Squash: Lincou plans to end his career in France

Thierry Lincou, the former world number one from France, has confounded predictions that he will retire after the World Open starting here Sunday -- even though he is the tournaments oldest player.The 35-year-old from Marseille is still good enough to be seeded in the worlds top ten, and he plans to extend his history-making career until the world team championships at Chartres in 2013.That could be a fitting climax for the only Frenchman ever to have won the World Open, something he achieved by saving a match point against Lee Beachill of England in the 2004 final in Doha.How Lincou has preserved his talent so well has been an increasingly popular question. There are many reasons, he said.The main one is that I really looked after my body very well. I always did some intelligent, well planned training programme -- and with a nice idea of life as well.Everything was planned. The family and children did encourage me to keep it going as well. I have a stable life.I was really enjoying training and I really like playing the tour. Thats an important key to success. Some guys dont like travelling so much and dont cope with the flights and the jet lag, and dont want to leave home. But I never had that issue.