Karim Darwish the Victor in Linköping
Feb 8, 2004 © 2004 John Milton for Actipro

Darwish on Fire in Linköping Sweden

Darwish too good for tired Matthew.

Karim Darwish started as marginal favourite in this year’s final of the Catella Swedish Squash Open here at Linkoping Sports Centre. Nick Matthew had played 2 mammoth matches during the two previous days, against Joe Kneipp in the quarter finals and then he was involved in the finest match ever seen at this event when he beat James Willstrop in the semi final. Could he recover sufficiently to raise his game yet again?

He was certainly not playing at the same speed in the first game as Darwish controlled the pace with carefully placed drives and efficient volleying. He opened a four point gap to lead 10-6 playing a basic game and capitalising on Matthew’s mistakes. Then the gutsy Englishman started to push further up the court and reduced the deficit to just one point. Playing a better, deeper length he started to push Darwish into the four corners of the court. Darwish responded at 10-9 with an immaculately controlled rally where he drew Matthew into the front only to press him back with delayed drives. The gap opened up to four points again before Matthew retrieved the serve. This was only a temporary respite even though Matthew fought back to 12-14 but Darwish closed the game out at 15-12 to go 1 game up.

It was a similar pattern in the second game with Darwish enjoying a four point lead at 8-4 up. The sparkle was not in young Matthew’s game or, more likely, his legs. But his fighting qualities were just as strong as ever and he again reduced the Egyptian’s lead to two points at 9-11. Darwish was just able to keep Matthew at bay though and never allowed the Englishman to draw level. If Matthew went 2-0 down, the feeling was that it would all be over.

Surely it was too much for Matthew to stage a come back bigger than anything he had achieved in the last few days? At 14-12 to Darwish it all looked inevitable. But Matthew was not broken yet, a forehand drop took him within 1 point but Darwish was so quick to get onto Matthew’s shot in the next rally to play a wrong footing crosscourt drive that Matthew failed to get back. 2-0 to Darwish and all over? Darwish’s movement is so smooth and economical, his shots so controlled and well placed, it was difficult to see how Matthew could come back from this. An unforced error in the first rally of the third game resulted in a slump in the shoulders from Matthew that suggested that even he thought that it was too much. But this warrior never knows when to lie down. He brought the score level at 3-3 but it was taking all his energy, mentally and physically, to stay with the impressive Darwish.

A couple of uncharacteristic errors from Darwish enabled Matthew to take a slender lead at 5-4 but in trying to force the pace he returned the favour by tinning a backhand drop. A couple of vicious volley winners from Darwish restored his lead. A big rally at 7-6 to Darwish required Matthew to drag every last ounce of energy from his weary body but incredibly, he was still up to the task, forcing Darwish to play a lose volley down the middle and giving away a point. The respite was temporary though and Darwish gain opened up a lead, again four points, at 11-7. The four point gap was maintained until the end with Darwish hitting a killing cross court drive to bring him his first match ball. He only needed the one, playing a straight back hand drop that the gallant Matthew could not get back. After exactly one hour, Karim Darwish was the new Catella Swedish Squash Champion.

CATELLA SWEDISH SQUASH OPEN 2004 [complete draw]
Final

Karim Darwish (Egypt) def Nick Matthew (England) 3-0, 15-12 15-13 15-10

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