Every once in a while an individual comes along to dominate a certain sport. “And Nicol David seems to be heading in that direction,” says Irving, her squash coach. Nicol dominated the junior scene with two world titles in 1999 and 2001. She has now stamped her mark at the senior level and her Australian coach, Liz Irving, believes that it is Nicol’s destiny to dominate world squash.
“Nicol wants to win. She is challenged, driven by succeeding and has a purpose,” said Irving on Saturday. “I think it’s just her destiny. Really I do. You see it when she is on the court. Sometimes it’s like the opponent is irrelevant,” said Irving.
On court, Nicol has been compared to an energizer bunny since her junior years. She is so nimble on her feet and accurate with her shots that they make her the best retriever in squash. “Nicol does not rely on her speed for her strength. It’s just a back-up. A lot of people are trying to improve their speed because of Nicol,” Irving said.
“But you can’t because it’s natural for her. It’s not natural for many of the other girls. Natalie and Rachael have always been quick, that is really not going to change either. They are not going to get any quicker. There are a lot of big strong girls on the circuit. But they are not going to be as quick as Nicol because they are not in that build.” Irving added that Nicol must keep learning the true essence of the game – what the court gives you and how to handle the pressure and opponents.
Related posts:
