SquashTalk's Al Ahram Coverage:

• Sarah Fitz-Gerald announces entry (7-16-2000)
• Nicol's coach Neil Harvey interview. (7-17-2000)

SquashTalk exclusive interview with Cassie Campion by Martin Bronstein

World champion CASSIE CAMPION talks exclusively to Martin Bronstein before the Al Ahram tournament.

WHAT SORT OF SUMMER HAVE YOU HAD?
Ten weeks of training, not the typical program I've done in the past. Quite a lot of hill sprints and then speed and agility sessions on the court.

Who have you been working with?
David Pearson, my husband David Campion and we've also had quite a few England squad sessions over the summer, three day squads and they've been good.

What was the object of the squads?
It was in preparation for the new season. We also had a team building day when we went white water rafting one afternoon, so that was in preparation for the World's team event. [Which could take place in England in November].

You took your defeat by Leilani Joyce in the British Open very hard, but you've had your revenge.
Yes, I've beaten her three times since then. I beat her 3/2 in Hurghada, then I beat her 3/2 in the final in Las Vegas and then 3/1 in the final in Dallas.

So do you now feel confident in facing her?
She's number two in the world so she's always going to be difficult, so I don't think I've got the measure of her. But I haven't lost to her since then and before the British Open I had beaten her consistently. So out of six or seven matches I've lost to her once.

But will you feel confident when you go on court with her in Al Ahram?
Oh definitely. I'll be confident whoever I go on with. I've put in a helluva lot of work this summer, and I'm really looking forward to playing. I'm going into the tournament knowing I'm playing well.

You had a lot of pressure on you in the British Open which affected your performance. Have you got over that now?
The Aberdeen thing was a big learning curve. It was just one of those things - it got to me. It was a completely different situation than I was used to. I was the number one seed and expected to win the British Open and I'd never been in that situation before.

[continued next column ----> ]

Have you discussed the psychology of that with anyone?
Oh yes, Kirsten Barnes is the sports psychologist who works with all the England players and I've been talking to her. I try not to dwell on it - hopefully I won't be in caught again. I've got techniques now that if that mental situation happens again, I can stop it. The British Open is coming up again [October 9-15] and I'll probably be seeded one again, same situation, but hopefully I've learned from my experience.

How do you feel about the Al Ahram draw?
I'm not too displeased with it. But Leilani Joyce has got Sarah Fitz-Gerald in her half of the drawer. Before she got injured in May, Sarah beat me in Germany and she was back to her best. Now she's been injured again, nobody know what standard she is playing to. If you ask any player, they would rather not play her. She's been out action, intermittently, for a year.

Will that affect her?
I think so. You know when you have a couple of weeks break or holiday and you play your first match, you're stiff as a board next day. But as I said, she'd had a long break last year and in Germany beat everybody. It will be interesting to see her play Leilani in the second round in Cairo.

• Golestan Radwan: Egypt
• Tomas Barva, Czech Republic
• David Blick, Alaska USA
• Kim Tunney: Midwest USA
• Andre Maur: Atlanta USA
• Paul Ansdell: Massachusetts USA
  

  to become a regional reporter send mail to editor@squashtalk.com

Contribute regional news anytime to: editor@squashtalk.com