Jonathon Power is ready: He chats with Martin Bronstein

8.26.00 London

JONATHON POWER SPOKE FRANKLY TO MARTIN BRONSTEIN ABOUT HIS PHYSICAL PROBLEMS OVER THE LAST YEAR , HIS CHANCES IN THE BRITISH OPEN AND HIS ONGOING BATTLE WITH PETER NICOL

Have you got over the leg injury from Cairo?

Yeah, that was no problem, the injury from Hong Kong has lingered a little longer. I tore two muscles in my thumb in my quarter-finals match against John White. It's going to take four weeks to get better and I've been playing with a cast on my left hand so I haven't been able to play at full tilt. I was practising at the European club champs but I never played because I had food poisoning for the whole weekend.

This has not been a terrific year for you healthwise has it?

No! When it goes bad, it goes bad.

So how are you feeling about the approaching British Open?

I feel great. I was in good shape for the last two tournaments but I had a bit of bad luck. I felt my game was coming into shape; I was a little bit keener, a little bit more excited to play some squash. The fact that it is on a glass court which makes it a little more rewarding for stroke players, instead of a Perspex court. On glass you can play some shots and get rewarded for them.

In your last four meetings with Peter Nicol he's beaten you. Does this affect your confidence?

Not really. For the most part I haven't been anywhere near 100 percent. When I am on my game and fit I can beat Peter but I haven't been like that for a while. I've had a lot of problems this year and have not been really interested in playing, but it's coming back, it's coming around again and this year is going to turn out just fine.

Back in Toronto will you be doing anything special in the two weeks leading up to the Open?

I'll be doing a lot of flexibility work to stay injury free and then a few hard workouts and I should be ready. Five matches in a row is a lot of matches and that a lot of wear and tear. So what I'm working on these days is rehabilitation.

Because of your injuries you haven't been able to train properly for a long time.

Yes, it's tough. I've been going into tournaments feeling seventy percent. I haven't been able to roll through the guys in the early rounds like I used to when I was at my peak. I've got to get back that confidence and that timing and that comes from being physically and mentally healthy.

But you seemed to be doing very well in Hong Kong until you injured your thumb.

Yes I was doing fine. John White was playing a really good game and I fell on to my hand and tore my thumb, but I came back. It was a really good effort from me, being 2/1 down and coming back to win. In the semis I played with a bandaged hand and got Ricketts, a qualifier so that was a bit lucky. In the final I just couldn't compete properly because of my hand.

Winners' Circle: Hashim Khan chats with Jonathon Power at the TOC (Photo © Debra Tessier)

"...Peter's game is more straightforward than mine..."

Neil Harvey said that Peter had learnt more from you than you have learnt from him. Comment?

Peter's game is more straightforward than mine and he has a lot of things he does well. His approach to the game is better than mine; his mental ability is better than mine and he gets up for matches better me. He has a little bit more desire and he plays intelligently with a very close game. You've really got to beat him to beat him. He has improved tactically and in the last year or two he is reading the game a lot better. It's amazing the steps he has made in his game. I think that's good.

How important is the first game when you play Nicol?

The first game-and-a-half is important. Which is why our matches are always 3/0 or 3/1. When Peter and I play the pace is faster than any other games. The pace is so incredibly high that after a game and a half, if you've been on the losing end of it, you can't physically or mentally get up any more - you hit a wall. It's breaking point and it comes earlier than in most matches - instead of coming in the third or fourth, it comes in the middle of the second. The rallies are ferocious. So the first game is very important.  •

Power & Parke (top), Power with his Dad (bottom)( both photos at the '99 US Open © 2000 R. Beck)

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