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 Peter Nicol by Martin Bronstein © 2000

World # 1 men's player PETER NICOL talks exclusively to Martin Bronstein before the Al Ahram tournament.

PETER NICOL IS BACK ON TOP AND IT SEEMS LIKE HE HAS GOT THE MEASURE OF JONATHON POWER. ON THE EVE OF AL AHRAM HE SPOKE TO MARTIN BRONSTEIN FOR SQUASHTALK:
You had a hit with Simon Parke last week….I thought he would be the last person you'd want to hit with after what he did to you in the Super Series.
After what I did to him, you mean. That was a super match.

How did you feel after it?
I felt fine, a little bit tired right after, because it was an incredibly tough match.

Did he surprise you at all?
He came out with a slightly different game plane, slightly more controlled, a little more thoughtful. I had a bit of luck, but they say you make your own luck. And I have beaten him so many times in the past that obviously helps. Yes, I got a nick on a cross court drive but I hit a lot more cross court drive nicks than anyone else. Some part was luck but some part was deserved. Jonathon Power seems to be having body problems.

Why do you think that is?
For this game you have to be in very good shape. It is such a brutal game that you can cause yourself a lot of problems. If your muscles aren't strong enough or you're overweight you can't take the pressure that you put on your body. Two years ago when he was playing his best squash he was in great shape; he was lean and every single muscle in his body was sinewy and he doesn't look like that at the moment. Whether it's because he has been injured and not been able to do the work, I don't know.

When you play him do you feel you know his game now?
Yes I do know his game, but he can go in and change a few bits and I won't know it. At the moment I feel know it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to beat him every time.But I do understand his game a lot more than I did.

Are you now used to the pressure of being number one?
Yes. It doesn't bother me at all. Never really has bothered me. You take it match by match. If you win you stay there, if you lose you don't The worse thing that can happen is that you are not number one any more. It doesn't bother me. I'm now at the stage where I can go on court and play the squash I want to play and be confident enough that it's good enough to beat most people.

[continued next column ----> ]

How does the Al Ahram court, and the temperature by the Pyramids, affect your play?
Not at all. It's the easiest place in the world to play, because of where it is and the whole atmosphere. It's where you want to be. If you have any ambition in squash as a professional, that's a dream to play there. If you can't enjoy playing and excel there, you can't enjoy playing anywhere.

Is it a fast or slow court?
It's quite a slow court and later in the evening it gets quite dead.

That rewards the shotmaker?
It can do but at the same time, if you don't create your openings by playing good length and force your opponents to the back then the shots aren't effective. If you are playing well and hitting a good length, that's more beneficial. I feel if you play the classical game of length and width, it doesn't matter whether the court is hot and bouncy or dead, will win most of your matches.

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