National Championships: Sheffield's Nick Matthew determined to hold on to his Nationals crown

NICK MATTHEW is aware a changing of the guard may be coming soon in British squash, but claims the challenge of remaining at the top of his game has given him a new lease of life
STILL AMBITIOUS: Sheffield's world No 3, Nick MatthewSTILL AMBITIOUS: Sheffield's world No 3, Nick Matthew
STILL AMBITIOUS: Sheffield's world No 3, Nick Matthew

At 35, the Sheffield-born world No 3 could be forgiven for slowing things down at this stage in his career, but he enters this week’s British National Championships at the National Squash Centre in Manchester intent on setting new records that future generations can aspire to.

Matthew first won the event in 2006, beating fellow Yorkshireman Lee Beachill. He has won it on six more occasions since.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It’s good to try and leave a bit of a marker there for future generations and that is definitely the case with the Nationals,” said Matthew, who faces fellow Englishman Chris Ryder in the first round on Thursday night.

“Manchester has almost become like a second home for me and has been a happy hunting ground for me over the years – winning the Nationals, the British Open and the Worlds there.”

In recent months, Matthew has been training on a regular basis in Manchester alongside some of the English game’s up-and-coming players, a routine he believes has provided added incentives to strive to remain among the best in the world.

“I’m enjoying the challenge and they’ve beaten me a couple of times in practice and they’ve smashed me on a couple of circuits in the gym,” he added.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“And, if I’m being honest, I don’t like being beaten by them in training so it makes me double my efforts. Training with them lads has given me a new lease of life. Hopefully, there will be a nice transition in the next couple of years by which time I’ll have held them off long enough for me to sail off into the sunset before they start beating me regularly.”