Thierry Lincou:
October Player of the Month

Thierry Lincou, born in Reunion and playing for France, has lit up the PSA circuit this August and September. Lincou, out for several months with a hand injury, galvenized attention with his win over Peter Nicol in Hong Kong at the Cathay Pacific Open.

Thierry Lincou in Florida last Winter

By Martin Bronstein

In surely the most stunning comeback from injury in memory, French number one Thierry Lincou, now 25, returned to the circuit at the Hong Kong Open after a three month enforced layoff due to a hand injury. His first round opponent was world champion was Peter Nicol and it was not surprising that fans were more interested in who Nicol would be meeting in the second round rather than the result of this foregone conclusion.

Everybody except Lincou, who came back with a new purpose and a brand new psychological outlook on his game. He beat Nicol in four and then went on to reach the final where he lost to Palmer, the new world number one.

Because of the huge prize money in Hong Kong, Lincou earned a pile of ranking points and when the September rankings came out, he had jumped from 20 to number eight in the world. Then on October first, he jumped further to number five.

Thierry Lincou -- popular in France

It all started on April 18 when a piece of elastic broke: Thierry was working on a weight machine when the elastic snapped sending Lincou hurtling floorwards. He stuck out his right hand to break his fall and he

heard something snap as his hand made contact with the floor. He'd fractured the third metacarpal - just three days before the European team championships. Worse still with his right arm being encased in a plastic brace and forbidden to even hold a racket, he had to miss the British, Scottish and Irish Opens.

His rankings plummeted and summer 2001will not be remembered by Lincou with any pleasure. In fact the whole preceding 12 months had tested his mettle to breaking point. In April 2000 on the back of some solid squash results he had become the first Frenchman to break the top ten barrier - he was eight in the world and looking forward to challenging David Evans, Martin Heath and Paul Johnson, the three players directly above him. In the summer of 2000 he started to suffer from tendinitis in the left knee and nothing helped his ailment until he was advised to try some new orthopaedic insoles.

Thierry Lincou
stretching for it

There was almost immediate improvement and in December he started to train again. He beat Martin Heath in Antwerp, won in Chicago beating John Williams in the final and then beat Chaloner in Hurghada. He was on his way back when the damaged his hand - which may be the best thing that ever happened to him. With his two trainers, he underwent a complete mental and psychological examination of his game and motivation. During a brief lull in play and interviews at the European Club Champs, Lincou explained his process of regeneration.

WHAT DID YOU DO DURING THE THREE MONTHS OFF?
It was 3 months of concentrating on fitness, including two months of specific squash training squash. Working with both my coaches I changed to a more positive approach, more attacking. I tried to change my approach to competition and to focus on my opponents more. This mental approach is becoming bigger in game.

HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE DID YOU HAVE WHEN YOU FACED NICOL?

Thierry Lincou -- and family

I was motivated to see how good I was. I thought I could win because I had no pressure and I won the first game. The rallies were hard and we both covered the court well. I was focussing on length but there was lots of attacking from both of us. In the second game I lost concentration - which was the same when I played him two years ago: I lost length and gave him toto many opportunities.

In the third I really concentrated on length and I won the big moments, the important points. This gave me so much confidence: I was reading the game well, which is part of my improvement of focussing on my opponents. I won that game 15-13 and I started thinking it was my day. In the fourth I said to myself 'You are not there yet, you have to dig in.' I tried to maky myself think it was the start of the match rather than the fourth game.I was getting even better length and the ball was dying in the back. He was trying to volley but I was playing too tight and won 15-8. I couldn't believe it as he shook my hand - I didn't know what happened.

THAT WAS A HELLUVA WIN. WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
I needed points to stop the slide down the rankings. I was just happy to get in to the second round. But the win gave me confidence and I was really happy with my game. [Lincou went on to beat Chris Walker 3/1 in the second round, Olli Tuominen in three in the quarters and Stewart Boswell 3/1 in the semi-final]

HOW DID YOU FEEL IN THE FINAL AGAINST DAVID PALMER?
I was nervous. This was Palmer's third final but it was new to me and he was just too good and I was never in a position to hurt him. I had beaten him in Clermont-Ferrand two years ago, but he is a much different player now. But I was happy, I got double points.

WHEN YOU WENT DOWN TO 20TH WEREN'T YOU DIS-HEARTENED AT HAVING TO FIGHT ALL THE WAY UP AGAIN?

I always knew that I needed one good tournament and I was hungry and fresh. I had spent 10 days in Egypt before Hong Kong playing the top Egyptians because I needed some games to connect myself to shots. I trained in the morning and played in the afternoon. I was staying in the new Swiss Hotel which has a new permanent 4-wallglass court. I needed to play in some attacking games and against Shabana and Abbas, this is what I got.

And then I went to Johannesburg for a $50,000 tournament which I won despite the problems of breathing because of altitude. It took me four days to acclimatise. I beat Joe Kneipp in the quarters 17-15 in the fifth after one hour and 40 minutes. I won that one mentally. Then I beat Amr Shabana 3/0 in the semis and Rodney Durbach 3/2 in the final. This was my biggest tournament win and as it finished in September has not shown up on the rankings yet. In the October rankings I should be up to five or six.

YOU ARE STILL STUDYING - DOESN'T THAT GET IN YOUR WAY?

Lincou hasn't made headway against Jonathon Power

No. Squash comes first and I take my studies with me. I can take my exams whenever I want to so I will take twice as long as a normal student. I live in Marseilles where the university is and it's like another familyI feel very good there. My parents live in Reunion, in the Pacific and my girlfriend Celine lives in Paris, which is good for me.

ARE YOU SELF -SUPPORTING YET?
Well, the French Federation pays half my expenses, so with my tournament winnings, playing leagues and sponsorship from Technifibre racquets, I am self-supporting.

WHO DON'T YOU LIKE PLAYING?
Power, Nicol and Palmer are all very tough. Power gives me problems - I've never even got a game from him. He holds the ball so well, changes pace and direction. He never does the same thing twice. He knows how to put you out of your mind. He's very clever and I need to be tougher - I am too kind!.

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Thierry Lincou: October Player of the Month

Thierry Lincou:
October Player of the Month