International Squash Magazine

DECEMBER | 2009

INTERNATIONAL

UK £3.00 | € 4.50 | USA $ 5.50

MAGAZINE

To receive future copies of the INTERNATIONAL SQUASH MAGAZINE

REGISTER ON-LINE at isportgroup.com/registration

CONTENTS

CONTENTS KUWAIT MEN’S WORLD OPEN 2009 04 EGYPT’S AMR SHABANA DEFEATED COMPATRIOT AND DEFENDING CHAMPION RAMY ASHOUR 11-8 11-5 11-5 IN THE FINAL OF THE KUWAIT MEN’S WORLD OPEN 2009 TO CLAIM THE SPORT’S RICHEST EVER PRIZE AND BECOME ONLY THE FOURTH PLAYER IN HISTORY TO WIN FOUR WORLD OPEN CROWNS

BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – MANCHESTER 2010 Front Cover Amr Shabana, Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009 Champion

INTERNATIONAL SQUASH MAGAZINE is published by internationalSPORTgroup™ Limited No.4 The Spinney, Chester Road, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1HB England www.isportgroup.com Editor: Paul Walters Editorial: Rachel Pullan Telephone: +44 (0)7973 544719 e-mail: rachel.pullan@isportgroup.com internationalSPORTgroup™ Limited No.4 The Spinney, Chester Road, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1HB England www.isportgroup.com Senior Squash Correspondent: Dominic Bliss Richard Eaton Coaching Correspondents: Nick Matthew World No.4, Two time British Open Champion & Reigning British National Champion David Campion England Squash, High Performance Coach Advertising: Dean Finegold Telephone: +44 (0)7967 362589 e-mail: dean.finegold@isportgroup.com internationalSPORTgroup™ Limited No.4 The Spinney, Chester Road, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1HB England www.isportgroup.com Photography: www.squashfan.com www.squashpics.com www.squashinternational.com Proofreading: Heather Ormsby Acknowledgements: Howard Harding World Squash Media Director Steve Perrins Director, energysports.co.uk internationalSPORTgroup™ Limited makes every effort to ensure that editorial is factually correct at the time of going to press, but cannot accept responsibility for any subsequent errors. internationalSPORTgroup™ Limited is not responsible for unsolicited material.

Copyright internationalSPORTgroup™ Limited. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publishers.

Views expressed and products appearing in International Squash Magazine are not necessarily endorsed by internationalSPORTgroup™ Limited.

07 AN UNEASY TRUCE EXISTS BETWEEN ENGLAND’S TWO LEADING PLAYERS NICK MATTHEW AND JAMES WILLSTROP AND THE BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, TO BE STAGED IN MANCHESTER FROM THE 9TH TO 14TH FEBRUARY 2010, IS LIKELY TO BE THE NEXT MAJOR EVENT WHEN HOSTILITIES BETWEEN TWO OF THE FINEST PRESENT DAY PLAYERS ARE LIKELY TO BE RENEWED

INTERNATIONALSPORTGROUP™ BRITISH OPEN – MANCHESTER 2009 08 NICK MATTHEW WON HIS SECOND BRITISH OPEN IN ONE OF THE GREATEST EVER FINALS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP’S ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY, WHILST RACHAEL GRINHAM COLLECTED HER FOURTH TITLE AGAINST SURPRISE IRISH FINALIST MADELINE PERRY

INTERNATIONAL SQUASH AWARDS 2009 11 LEADING PERSONALITIES FROM THE WORLD OF SQUASH, TOGETHER WITH PROMINENT FIGURES FROM GOVERNMENT AND DIPLOMATIC CIRCLES IN KUWAIT, ATTENDED THE INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL SQUASH AWARDS, STAGED TO HONOUR THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE SPORT'S GREATEST PLAYERS AND CONTRIBUTORS

ALISTER WALKER 13 DOMINIC BLISS REVEALS HOW A TOUGH FITNESS REGIME IS PAYING DIVIDENDS FOR TOP ENGLISH PLAYER ALISTER WALKER.

COACHING & INSTRUCTION 18 WORLD NO.4 AND RECENTLY CROWNED BRITISH OPEN CHAMPION NICK MATTHEW LOOKS AT THE BENEFITS OF ‘TAKING THE BALL EARLY’

FOREXX WOMEN’S WORLD OPEN 2009 21 DEFENDING CHAMPION NICOL DAVID DESTROYED DREAMS OF LOCAL SUCCESS IN THE FINAL OF THE FOREXX WOMEN’S WORLD OPEN WITH A STUNNING 3-11 11-6 11-3 11-8 VICTORY OVER DUTCH NO.1 AND WORLD NO.2 NATALIE GRINHAM AT THE FRANS OTTEN STADION IN AMSTERDAM

JAHANGIR KHAN 23 JAHANGIR KHAN, WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE THE GREATEST PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT, TALKS TO INTERNATIONAL SQUASH MAGAZINE

BUSINESS MATTERS 25 PHYSIOSUPPLIES.COM IS DEDICATED TO SUPPLYING QUALITY SPORTS, REHABILITATION AND PHYSIOTHERAPY PRODUCTS DIRECT TO THE PUBLIC, PATIENT AND PROFESSIONAL – ALL AT THE BEST PRICES POSSIBLE

SQUASH NUTRITION 27 STEVE PERRINS EXPLAINS WHY CORRECT REFUELLING AFTER EXERCISE IS ESSENTIAL TO MAXIMISE SPORTS PERFORMANCE

WORLD RANKINGS 29 MEN’S & WOMEN’S WORLD RANKINGS AT A GLANCE INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 03 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

KUWAIT MEN’S WORLD OPEN 2009

Egypt’s Amr Shabana defeated compatriot and defending champion Ramy Ashour 11-8 11-5 11-5 in the final of the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009 to claim the sport’s richest ever prize and become only the fourth player in history, after Australia’s Geoff Hunt and Pakistanis Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, to win four World Open crowns.

AMRSHABANAWINS KUWAITMEN’SWORLDOPEN2009

Both Hunt and Jahangir Khan were among the distinguished guests in the record 1,300 crowd to witness the final staged at Green Island, a spectacular artificial haven linked to the mainland by a hundred and thirty metre passageway, with the all-glass show court housed within a seemingly purpose-built outdoor amphitheatre.

However, despite its historical context, stunning setting and standing room only crowd, the final never quite lived up to expectations, with neither Shabana or Ashour, two of the most gifted players of their era, producing their absolute best.

Instead it was the adrenalin charge generated by the one-sided outcome which was most dramatic.

Ashour, the defending champion, whose near magical performances had entranced the Kuwait crowds throughout the event in a series of thrilling wins

against Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira, Omar Abdel Aziz, Laurens Jan Anjema, Peter Barker and Gregory Gaultier, was unable to produce the brilliance of his earlier victories.

In contrast, controlled and disciplined squash had seen Shabana defeat Shaun le Roux, Omar Mosaad, Daryl Selby, Wael El Hindi and James Willstrop en route to his fourth World Open final in seven years, and his greater experience and composure enabled him to claim an immediate ascendancy in the much anticipated final.

It was evident from the initial exchanges that Shabana was playing a solid match, taking his younger rival in short to make him move without taking outrageous risks. Progressing from 4-6 to 9-6 and then to 10-7 with the help of an opponent who three times hit the tin with unforced errors, the stylish left-hander took the

04 | December 2009 INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

first game in just 12 minutes.

By the mid-point of the second game Ashour was in trouble. He was first disturbed by the sound of a child crying, before being sucked into a trio of rallies in which both men went for winning shots with return of serves. The third saw Ashour hit the tin again, putting him 5-9 behind. He was two games down very soon afterwards, hurtling out of the court in a disgruntled mood and placing a towel over his face.

Shabana, who reigned as World No.1 for 33 unbroken months until the end of 2008, had taken the second game without ever losing the lead and again the decisive factor proved to be how the more experienced Egyptian handled the pressure of the big occasion better than his eight years younger opponent.

There was a resigned look to Ashour

KUWAIT MEN’S WORLD OPEN 2009

throughout the third, indicating that there was little likelihood of him staging a comeback. Shabana started with a hot streak to race to a 4-0 lead, and the remainder of the game was notable for spectacular dives by both players to retrieve the ball and a warning to Ashour’s brother Hisham for illegal coaching.

the nick between the sidewall and the floor, making the ball roll dead.

Shabana reached match ball at 10-4 after wrong-footing his opponent and seemed assured of maintaining his ‘odd‘ sequence of world successes - having won the title previously in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

“The final always feels different. And playing such a great player like Ramy, you don’t know what to expect,” added Shabana.

Ashour took the next point, but Shabana claimed a historic victory with his trademark return of service which found

“I felt nervous before the match, and I’m sure he was feeling the same,” conceded the four time World Open champion, who now boasts 26 World Tour titles, equalling Australian David Palmer’s haul, more than any other current player currently competing on the international circuit.

“It was a very mental match - I felt I had to take it point by point. I was really focussed.

“I think it was just my day - I’m 100% sure he’s going to get days when it’s all him!”

“It’s a dream. You don’t think about winning this title four times - you just dream about it. It will take a month or two for it to sink in,” concluded the new World Open champion before accepting his trophy at an elaborate and colourful prize-giving ceremony, which proved a fitting finale to a championship which fulfilled its promise to be the biggest and best tournament ever staged in the history of the sport.

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 05 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS MANCHESTER 2010

BESTOFENEMIES BRITISHNATIONALCHAMPIONSHIPS2010 An uneasy truce exists between England’s two leading players Nick Matthew and James Willstrop and the British National Championships, to be staged in Manchester from the 9th to 14th February 2010, is likely to be the next major event when hostilities between two of the finest present day players will be renewed.

Since making a courageous comeback last year, following surgery to repair damaged shoulder cartilage, Matthew overcome the effects of nine depressing months on the sidelines and returned to the World Tour mentally, physically and tactically stronger. He has advanced to a career high ranking of World No.4 and along the way recorded many memorable victories, none sweeter than those over his English rival in the Tournament of Champions in New York, Swedish Open, National Championships ’09, World Games and internationalSPORTgroup™ British Open.

Indeed it was in the latter event, when Matthew claimed his second British Open title, and Willstrop lost his second successive final despite holding match balls in each, that the touch–paper was finally lit, setting the scene for potentially the most explosive National Squash Championships in decades.

In the immediate aftermath of a classic two-hour final in Manchester, Willstrop launched several verbal hand grenades at his rival, accusing Matthew of being ‘disrespectful’ - after his opponent had become involved in a number of tête-àtêtes with the match officials, claiming that Willstrop was “so slow” in getting out of his path to the ball.

The two Englishmen have been rivals since childhood, but over the past two years, during which Willstrop has failed to beat his 29-year-old compatriot, tensions have risen between the two to new heights.

Willstrop has subsequently admitted that: “We obviously feel very differently about the final which went beyond rivalry. Rivalry can be respectful and be a very good thing but it was spoilt then.”

Subsequently, six–time British Open Champion Jonah Barrington claimed that the rivalry can only benefit England’s top two players.

“They have infinite respect for each other and there is always going to be toing and froing and suggestions of blocking in every match. It isn’t something that is going to linger forever,” said Britain’s greatest ever player.

“It is a healthy rivalry. Squash is gladiatorial and it is not unexpected when two guys are vying for top honours. What took place at the British Open is unlikely to re-emerge in the short term but it is a great rivalry and inevitable. If there is an edge that spills over, then why not?” concluded Barrington.

Whilst it is hard to look beyond these two for a winner, Peter Barker, Adrian Grant, Alister Walker and Daryl Selby are all capable of stopping a big name and adding even more fuel to an already volatile situation.

English players are also expected to dominate the women’s competition, although defending champion Jenny Duncalf along with Alison Waters, Laura Lengthorn-Massaro and Tania Bailey will all be wary of the challenge of Ireland’s Madeline Perry, who reached the final of the internationalSPORTgroup™ British Open held at the same venue in September.

Winning the Gold Medal at this year’s World Games as well as capturing his second British Open title has shown that the threat to Matthew’s career has intensified his ambition and improved his credentials as a future World No.1.

Whilst agreeing to put aside their differences when competing as England teammates, as they did at the recent Men’s World Team Championships in Denmark, Matthew and Willstrop will again find themselves at each other’s throats as the reigning British Open and British National Champion prepares to face the pretender to his crown, in arguably one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the new year.

Tickets for the British National Squash Championships 2010 can be booked online at www.isportgroup.com/ticketing, by telephone on 0844 870 0000, or for further information email info@isportgroup.com

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 07 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

internationalSPORTgroup™ BRITISH OPEN – MANCHESTER 2009

Former champions Nick Matthew and Rachael Grinham reclaimed the titles in the internationalSPORTgroup™ British Open - Manchester 2009 after contrasting victories in the finals of the world’s oldest and most prestigious squash championships at the National Squash Centre in Manchester, England.

NICKMATTHEWANDRACHAELGRINHAM

CROWNEDBRITISH

OPENCHAMPIONS It took 122 minutes for Nick Matthew to emerge triumphant in the first all-English men's final for 70 years when he once again defeated compatriot James Willstrop, having previously defeated his rival in the Tournament of Champions, Swedish Open, British National Championships and World Games, since returning to the World Tour following career–threatening shoulder surgery last year.

Despite a debilitating back injury which impeded the movement of the English No.1 in earlier rounds, Matthew

08 | December 2009 INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

reached the final without dropping a game. However, it was Willstrop, last year’s runner-up, who took the early advantage in a highly charged final, winning the first game in convincing style.

Matthew, the 2006 champion, battled back to take the second game and with the next two games shared, after a visibly tiring Willstrop played three consecutive unforced errors at the end of the fourth, the final was forced into a decider which proved to be a gladiatorial encounter.

internationalSPORTgroup™ BRITISH OPEN – MANCHESTER 2009

Matthew built up a 6-2 lead before Willstrop delighted the packed crowd by coming back to overtake his opponent, eventually reaching match-ball at 10-9.

But the 29-year-old former champion reclaimed the advantage before going on to clinch the title on his first match-ball, winning 8-11 11-8 7-11 11-3 12-10 to claim the historic trophy for the second time.

blur. I’m amazed I ever got to the final, let alone win the title,” concluded the new champion.

Earlier, Australia’s Rachael Grinham ended the dream run of Irish Champion Madeline Perry to win the women’s title for a fourth time.

Perry, the first Northern Irish finalist in the history of the women’s event, was ”That was a fantastic match,” said the unable to reproduce the form which saw new champion as he c ollected the her trounce hot favourite Nicol David, trophy, before admitting that he had been the World No.1 from Malaysia, in the suffering with a back injury during the quarter-finals. championship: “I nearly didn't play my Grinham dominated the first two games quarter-final match. I spent about five and held match-ball at 10-6 in the third hours in the physio room before that before Perry eventually stepped up a match and it’s thanks to EIS (English gear and saved four match–balls to take Institute of Sport) physio Jade (Elias) the game into a tie-break. that I came through. Jade, you're a star!”

However, the former World No.1 from Asked later if he thought he was a better Australia reclaimed the advantage to run player than when he first won the out an 11-6 11-5 12-10 winner in 39 minutes. coveted title in 2006, Matthew said: In the final of the inaugural Squash “I was a better squash player yesterday, Legends, former World Champion Ross in the semis, than I was today,” referring to his impressive 11-6 11-5 11-6 victory over Norman from New Zealand beat his old rival and former World No.4 Gawain his friend and English rival Peter Barker.

Briars 8-11 11-6 11-4.

“Today was best in terms of guts and determination. I don’t know how my body got through this week. I'm just shattered by the effort. The last few points were a

internationalSPORTgroup™ British Open – Manchester 2009 National Squash Centre, Sports City Men’s Final: [4] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [10] James Willstrop (ENG) 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 12-10 Women’s Final: [2] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [5] Madeline Perry (IRL) 11-6, 11-5, 12-10

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 09 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

INTERNATIONAL SQUASH AWARDS

INTERNATIONAL SQUASHAWARDS2009 Leading personalities from the world of squash, together with prominent figures from government and diplomatic circles in Kuwait, attended the inaugural International Squash Awards, staged to honour the achievements of the sport’s greatest players and contributors on the rest day of the Kuwait Men’s World Open 2009.

Hosted by Sheikha Fadyah Al-Sabah, the Awards, which were held on the Al Hashemi II, the largest wooden dhow ever built and a spectacular venue chosen to reflect the country’s unique history, proved the off-court high point of the biggest ever event in squash history.

Distinguished guests included IOC Member HRH Tunku Imran, Patron and former President of the World Squash Federation; Dato’ Sani Karim, President of the Asian Squash Federation; Assem Khalifa, President of the Arab Squash Federation; Ziad Al-Turki, Chairman of the Professional Squash Association; Kuwait

Member of Parliament Adnan Al Mutawa; the Ambassadors of Egypt, Malaysia and Yemen; representatives from the British, French and Saudi Arabian embassies; and Tariq Al Owaish, the record ten times Kuwaiti squash champion.

Special tributes were paid to four Squash Legends: Australians Geoff Hunt and Sarah Fitz-Gerald, New Zealander Susan Devoy, and Pakistan’s Jahangir Khan, Vice-Chairman of the Kuwait Men’s World Open Higher Organising Committee.

Englishman Nick Matthew, who returned from a nine-month career-threatening injury to win the Swedish Open, British

Open, World Games and British National Championship titles in 2009, as well as celebrating a career-high World No.4 ranking, received the Men’s Player of the Year Award.

The Women’s Player of the Year Award went to Nicol David, the Malaysian, who gained her fourth World Open title in 2009 as well as remaining World No.1 throughout the calendar year.

Egypt’s Mohamed El Shorbagy was named Young Male Player of the Year.

The 18-year-old followed his second successive World Junior Championship win in August by celebrating a career-

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 11 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

INTERNATIONAL SQUASH AWARDS

Khalid Juamaa, for their support to Sheikha Fadyah Al-Sabah and to Kuwait World Tour events over many years.

South African Mike Collins received the Referee of the Year Award.

Sheila Cooksley, who has been the Tour Executive of the Professional Squash Association for many years, was recognised with the Administrator of the Year Award.

high World No.14 ranking to become the youngest top 20 player on the Men’s World Tour.

Nour El Sherbini, also from Egypt, received the Young Female Player of the Year Award. Aged just 13, Nour won the Women’s World Junior (U19) Championship title in August, becoming the sport’s youngest world champion ever.

Alister Walker was voted Most Improved Men’s Player of the Year. The Englishman leapt from 32 in January 2008 to a current career-best No.12, a prolific charge up the men’s World Rankings which included wins over Gregory Gaultier and Amr Shabana.

The Most Improved Women’s Player of the Year was Madeline Perry. The Irish player returned from a nine-month career-threatening injury to reach the British Open final in September and a World Ranking of No.7.

The Player Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Australia’s David Palmer, the most successful Australian player since Geoff Hunt, who received a trophy provided by Horst Babinsky, founder and Managing Director of ASB Squash Courts.

The tables were turned when the Australian then presented the Master of Ceremonies Robert Edwards with the Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of his 25 years within the sport as Technical Director, Presenter and Commentator at all major events, leading to the charismatic Welshman being universally recognised as the ’Voice of Squash’.

The Promoter of the Year Award was presented to Ziad Al-Turki, promoter of both the Saudi International and Super Series Finals.

A special Services to Squash Award was made to Kuwaiti twins Majed Juamaa and

12 | December 2009 INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

Richard Eaton, the widely-respected Englishman who continues to cover the sport for a variety of media, including Agence France Presse (AFP), the Times and BBC World Service, received the Services to Squash Journalism Award, whilst compatriot Judy Williams was recognised with the Squash Volunteer of the Year Award.

In addition there were the several local awards, including: Sheikha Naima Al-Sabah, Services to Women’s Sport & Squash in Kuwait; Tariq Al Owaish, Kuwait Lifetime Achievement Award and Abdullah Almezayen, Kuwait Player of the Year, with all recipients receiving special crystal awards as well as personal gifts from Sheikha Fadyah Al-Sabah.

The evening concluded with Jahangir Khan presenting Amr Shabana with the Players’ Player of the Year Award, as voted for by the 64 players competing in the Kuwait Men’s World Open - a fitting finale to a spectacular evening as the former World No.1 was to claim his fourth World Open title less than twenty-four hours later.

ALISTER WALKER

A tough fitness regime is paying dividends for top English player Alister Walker. Here he discusses his recent success, and his formative years in Africa.

By Dominic Bliss

WALKERRUNNERSPRINTER One hundred 100-metre sprints in the space of 100 minutes. This was one of the gruelling fitness workouts that Alister Walker put himself through over the summer.

“We did every single one within a minute,” he says of the torture devised by his fitness trainer Mark Campbell, from the English Institute of Sport. “I was running on a rugby pitch in Leeds, near where I live. 18 seconds of sprinting and then 42 seconds of rest. And Mark did every single one with me.”

Ranked 12 in the world (a career high), Alister is already among the very fittest athletes on the planet. Walker by name, but sprinter by nature, you might say. He claims the first thirty 100-metre sprints he did posed him no problems. “But once you’re doing from number 30 to number 70 you find yourself in this no man’s land,” he explains, shaking his head. “At that stage the start feels like it was ages ago and the end feels even further away.

Each one of those 100-metre sprints is horrible. You just can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

It’s all part of Alister’s new training regime that Campbell calls “full body rumbles”. It may explain why Alister is currently playing his best squash ever.

Back in the early summer he received his first England call-up at the European Team Championships. Victory in every one of his matches helped his country win overall.

But physical fitness is just one aspect of his game. He has also been working hard on technique with his coach David Pearson. “Four years ago, when I started working with him I changed my grip, changed my technique, changed everything. Massive changes like that take a long time to come together.”

And mental improvement comes courtesy of sports psychologist Pete Lindsay, also from the English Institute of Sport. “One of Pete’s sayings is ‘ice in the mind, fire in the belly’,” says Alister. “I make sure I’m hungry to win every single point, but at

“

England is probably the most successful squash-playing nation in history. It was a no-brainer moving here. If I hadn’t, there’s no way I’d be where I am today.

”

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 13 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

ALISTER WALKER

the same time I’m not getting overly emotional so that it affects my decisionmaking or shot selection on the court. I still need to be rational during a match, be aware of how my opponent’s feeling, how I’m feeling.”

Alister is convinced the hard work he has done in psychology, technique and fitness is all now “coming together at the right time”. His career-high ranking would suggest he’s right.

It’s all a million miles away from where he first picked up the sport. When he was a little kid, growing up in Botswana, in southern Africa, it was his mother Keiterele who first introduced him to squash.

“Both my parents played,” Alister remembers. “My dad, who’s British, taught my mum, who’s Botswanan, to play.

Eventually she beat him and he didn’t want anything more to do with the sport.”

Keiterele, or Patricia (“Many Botswanans have both a Botswanan name and an English name,” explains Alister) was so good at squash that she eventually became her country’s national champion.

She passed on her skills to her son.

Together they used to practise at the National Squash Centre in the Botswana capital Gaborone. Despite the grand title Walker says it was a very humble structure.

“Basically it was a large, tin-roofed building with four courts that looked more like a barn than any squash club you’d find in England. The courts were a bit slippery and you’d get holes in the walls.”

But the club atmosphere compensated for the dodgy facilities. “Just like in England, squash is a very social sport out there. There were often barbecues and club events. The whole family would come along. It was a place loads of us wanted to spend time at when we were young.”

But young Alister knew he had to move abroad if he wanted to take his squash to a serious level. His father, who had moved out to Africa to teach geography (at one point he also taught rugby to a young Idi Amin in Uganda!), had strong connections with his native UK. When Alister spotted an advert in a magazine for a squash summer camp at a boarding school in the West Country, he leapt at the chance. His talent was immediately spotted and he was offered a scholarship to the school (Wycliffe College, in Gloucestershire). At the age of 15 he upped sticks and moved full-time to the UK. “Botswana is such a small country,” he explains of his relocation. “Because it’s part of the Commonwealth, people look up to Britain in many ways. Britain was always somewhere you got excited about going to. My dad being English, I had a few uncles there. So the move

wasn’t as big a culture shock as it could have been.”

Alister had dual citizenship until the age of 21, but is now a full UK national. He still has strong links to Botswana and returns there at least once a year to see his parents, who now own a farm just north of the capital. “Since he’s retired my dad has got into farming,” he says.

“He breeds guinea fowl, ducks, honey bees, grows a bit of fruit and veg.”

Nowadays there’s little hint of Alister’s African past. His accent sounds more Leeds than Gaborone. He lives in the Yorkshire town of Chapel Allerton and trains at the famous racket club there.

Other international-level members include Thierry Lincou, Chris Simpson, Scott Arnold, Jenny Duncalf and Fiona Moverley – all world top 100 players.

Little wonder, then, that Chapel Allerton were this year’s PSA National League champions.

Had he stayed in Botswana, there’s very little chance Alister’s game would have developed as it has done. “Before I moved to England I would always have seen myself playing for Botswana,” he says. “But unfortunately they wouldn’t have been able to fund me and provide me with what I needed. England is probably the most successful squashplaying nation in history. It was a no-brainer moving here. If I hadn’t, there’s no way I’d be where I am today.”

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 15 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

ALL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE ONLINE OR TEL. 0870 420 7961

COACHING & INSTRUCTION TAKING THE BALL EARLY

TAKINGTHEBALLEARLY

By Nick Matthew World No.4, Two time British Open Champion & Reigning British National Champion

In this article I will be looking at the benefits of taking the ball early.

We will look at volleying and half-volleying and the impact of this in the context of the modern game. We will cover deception and technical points, as well as drills and condition games that can help you dominate the ‘T’ and create a successful ‘volleying mentality’.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING THE BALL EARLY The phrase ‘taking the ball early’ means taking the ball either on the volley or half-volley as far up the court as possible, thereby putting pressure on your opponent and limiting their time to react.

In squash fractions of seconds can make the difference between winning and losing and by taking the ball early you are using these fractions of seconds to your advantage. In addition to this, if your quality of shot is good, your opponent will be forced to do a larger percentage of work and therefore prone to tiredness earlier in the match.

DOMINATING THE ‘T’ So, what are the key technical components to enable you to successfully take the ball early and dominate the ‘T‘?

Early preparation of feet and racket are obviously important. But it also helps to anticipate early where the ball is going by reading visual clues from your opponent.

Push off dynamically with your first step and begin to prepare the racket, allowing space between yourself and the ball. If the ball is travelling quickly towards you, a shorter backswing may be useful as you will have less time to react and the ball may just have to be accurately directed rather than hit powerfully.

It is also vital to pay great attention to the quality of your shot. This is obviously important on all shots, but having put an extra effort in to take the ball early the last thing you want to see is a poor shot, meaning all that energy was wasted.

Crucial to this quality of shot is the follow–through, which will aid balance and increase poise on the ball, and lastly

enable you to push back quickly and regain that all important ‘T’ position.

‘VOLLEYING MENTALITY’ Speed of movement and early racket preparation are both crucial components of taking the ball early, but for me, the most important factor is creating a ‘volleying mentality‘. By this I mean that your first thought is always to look or ‘hunt’ for the volley.

How many times do you watch a match where you think ‘he or she could have volleyed that’? In my opinion, more often or not, this is because the mentality was to let the ball come off the back wall rather than a technical fault. A ‘volleying mentality’ can take weeks, months, possibly even years to create but will be worthwhile in the end.

STARTING YOUNG As a junior, my coach at the time, Mark Hornby, used to stand in the service box, whilst I was halfway to the front wall, and fire balls off the front wall as hard as he could possibly hit them, challenging me to volley as many of them as I could. We would do this for about 5 minutes on each side about twice a week.

Whilst this might seem extreme, and the quality of my volleys certainly wasn’t very high to start with, it taught me the important lesson of hunting the volley at a young age.

STAGES OF THOUGHT: 1. VOLLEY Always ‘hunt’ for the volley as a first train of thought. If you don’t have the mentality to look for the volley a lot of attacking opportunities will be missed.

2. HALF-VOLLEY If the ball cannot be volleyed, the next thought should always, where possible,

18 | December 2009 INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

be to half-volley or take the ball on the bounce at the back of the service box before it hits the back wall. This not only helps you hold a higher position up the court, but also reduces the time your opponent has to settle on the T. The halfvolley is a massively underestimated part of the game. Far too often players let the ball come off the back wall when it cannot be volleyed, and let up the pressure on their opponent as a result.

3. OFF THE BACK WALL A last resort, if you like, when the length is too good to take the ball early or when you are off balance or under pressure in the rally. Another way to think about it is letting the decision to take the ball off the back wall be YOUR choice rather than it being a habit.

VOLLEYING IN A MATCH Once you have established a volleying mentality, there are many different ways to use it to your advantage in a match.

Obviously there’s the volley length and the volley drop, but what about the volley kill, the power volley, cross-court volley, or even volley boast? When you think about the different speeds and heights at which these shots can be played you have a lot of different options to your volleying.

Add deception to this and you have a greater number of volleying options.

Deception is a brilliant thing to go hand in hand with volleying. If you are getting on to the ball early, your opponent will also have to move quickly to cover the potential dangerous situation. Imagine then that on certain occasions you decide not to take the ball quite so early, but hold back, wait for them to sink and then hit the volley. As a result they will

COACHING & INSTRUCTION TAKING THE BALL EARLY

be forced to move twice to every single shot. This is a very effective weapon and very tiring for your opponent over a period of time.

VOLLEYING PRACTICE & CONDITION GAMES: NO BACK WALL Play a back-court game taking away the back wall.

In this game if the ball hits the back wall you lose the point, unless the ball hits the back wall before it bounces and then you play on. This game really exaggerates the need to volley, or half-volley; if you don’t, you have literally lost the point. Great for teaching a volleying mentality. Progress to full court game with no back wall.

A POINT PER VOLLEY Play a full court game but every time you volley you score a point.

For example, if Player A volleys the ball four times during the rally and Player B volleys three times during the rally but wins the point, the score is fourall. Again, this game is great for exaggerating the volleying mentality.

3 POINTS PER WINNING VOLLEY As simple as it sounds; a full court game and every time you win a point with a volley you score three points - great for encouraging attacking volleying.

CAN ONLY GO SHORT ON VOLLEY Back of the court length game, where you can attack short only if you volley.

To encourage an element of full court movement the counter to this volley can also go short and then the rally returns to length. Great for practising deception on the volley.

All of these condition games are games I still use today in practice to improve and fine-tune my volleying. Even if you consider volleying to be one of your strengths, use these games and other volleying drills to turn that strength in to a match winning strategy or a super strength

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 19 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

FOREXX WOMEN’S WORLD OPEN 2009

NICOLDAVIDCROWNED WORLDOPENCHAMPION Defending champion Nicol David destroyed dreams of local success in the final of the Forexx Women’s World Open with a stunning 3-11 11-6 11-3 11-8 victory over Dutch No.1 and World No.2 Natalie Grinham at the Frans Otten Stadion in Amsterdam.

Winner of the converted title in 2005, 2006 and 2008, David threw aside doubts about her reign as the world’s most outstanding women’s player with a magnificent recovery from a game down to win the World Open crown and become only the third player in the history of the championships to win the title four times.

There had nevertheless been moments when it appeared that the World No.1 might flounder under the twin pressures of intense expectation and her opponent’s formidably athletic challenge. However, David’s initial hesitant start eventually transformed into a beautifully crafted 51-minute, four game victory.

The 26-year-old World No.1 had lost her British Open title a fortnight earlier and had two tough matches against Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively, en route to her fourth final in five years.

In contrast, Grinham, the former Australian who became a Dutch national last year and who had contested three previous finals, had often played with an assurance which suggested this World Open was destined to be hers. But after making a brilliant start, taking an early lead in the second game after dominating the first, Grinham let her Malaysian rival into the match with unforced errors at the front of the court. The match turned into a superb spectacle of flowing movement and varied patterns between two of the finest movers in the women’s game, with David visibly growing in confidence and in vision of how to win.

Instead of playing her usual counter-attacking game, David sought to take the initiative by often playing the ball short first - her impressive accuracy opening up the court and allowing her to take charge of the rallies, despite her opponent’s fleet-footedness.

As an icon for women across Asia, the holder of the Order of Merit and the title of Datuk in Malaysia, David had been as usual under intense pressure of expectations to win the title again and her British Open failure had made it ever more difficult and ultimately victory more rewarding.

Victory confirmed the young Malaysian as one of the most successful players of all time; with the likelihood that she will continue to extend her 41-month reign as World No.1 for many more months to come. It also suggested that Grinham, even at the age of 31, may have enough momentum, skill and character, especially having recovered from injuries and a lengthy bout of whooping cough, to mount another serious challenge.

Forexx Women’s World Open, Amsterdam, Netherlands Final: [1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [2] Natalie Grinham (NED) 3-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-8

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 21 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

Q&A: JAHANGIR KHAN

Jahangir Khan, widely acknowledged to be the greatest player in the history of the sport, burst onto the international scene as a 15-year-old in 1979 when he became the youngest-ever winner of the World Amateur Individual Championship.

Q&A JAHANGIRKHAN Country: Pakistan Date of Birth: 10th December, 1963 Place of Birth: Karachi, Pakistan Place of Residence: Karachi, Pakistan Marital Status: Married Highest World Ranking: No.1 World Tour Titles: 61 World Tour Finals: 81

In November 1981, he became the youngest World Open champion of all-time at 17 years of age, beating Australian favourite Geoff Hunt in the final, and went on to establish a remarkable 555-match unbeaten run over five and a half years, from April 1981 until Nov 1986, winning six World Opens and a record ten British Open titles.

Earliest sporting memory: Playing sport at school. I played cricket, soccer, hockey, table tennis – any sport I had the opportunity to play. I eventually took squash seriously at 13 years of age. I excelled more at squash than other sports although I did play other sports to a decent level. I got selected for the Pakistan Junior Squash Team and became Pakistan Junior Champion at 14.

Sports watched: I am interested in and watch most sports, but follow soccer, cricket and tennis most keenly.

Sports played: Occasionally I play cricket for charity etc but will also play most sports if I’m challenged to!

Why a life in sport, or if not, what would you have done? When you are born into sport you don’t have many other options.

My father was World Champion and British Open Champion. We were the only father and son British Open Champions in the history of squash. My late brother Torsam was also a top player.

I was always going to be a sportsman. Even now there is nothing I look back on and think I would or could have done instead.

Toughest part of your sporting life: The beginning of my career when I won major championships aged 15 and lost my brother Torsam who was my mentor and coach was a very difficult time of my life.

Question asked most often by the public: How did you achieve what you did and what motivated you? And why does Pakistan not achieve in squash what it did when you played?

I was lonely living in England but all the time I had the dream of becoming World Champion and World No.1 which was his dream.

And the answers:

I trained day and night and achieved my dream in those two years.

Most memorable sporting moment: Winning the British Open and World Open Championship for the first time, and also breaking the record for the highest number of British Open titles.

Worst sporting moment: I don’t have one.

Sporting heroes: Muhammad Ali - for his achievements, the way he struggled against adversity, including prison. I admire him for his strength and character and had the privilege to meet him.

And other than that just me!!!

Favourite venue and why: Wembley Conference Centre, venue for the British Open in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

There were crowds of between five and six thousand. The atmosphere was amazing.

Sporting event you would pay the most to see: Muhammad Ali fighting George Foreman or Joe Frazier.

And to miss: Nothing I would pay not to see!!

Faith and hard work – with 100% discipline and commitment with the heart you can achieve anything.

Pakistan now has talented youngsters but the discipline and hard work is not being put into the sport. The feeling is that everything should come overnight. They want to achieve but don’t want to put the work in.

Greatest change you would like to see in the running of your sport: I would like to see more squash on TV and to see the sport included within the Olympics.

How well is your sport covered in the media?

It has improved a lot over the last couple of years, particularly via live streaming. In my time it took days before you could see it.

Sporting motto: Work hard, believe in yourself, have faith in yourself and approach everything with a positive mind.

Who would you most like to invite to dinner and why? Muhammad Ali. To help me to understand the person and appreciate his achievements.

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 23 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

BUSINESS MATTERS: PHYSIOSUPPLIES.COM

BUSINESSMATTERS Craig Fleming, Managing Director of Physio Supplies Ltd, talks to International Squash Magazine.

What is the history of physiosupplies.com?

I established Physio Supplies Ltd in 1999 after undergoing major back surgery on my lower spine.

I represented Great Britain at Luge, and having competed at various levels in running, rowing and swimming, I knew how important it was to stay fit, but also knew that injuries come with the territory. Staying fit is one thing, but ensuring you can help yourself whilst injured is another, and also injury prevention is just as important as treating an injury.

While undergoing intensive physiotherapy after spinal surgery, I needed to purchase various pieces of equipment to aid in my recovery. As physiotherapists do not normally have the capability to hold an extensive range of stock they normally recommend the patients to companies which supply equipment and it quickly became apparent how extortionately expensive some of the equipment was, even to the extent that a lot of people could not possibly afford to purchase some relatively simple products due to the costs certain companies were charging.

So I went about setting up www.physiosupplies.com, which is a website dedicated to supplying quality sports, rehabilitation and physiotherapy products direct to the public, patient and professional – at the best prices possible.

This is achieved by purchasing directly from the manufacturers, and then selling directly to the consumer, missing out the middle man or wholesaler.

How many products are there in the entire range?

We now stock in excess of 1,000 products, with the range increasing each month.

What is the current best-selling product and why?

Some of our most popular products are all based around core stability and stretching. Products such as exercise balls, wobble boards, foam rollers, exercise bands and tubing are very popular. Also, items such as lumbar support cushions, orthopaedic supports, TENS Machines and other similar type products related to back pain and injuries are very popular.

What are the timescales for a new product to go from concept to retail?

Timescales can vary depending on where we purchase products from, they can range from as little as four weeks up to eight months.

How much more development is there going to be in the coming year?

We are continually sourcing new products, and seeing what is coming out on the market. We travel extensively looking for the right products for our customers, whilst ensuring we can offer the best value for money on the market.

What are the long and short term benefits of the products?

The majority of our products are aimed at both short term and long term benefits. For example, if you have an ankle injury, you really need to strengthen the ankle. When it is strong enough you should use something like a wobble board which will help increase the range of motion and strengthen the muscles. Once that has been achieved, by continued use you will be able to progress with your training, increasing ankle, knee, hip and core strength. Top athletes use wobble boards all the time whether they are injured or not to help with their training.

So in a nutshell, a lot of our equipment covers people’s needs from the very early stages of rehabilitation right up to the athletes who are at the top of their game.

How does a potential buyer go about purchasing products?

It really couldn’t be easier - the best way is to order online at www.physiosupplies.com. Every product shown on our site is in stock ready for dispatch. By purchasing online you will be able to view our extensive range, plus obtain any additional offers/discounts that are available.

What is the delivery process and timescales?

All prices shown on our site include VAT and UK delivery, which is normally made within two working days by either courier service or by Royal Mail.

How do you decide whether to introduce a new range of products?

Every range that we make available to our customers has been carefully researched. This is done by a number of factors such as quality, price, demand and availability. We only introduce a new product or range that we feel is relevant to our customers and complies with our company policy of ensuring that our customers get the best possible price and service.

Do you offer anything to the consumer that larger mainstream retailers fail to?

Yes, basically we offer the best quality products, with extensive product information on our website, along with extremely fast delivery and excellent customer service. All of the prices shown on our site include VAT and UK delivery, along with a thirty day exchange/refund policy, providing that the item is returned unopened.

Tell us more about your new range.

The latest products that we have just introduced are a new range of exercise mats, and Pilates and Yoga equipment.

We know from feedback from our customers that these types of products are what they have been looking for us to supply and these are all now in stock and shown on the website.

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 25 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

SQUASH NUTRITION

Correct refuelling following exercise is essential to maximise sports performance. The best time to start refuelling is within the first two hours after exercise, with the optimum storage taking place within thirty minutes as glycogen replenishment can be as much as 150% of the normal rate.

TOPPINGUPTHETANK

By Steve Perrins Director energysports.co.uk

During the subsequent four hours the rate of replenishment still remains higher than normal; however any further delays to refuelling could hinder recovery prior to your next session. It can take a minimum of twenty hours to replenish the body’s glycogen stores after high intensity exercise.

The more energy an athlete expends during exercise, the longer it will take to refuel, just as it takes longer to refuel an empty fuel tank than one that is half empty. Some of the key factors that affect energy expenditure are exercise duration and intensity, an athlete’s fitness level and the quantity and the timing of any carbohydrate they consume. These factors also affect the efficiency of refuelling.

Athletes who consume a high-carbohydrate diet during training and competitions are more likely to be able to refuel fully post-exercise than those who consume a low carbohydrate diet. Athletes consuming low carbohydrate diets may never be able to fully replenish their glycogen stores after periods of high intensity exercise. The introduction of carbohydrate stimulates insulin release which in turn increases the amount of glycogen that is taken up by muscle tissue post-exercise. These muscle cell membranes also become more permeable to glucose than normal.

Carbohydrates are the key to both fuelling and refuelling, with most research recommending an intake of between 1 gram and 3 grams per kg of body weight within the magic two hour postexercise window. Athletes who train twice a day should continue to eat a minimum of 50 grams of carbohydrate every two hours until the next main meal. Failure to do this may result in a slower than normal recovery. Avoid eating large irregular meals throughout the course of the day as this is liable to cause large fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels, and reduce glycogen storage which may result in fat gain.

There has been much research into combining protein with carbohydrate in post-exercise refuelling, especially after resistance training as it has been shown to be more effective at promoting glycogen uptake than carbohydrate alone. The combination promotes the release of insulin, transports amino acids into muscle cells and stimulates muscle glycogen replenishment.

Consumption of a combined protein & carbohydrate drink postexercise can result in more efficient muscle tissue growth and can reduce muscle soreness the day after training.

The optimal post-exercise meal should contain at least 20-40 grams of protein and 60-120 grams of carbohydrate. This can only be in the form of solid fuel, which can be difficult after exercise, or a quality sports drink such as Maxim.

Maxim produces a number of recovery products depending on the intensity of the exercise. Maxim Original Energy Drink is the perfect training partner with a 96% carbohydrate content and can be used before, during and after exercise. Maxim Recovery drink contains 34% protein which is combined with carbohydrate, whilst Maxim Protein/Carbohydrate drink contains 30% protein to ensure efficient recovery postexercise. Skimmed milk can be added to these protein based recovery drinks, giving a further 5% protein content. This is useful for those athletes carrying out heavy weight training or plyometric training.

Unlike their counterparts in many other sports, professional squash players can have multiple matches within a 24 hour period, especially during qualifying, and as each round progresses and each match gets tougher, actual energy expenditure increases and refuelling becomes more important.

We have looked at hydration and energy intake in previous issues, and it is the effective use by an athlete of all three of the key nutritional elements, before, during and after exercise that will help them reach their true potential on court. energysports.co.uk is the UK’s leading supplier of sports nutrition products. To order online visit www.energysports.co.uk or for further information telephone 01206 307999 or email info@energysports.co.uk

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 27 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine

WORLD RANKINGS

WORLDRANKINGS MEN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

WOMEN GREGORY GAULTIER

AMR SHABANA

Ă…KARIM DARWISH

NICK MATTHEW

RAMY ASHOUR

JAMES WILLSTROP

DAVID PALMER

France Born: 23.12.1982 Lives: Aix En Provence, France Marital Status: Single Height: 1.76m

1

World Tour titles: 16 Highest World Ranking: 1

World Tour titles: 41 Highest World Ranking: 1

Egypt Born: 29.07.1979 Lives: Giza, Egypt Marital Status: Married Height: 1.73m

USA Born: 08.07.1977 Lives: Greenwich, USA Marital Status: Single Height: 1.72m

2

9 10

THIERRY LINCOU

PETER BARKER

BORJA GOLAN

NATALIE GRAINGER

World Tour titles: 26 Highest World Ranking: 1

World Tour titles: 23 Highest World Ranking: 1

Egypt Born: 29.08.1981 Lives: Cairo, Egypt Marital Status: Married Height: 1.79m

Netherlands Born: 16.03.1978 Lives: Almere, Netherlands Marital Status: Married Height: 1.55m

3

NATALIE GRINHAM

World Tour titles: 16 Highest World Ranking: 1

World Tour titles: 13 Highest World Ranking: 2

England Born: 25.07.1980 Lives: Sheffield, England Marital Status: Single Height: 1.83m

Australia Born: 22.01.1977 Lives: Harrogate, England Marital Status: Single Height: 1.57m

4

RACHAEL GRINHAM

World Tour titles: 9 Highest World Ranking: 4

World Tour titles: 29 Highest World Ranking: 1

Egypt Born: 30.09.1987 Lives: Cairo, Egypt Marital Status: Single Height: 1.80m

England Born: 19.03.1984 Lives: London, England Marital Status: Single Height: 1.70m

5

ALISON WATERS

World Tour titles: 20 Highest World Ranking: 2

World Tour titles: 2 Highest World Ranking: 5

England Born: 15.08.1983 Lives: Leeds, England Marital Status: Single Height: 1.90m

England Born: 10.11.1982 Lives: Harrogate, England Marital Status: Single Height: 1.60m

6

JENNY DUNCALF

World Tour titles: 11 Highest World Ranking: 2

World Tour titles: 6 Highest World Ranking: 5

Australia Born: 28.06.1976 Lives: USA Marital Status: Married Height: 1.88m

Egypt Born: 15.08.1985 Lives: Cairo, Egypt Marital Status: Single Height: 1.70m

7

World Tour titles: 26 Highest World Ranking: 1

8

NICOL DAVID

Malaysia Born: 26.08.1983 Lives: Penang, Malaysia Marital Status: Single Height: 1.63m

France Born: 02.04.1976 Lives: Marseille, France Marital Status: Married Height: 1.80m

8

OMNEYA ABDEL KAWY

LAURA MASSARO

World Tour titles: 6 Highest World Ranking: 6 England Born: 02.11.1983 Lives: Preston, England Marital Status: Married Height: 1.72m

World Tour titles: 21 Highest World Ranking: 1

World Tour titles: 5 Highest World Ranking: 7

England Born: 26.09.1983 Lives: London, England Marital Status: Single Height: 1.82m

Ireland Born: 11.02.1977 Lives: Halifax, England Marital Status: Single Height: 1.70m

9

MADELINE PERRY

World Tour titles: 13 Highest World Ranking: 7

World Tour titles: 6 Highest World Ranking: 6

Spain Born: 06.01.1983 Lives: Santiago De Compostela Marital Status: Single Height: 1.82m

New Zealand Born: 02.12.1979 Lives: Auckland New Zealand Marital Status: Single Height: 1.78m

World Tour titles: 19 Highest World Ranking: 10

10

SHELLEY KITCHEN

World Tour titles: 15 Highest World Ranking: 6

INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE December 2009 | 29 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine