Qatar 2002

PSA Masters:
PSA Draw/Results
Reports
Day One
Day Two
Round of 16
Quarters
Semis
Finals

PSA Profiles
WISPA Profiles

WISPA Grand Prix
Grand Prix Draw
WISPA Day 1
WISPA Day 2-3
WISPA Semis
WISPA Finals

Players Notebook:
  Team Kneipp
       Day One    
       Day Two
       Day Three
  Chris Walker

2001 Grand Prix
2001 Qatar PSA

New From SquashTalk:
 

Chris Walker
endorses Green Magic

Squashtalk Pro Squash Headlines

Event Engine Squash:
Tourney of Champs
US Open
YMG Capital Classic

World Men's Open
Qatar Classic
Cathay Pacific
Superseries
Qatar Masters '02
British Open
Pakistan Open
Macau Open
Melbourne 01
Al Ahram
Video recordings
Player profiles
Rankings
Calendar

Most people work in what can be described as a vaguely normal occupation: doctor, lawyer, teacher, banker, small business operator.

I don’t think ‘squash professional’ can be described as an even remotely normal occupation by anyone’s definition. Picture you’re at work and this happens: The boss calls you into the office and tells you that you’re letting the rest of the workforce down, that you’re sub-par and not the quality of worker that the company is looking for. You’re kindly asked to clean out your desk, and not show your face around the company again.

Not a fun scenario right? Well now think about what I do for a living. I’m actually just paid to win games of squash. That’s my job. There are lots of wonderful things about this job, but one of the not so wonderful parts is dealing with the equivalent of an abrupt sacking on a too frequent basis. In the workplace that is this tournament, I’ve been given the sack and my college has been given the corner office.

It’s one of the most difficult parts of this game.

Constantly having to evaluate why you lost, whether your work was sub-par or if your college was just a more superior worker who was always going to get the promotion ahead of you.

This evening I lost a hum-dinger of a match against Peter Nicol. The score board said 17-15, 15-12, 15-8 to Peter, but I don’t think that says enough about the game. Danny assures me that even though the scores were similar, the match was a level higher than the one Peter and I had in the semi-final of the US Open in Boston. It lasted over an hour, which for only three games is bloody long.

But a tough close game still doesn’t change the fact that Peter moves on, and I’m officially in retirement until the next job offer (Hong Kong Open, August).

Theoretically winning and losing is just another part of being a squash player. That doesn’t mean it gets any easier to deal with a loss.

COLLEGE USA
Schedules
Team previews

DEPARTMENTS
Latest news
Tournament Calendar
Bronstein Global Gallery
Player of the month
Videos
History
Pakistan Squash
School Squash
Camp Index
Features Index
Player Profiles
Worldwide Clubs
Worldwide Links
Rankings
Jobs

More Good stuff:
About Squash
   Just starting
Books
Juniors Squash
Women's Squash
Regional Reports

Squashtalk.com All materials © 1999-2003. Communicate with us at info@squashtalk.com.
Published by Squashtalk LLC, 95 Martha's Point Rd. Concord MA 01742 USA, Editor and Publisher Ron Beck,
Graphics editor Debra Tessier Send comments, ideas, contributions and feedback to the webmaster.
Copyright © 1999-2003 SquashTalk, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced in any form except for one-time personal use.