Howard Harding talks to
the returning hero ...
 England's
top squash player Nick Matthew returned home this
week after a whirlwind three-month overseas campaign which
has seen the Yorkshireman win two Commonwealth Games gold
medals; become England's first world champion;
and clinch a seventh major Tour title of the year
which will ensure his status as the world number one
in January.
After undergoing career-threatening shoulder surgery in
2008, Matthew began 2010 by winning his third British
National title - then went on to collect PSA trophies in
Sweden, USA, London, Cairo and
Canberra before overcoming fellow Yorkshireman James
Willstrop in Delhi to win the Commonwealth Games
singles gold medal.
It was two months later in Saudi Arabia that the
30-year-old again lined up against England team-mate
Willstrop in the final of the PSA World Open, going on to
become England's first ever world champion!
With no time to celebrate his unique achievement, Matthew
returned to New Delhi for the final PSA Super Series event
of the year. Victory in the Punj Lloyd PSA Masters not only
netted the top Englishman his seventh title of the year, but
assured his status as world number one in the January 2011
rankings.
 "The
biggest thing that hit home after my triumph in Saudi was
that I had become the first Englishman to have won it,.
"That's something that nobody can take away from me forever.
"It's been a dream year, the Commonwealth Games, World Open
and world number one ranking were my goals at the beginning
of the year and I set my sights high, so to have achieved
all three is amazing - something that was perhaps more of a
dream goal rather than a realistic one!
"The world number one spot was obviously a reward for
consistency over the year; the Commonwealth golds transcend
the sport and reach far greater audiences than just within
squash itself; and becoming world champion means you were
the best player when everyone really, really wanted to peak.
"So all three are special in different ways; getting the
number one spot back is massive too as I didn't hold it for
too long first time around!"
Will the success make any difference to his life?
 "It
makes no difference the next time I set foot on court; I
still have to beat the guy in front of me, and he will be
still trying to bust a gut to beat me - probably even more
so now! It's always great to get the scalp of the world
champion.
"I think the difference will be more at the end of my
career. It is something that can set you apart, and means
your name lives on both in and out of the sport.
"The biggest disappointment for me is that squash is not in
London 2012 to capitalise on our success in the
Commonwealths, and at world level with the first ever all
English World Open final.
"Everything is focussed on 2012 now in our country and we
would be massive news right now in the build up to that.
"Outside of that, we have to do our best to get the next
generation picking up a racket, and hopefully this
generation of players can inspire kids to do that. Hopefully
the success of English squash at the moment will get more
coverage of our sport out in the media too and on live TV."
 Understandably,
Nick's immediate priorities are on finally celebrating his
success now that he is back home:
"I will have to sit down after Christmas and plan some new
goals for 2011 - after enjoying achieving these ones first!
"I can't wait to catch up with all my close friends and
family, and all those people who have supported me over the
years. These are the people I'm dying to see and say thank
you to - over a beer or two!" |
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