SKY OPEN EGYPT 2010
NICKMATTHEW WINSSKYOPEN2010
England’s Nick Matthew defeated Karim Darwish 6-11 11-7 12-10 13-11 to win the Sky Open 2010 at the luxurious Sky Resort in the Egyptian capital Cairo to claim his fourth World Tour title of the year, and second successive Professional Squash Association (PSA) Super Series trophy of 2010, to move to the top of the Men’s World Rankings for the first time.
The 29-year-old Englishman entered the championship with his sights firmly set on the World No.1 ranking, knowing that a better finish in Cairo than Ramy Ashour would enable him to overtake his Egyptian rival and earn the distinction of being only the sixteenth player in the professional era to top the men’s world list.
However, Karim Darwish, who spent all but one month last year at the top of the PSA World Rankings, denied the eagerly anticipated showdown between Ashour and Matthew with a stunning 33-minute 11-8 11-5 11-7 semi-final defeat of his top seeded compatriot. Not only did his spectacular victory earn the 28-year-old fourth seed his 30th appearance in a World Tour final and his third consecutive Sky Open final in his home city, but it also consigned Ashour to his quickest defeat on the international circuit since May 2006.
The rout of the top seed provided further significance to the remaining semi-final clash between Nick Matthew and Frenchman Thierry Lincou, with victory enabling the Englishman to achieve his life-long dream of being crowned World No.1. The magnitude of the occasion appeared at first to inhibit the Englishman’s fluent attacking style; however after dropping his first game of the championship, Matthew fought back to beat the 34-year-old former World Champion 11-8 7-11 11-9 11-5 in exactly one hour and so become only the second English born World No.1, after Lee Beachill who topped the World Rankings for three months in 2004.
Matthew and Darwish went into the final of Egypt’s largest and most prestigious squash championship evenly poised at three wins apiece in their career head-to-head record. Darwish capitalised upon some uncharacteristic unforced errors from his opponent to take the opening game, but Matthew wrestled back the initiative to eventually win in four closely fought games in 60 minutes to claim the 14th World Tour title of his career.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” said a jubilant Matthew during the on-court presentations. “I’ve been a professional since 1998 and I’ve been working towards this every single day of my life since then. I wouldn’t have achieved this without the help and support of my parents, family, friends, manager, coach, trainer and physio. I’m obviously delighted, but equally so for them who have helped make this all possible.
“It will probably only sink in when I get home and in the company of my family, friends and my team, but World No.1 does sound great!” added Matthew, who will next compete in Australia and Hong Kong in August, before testing himself against the world’s very best at the ROWE British Grand Prix, Europe’s leading World Tour event, to be staged in Manchester, England from the 15th to 20th September.
Sky Open Sky Resort, Cairo, Egypt
Final: [2] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [4] Karim Darwish (EGY) 6-11, 11-7, 12-10, 13-11
INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE June 2010 | 09
www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine
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