Malaysia's world squash number one Nicol David declared Friday she wants four more years at the top of the sport after fighting back from a game down to claim the Asian Games singles gold.
David eventually outclassed her compatriot Low Wee Wern 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 12-10 in the final, but had to work to regain her Asian Games title.
The 31-year-old, who now has four Asian Games golds to add to her seven World Open titles, warned rivals that she felt her game was still improving -- and she had no plans to hang up her racquet yet.
"When I'm feeling this good I don't want to settle down any time soon, so in another four years or so I'll be playing this game for sure," she told reporters.
"After all these years I'm understanding it a lot more and it's even more exciting so every time I step on court it's something new and for me it's just a challenge that I love."
Rounding out the podium behind the Malaysian one-two were India's Dipika Pallikal and Hong Kong's Annie Au Wing Chi.
Brilliant flashes
Low, facing her idol in a major final for the first time, was far from overawed and put in a spirited performance with some flashes of brilliance.
The 24-year-old world number seven came flying out of the blocks to take the first game as David struggled to find her rhythm.
But David stepped up a gear from the second game, dominating the centre of the court and sending Low scurrying with an array of disguised drop shots and clever angles.
The decisive fourth game was a fiercely-contested affair, culminating in a titanic rally with Low leading 9-7.
With Low on the edge of three game points and the prospect of a fifth set looming, David dug deep to produce a superb winner.
The defending champion got the game back to parity before an unforced error from Low gave her the opening she needed to wrap up the match in 53 minutes.
David praised her opponent.
"She's got a lot of experience as well coming into this game and she's not in the final for nothing and I knew it was going to be a great battle and it showed today," she said.
Low, singles bronze medallist at the games in Guangzhou, China four years ago, said she was pleased with her performance despite coming up short.
"It was a very good match, the two of us gave it our all, but Nicol is the world number one and seven-time world champion, so it's obviously very hard to break her down and her experience helped her towards the end," she said.
And the years have done nothing to dim the smiling David's enthusiasm for the game.
It has been 16 years since she won her first Asian Games gold in Bangkok but the thrill of big stage still drives her on.
"Playing in that show court, the glass court, you work so hard and you want everything to come together all at once," she said.
"That buzz -- you can't get it anywhere else but on that court so that's what motivates me and that's what gives me that drive to keep wanting to play and wanting to win."
Despite her enthusiasm David is set to end her career with at least one disappointment after failing in her cherished ambition to get the sport added to the Olympics.
"It's tough, but what I want to see is a squash player one day being on the medal podium at the Olympics," she said.
AFP
Tue Sep 23 2014
NICOL: It's tough, but what I want to see is a squash player one day being on the medal podium at the Olympics.
Turkiye sertai Afrika Selatan tuduh Israel di ICJ
Turkiye akan menyerahkan pengisytiharan campur tangan rasmi kepada ICJ dengan objektif membantu mempercepatkan tindakan ke atas Israel.
Asmaa berjalan kaki berjam lamanya demi roti
Situasi di Gaza jauh berbeza dengan tempat-tempat lain. Bangunan musnah, ditambah ketiadaan sumber asas - tempat tinggal, bekalan air serta makanan...pastinya terlintas di fikiran bagaimana kehidupan seharian mereka di saat nyawa sentiasa menjadi ancaman. Menyelami kehidupan masyarakat Palestin di Gaza, ada yang terpaksa berjalan berjam-jam lamanya ke satu tempat untuk mendapatkan alas perut buat keluarga.
'Puluhan ribu gugur terkena mesin perang Zionis'
Masa yang sepatutnya diguna untuk meraikan sambutan Hari Pekerja Sedunia diganti dengan himpunan untuk menunjukkan tanda bersolidariti dengan rakyat Palestin. Itu yang berlaku di Tunisia yang mana ribuan rakyatnya berhimpun di ibu negara Tunis sebagai tanda sokongan terhadap penduduk Gaza dengan memanggil himpunan sebagai 'May Day'.
Lebuh raya runtuh, 24 maut
Menurut CCTV, pihak berkuasa China menghantar kira-kira 500 anggota penyelamat ke lokasi insiden.
TPM yakin produktiviti akan meningkat seiring kenaikan gaji
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yakin produktiviti dan prestasi penjawat awam akan dilipatgandakan seiring dengan keputusan Kerajaan menaikkan gaji kumpulan itu melebihi 13% bermula 1 Disember ini.
Ancaman bom palsu cetus panik di 100 sekolah di India
Ancaman bom palsu telah mencetuskan panik di sekolah di ibu negara India pada pagi Rabu dengan ibu bapa bergegas membawa pulang anak-anak mereka.
Anak muda bangkit gesa pemimpin buat pendirian tetap
Anak muda mula menunjukkan semangat kebangkitan tatkala dunia masih celaru untuk menghentikan kehilangan nyawa berterusan rakyat Palestin di Gaza. Suara yang diketepi diakhiri dengan protes besar-besar yang menjadi polemik dalam kalangan mahasiswa di Amerika Syarikat ketika ini.
Migran banjiri 'Mount Street' dipindah ke penempatan baharu
200 buah khemah yang digunakan imigran di bandar Dublin dirampas dan dibersihkan dari pemandangan ibu negara Ireland pada pagi Rabu. Imigran yang berlindung di situ kemudian ditempatkan di pusat yang telah disediakan.
TPM yakin produktiviti akan meningkat seiring kenaikan gaji
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yakin produktiviti dan prestasi penjawat awam akan dilipatgandakan seiring dengan keputusan Kerajaan menaikkan gaji kumpulan itu melebihi 13% bermula 1 Disember ini.
Henti pusing modal lama - Ahmad Zahid
Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi memberi amaran kepada semua pihak untuk tidak 'memusing' modal lama sepanjang berkempen pada Pilihan Raya Kecil Kuala Kubu Baharu yang sedang berlangsung, semata-mata untuk mencalarkan imej UMNO dan Barisan Nasional.
Sukan Asia ke-19 ditunda ke September 2023
Sukan Asia ke-19 yang dijadualkan berlangsung di Hangzhou, China dari 10 hingga 25 September akan ditunda ke tarikh baharu iaitu dari 23 September hingga 8 Oktober 2023.
Chong Wei ketepikan dua kejohanan besar kerana masalah kesihatan
Jaguh badminton negara itu telah dinasihatkan oleh doktornya agar berehat dan menjalani rawatan selepas mengalami masalah berkaitan respiratori.