ball and move on the court. It felt strange to start from scratch. In those initial four years, I had to accept defeat in matches I had never lost. The first year was particularly tough. My ranking was dropping, but I stayed focused. I was following the path she had shown me, heading in the right direction because she had been there before.”
