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North American Open 2009
23-28 Feb, Richmond, Virginia |
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When Framboise interviews Fram...
An open discussion with the Mad French Woman...
SO, AFTER RMCHMOND, VIRGINIA…
 “Fram, everybody knows what you are like, that you can be a real
pain in the butt sometimes, but if somebody cannot deal with
you, then he is a flipping idiot.”
It’s with those kind words that one of my close collaborators
consoled me from my ordeal only hours after a storm in a tea cup
that was completely blown out of proportion by somebody in my
view who is lacking in people skills, to say the least…
Truth is, people, I’m famous on the squash circuit for my
diplomacy and patience … Naaaaa.
In fact, I’m renowned I hear for my short-fused temper, that
can be diffused by a few calming words I'm told, only to see me
bursting into tears seconds later. Within minutes, the storm is
over, everybody has forgotten about it, and we all get on fine
and get on with our lives…
”Everybody appreciates the work you do, Fram, but you are more
work than all the players put together,” I’ve just been told.
True I guess. I do have a lot of demands…
I demand a single room in the tournament hotel – to be able to
work all night long when needed, and to stay close with the players and officials, and get my
stories/knowledge of what is happening.
I demand a reserved seat
backwall in full view and easy access to be able to
analyse/report on the matches in good conditions.
I demand quick
access to the willing-to-talk players after a match because I've
got between three and ten minutes to report on one match before
the next one starts.
I demand tea, or at least water.
And wait
for it, I demand easy and close internet access on my
own laptop for the whole
duration of the matches. I know that will shock somebody in
Virginia, but that’s a kind of girl I am…
BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR REAL LIFE THEN…??
Funny, I’ve been an actress for the past 32 years now, and in
all those years, I’ve only lost my temper twice with employers.
So why would I be so demanding on the squash circuit, and much
more easy to work with in my own profession? Well, I believe
it’s a question of expectations.
When I’m in a studio, and paid around £250 a hour to work on a
project, I don’t mind if the client is late, or doesn’t know
what he is doing, or changes his mind 45 times to eventually
come back to the first proposal I made. I don’t mind, because
the clock is running, because I know I’m extremely skilled, and
that I’m making a lot of money in a very short time, allowing me
to do whatever I want the rest of the time. And I just zip it,
and get on with it.
Whereas, during the six years spent serving the squash
community, I’ve only come to expect, apart from trust and
sometimes friendships with squash people, Respect and
Recognition of my work. No money in view…
So, when I realise that I’m not getting that
respect/recognition, when I’m not given the basic tools to do my
job, when I'm treated like dirt under the King's shoes, I’m then
overwhelmed by a feeling of unfairness and utter despair I guess, my
adrenalin pumps up, and as I can’t tell myself to zip it
up and think of the money, I just cannot stop some unwanted
emotions/reactions coming up.
STILL, YOU KNOW YOU ARE SHORT FUSED, DON’T YOU…
Yes, I’ve been working for years and years on controlling my
temper, to not send an angry email within the ten first minutes
I write it, not to speak with somebody when I’m under the
impulse to shout at them, to just walk away instead, to go round
around the block when I feel the urge to explode, and to make
sure in advance that all the working conditions are in place for
me to prevent any adrenalin pumping…
But as hard as I try, there are moments I fail. The “Perfect
Fram” model has been discontinued, only the “Pain in the Big
Butt with the Heart in the Right Place Fram” is available.
So, I guess that, as long as the World of Squash is not able to
pay me the income I believe my hard work entitles me to, but
still wants me to promote their events, I guess it will have to
deal with me, with my faults, with my weaknesses ... or not. I’m
afraid I come as the whole package. Sorry people. Now, if I was
one day earning a good living from Squash, and still behaved
like a Drama Queen, I guess I would have to reassess the whole
situation…
Still, if I regret a bit wasting £1,000 on flights just to see
the qualifying, I definitely regret not being allowed the chance to finish
serving the Davenport Tournament, as I had a great relationship
with all the Country Club of Virginia Members and Staff, not to
mention how deeply I appreciated the welcome we got from the
Jefferson Hotel.
Yes, a real shame for everybody involved I believe...
LAST WORDS...?
I know in my heart I’m doing my best to be a better person every
minute of every day that goes by. I’m every day tend towards
perfection. God knows I try. But you know what, I sometimes
fail.
Put me against the wall, and shoot me at dawn…
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North American Open 2009
Men's Draw $93k |
Round One
Feb 23/24 |
Round Two
Feb 25 |
Quarters
Feb 26 |
Semis
Feb 27 |
Final
Feb 28 |
[1]
Karim Darwish (Egy)
11/6, 11/1, 11/3 (23m)
[Q] Arshad Iqbal Burkhi (Pak) |
[1] Karim Darwish
6/11, 11/3, 11/9, 14/12 (52m)
[14] Renan Lavigne |
[1] Karim Darwish
11/4, 11/5, 11/7 (45m)
[5] David Palmer |
[1] Karim Darwish
8/11, 11/7, 11/7, 6/11, 11/7 (74m)
[3] Ramy Ashour |
[3] Ramy Ashour
11/8, 13/11, 10/12, 5/11, 11/8
[8] Nick Matthew |
[14] Renan
Lavigne (Fra)
11/7, 11/9, 11/5 (41m)
[Q] Yann Perrin (Fra) |
[5]
David Palmer (Aus)
11/5, 11/0, 11/6 (31m)
[Q] Rafael Alarcon (Bra) |
[5] David Palmer
12/10, 11/6, 11/8 (54m)
[15] Saurav Ghosal |
[15]
Saurav Ghosal (Ind)
11/6, 11/5, 11/2 (37m)
Yasser El Halaby (Egy) |
[3] Ramy Ashour
(Egy)
7/11, 12/10, 11/8, 11/6 (46m)
Steve Coppinger (Rsa) |
[3] Ramy Ashour
11/9, 11/8, 11/5 (39m)
[14] Joey Barrington |
[3] Ramy Ashour
11/8, 11/4, 11/9 (36m)
[6] Thierry Lincou |
[14]
Joey Barrington (Eng)
13/11, 11/5, 12/10 (54m)
[Q] David Phillips (Can) |
[6]
Thierry Lincou (Fra)
11/5, 11/8, 11/9 (42m)
[Q] Ryan Cuskelly (Aus) |
[6] Thierry Lincou
11/8, 11/4, 11/4 (36m)
[12] Miguel Angel Rodriguez |
[12]
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (Col)
11/2, 11/5, 11/6 (33m)
[Q] Arthur Gaskin (Irl) |
Julien
Balbo (Fra)
8/11, 11/8, 11/9, 6/11, 11/5 (72m)
[10] Olli Tuominen (Fin) |
[10] Olli Tuominen
11/0, 11/5, 11/4 (37m)
[7] Wael El Hindi |
[7] Wael El Hindi
11/5, 11/8, 11/1 (49m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier |
[3] Gregory Gaultier
14/12, 11/9, 6/11, 11/3 (83m)
[8] Nick Matthew |
Scott
Arnold (Aus)
11/5, 10/12, 11/7, 11/5 (61m)
[7] Wael El Hindi (Egy) |
[Q] Robin
Clarke (Can)
13/11, 11/6, 11/5 (36m)
[9] Cameron Pilley (Aus) |
[9] Cameron Pilley
11/7, 11/9, 11/9 (63m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier |
Patrick
Chifunda (Zam)
11/1, 8/11, 11/4, 11/5 (38m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) |
Tom
Richards (Eng)
11/8, 12/14, 8/11, 11/9, 12/10 (90m)
[16] Julian Illingworth (Usa) |
Tom
Richards (Eng)
11/8, 11/4, 11/4 (48m)
[8] Nick Matthew |
[8] Nick Matthew
11/9, 11/7, 5/3 rtd (41m)
[2] Amr Shabana |
Liam
Kenny (Irl)
11/8, 12/10, 11/5 (42m)
[8] Nick Matthew (Eng) |
[Q] Adil
Maqbool (Pak)
11/0, 11/6 rtd (16m)
[13] Daryl Selby (Eng) |
[13] Daryl Selby
11/9, 6/11, 3/11, 11/6, 11/5 (71m)
[2] Amr Shabana |
Jan
Koukal (Cze)
11/7, 11/8, 12/10 (34m)
[2] Amr Shabana (Egy) |
Qualifying:
22-Feb, Finals:
Ryan Cuskelly (Aus) bt John Rooney (Irl)
13/11, 11/2, 11/9 (54m)
Robin Clarke (Can) bt Christopher Gordon (Usa)
5/11, 11/8, 12/10, 11/6 (72m)
Arshad Iqbal Burki (Pak) bt Wade Johnstone (Aus)
11/4, 7/2 rtd (8m)
Yann Perrin (Fra) bt Martin Knight (Nzl)
11/6, 11/6, 117 (60m)
Rafael Alarcon (Bra) bt Robbie Temple (Eng)
11/2, 6/11, 11/6, 12/10 (51m)
Adil Maqbool (Pak) bt Joshua Greenfield (Nzl)
11/6, 11/8, 11/3 (24m)
David Phillips (Can) bt Bradley Hindle (Aus)
9/11, 7/11, 11/6, 12/10, 11/5 (72m)
Arthur Gaskin (Irl) bt Campbell Grayson (Nzl)
11/7, 15/13, 11/3 (58m)
21-Feb, Round One:
Ryan Cuskelly (Aus)
bye
John Rooney (Irl) bt David Vidal (Esp)
11/7, 11/6, 14/12 (44m)
Chris Gordon (Usa) bt Lekgotla Mosope (Bot)
15/13, 11/7, 12/10 (49m)
Robin Clarke (Can) bt Esteban Casarino (Par)
11/6, 11/8, 11/5
Wade Johnstone (Aus) bt John Street (Usa)
11/6, 11/5, 11/4 (13m)
Arshad Iqbal Burkhi (Pak) bt Willy Clark (Usa)
11/5, 11/3, 11/4 (14m)
Martin Knight (Nzl) bt Curtis Tomlinson (Usa)
11/4, 11/2, 11/3 (18m)
Yann Perrin (Fra) bt Ryan Thompson (Rsa)
11/4, 9/11, 11/4, 11/4 (48m)
Rafael Alarcon (Bra) bt Eddie Charlton (Eng)
11/6, 6/11, 11/5, 11/3 (57m)
Robbie Temple (Eng) bt Jonas Laursen (Den)
11/5, 11/4, 11/5 (20m)
Joshua Greenfield (Nzl) bt Zac Alexander (Aus)
7/11, 11/9, 11/6, 11/9 (39m)
Adil Maqbool (Pak) bt Johan Bouquet (Fra)
11/3, 13/11, 11/4 (25m)
David Phillips (Can) bt Michal Reid (Can)
11/9, 11/3, 11/3 (46m)
Bradley Hindle (Aus) bt TG Raubenheimer (Rsa)
11/3, 11/7, 11/9 (39m)
Arthur Gaskin (Irl) bt David Hetherington (Usa)
11/6, 11/5, 11/4 (22m)
Campbell Grayson (Nzl)
bye
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