SquashTalk's Al Ahram Coverage:

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

SquashTalk exclusive interview with Sarah Fitz-Gerald by Martin Bronstein © 2000

Former world champion and world number one SARAH FITZ-GERALD has been out of the game for almost a year with a knee injury. A comeback that started at the British Open last December was halted in April.

She starts her second comeback in Cairo where she is due to meet British Open Champion Leilani Joyce in the second round.

> You were making a fine comeback and then suddenly you withdrew from the US circuit. What happened?
I was in Mexico and won that and flew to Dallas. I was on court practising and I felt a twinge in my knee. I pulled out of all the US events came back to England saw a physio - I'd already seen two physios in the States - and then saw my own physio in Australia when I eventually went back. They were all pretty sure that all I had done was irritate something in my knee. The answer was just rest, so I rested it. The hard part was getting over it in my head. But I'm now back on track and playing. In all, I was off or about eight weeks.

> Do you have to have the knee strapped?
Yes, but that's a little bit of security and to stop the knee-cap moving around. I've been training every day and I listen to my body. If things get tired or tight around my knee I have to assess whether to sit down, get a massage or get on with it.

> You are coming back into a major tournament, the Al Ahram, after an absence virtually of a year. What does this do to you mentally?
When I went to the States in January I was very anxious. [Sarah had been out for six months] I had to qualify and I was winning each round 3/0 and with each round my confidence built up. The icing on the cake was Munich when I won beating everyone 3/0. I played two qualifying matches, then Natalie Grainger in the first round, second round Suzanne Horner, semis was Cassie and Carol Owens in the final and I beat them all 3/0, so I felt pretty good because I thought my game was on track. So I have to take heart from that.

> Were you surprised to beat Cassie 3/0?
I think that Cassie had reset her mind but when we played it was the Sarah and Cassie of old, a bit of a mind game and I beat her 7, 7, 4. I think the next time we meet it will be different.

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> How is your match fitness?
I was pretty fine in Germany, the only question is whether my day in, day out fitness is back on top form. In the last couple of weeks I've had hard sessions every day and I've coped. With my style of game if I can get on, do the job and get off, I'm not going to get tired anyway. But if I flap about and haven't got my head in the right spot and make life harder for myself, I'll be in trouble.

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

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