Thursday, March 28, 2024

Matthew: Keep World Championships every year

 

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EXCLUSIVE: By ROD GILMOUR

FORMER world No.1 Nick Matthew says that the World Championship should be played every year as the double world champion prepares for another tilt at the title.

Matthew, 33, will be gunning for a third world title later this month, but life will be made harder after he was pitted in the same half of the draw as Egyptian maestro Ramy Ashour, the world No.1.

There has been talk on the squash scene in recent weeks that a biennial World Championship might benefit the game but the Englishman is adamant that the sport’s highest accolade should keep to its roots – especially after missing out on Olympic status last month.

“Every year for me,” said Matthew, “and the world teams every two, that works for me. It’s good to have a world champion every year and that’s how it should always be.”

Matthew and rival James Willstrop will lead Britain’s bid for glory in Manchester at the end of the month.

And the Yorkshireman believes that home support at Manchester Central, which will host the latter stages of the tournament, will be a key factor

“It’s a new venue, right in the heart of the city,” said Matthew, who wants a boxing type crowd to ramp up the atmosphere. “Hopefully we will get a different crowd involved who wouldn’t know about the sport otherwise.”

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