3-Minute Rally! Semi-Final Conversations

Ramy Ashour

Rob White: You and your brother were in intense conversation there.

Ramy Ashour: Yeah. It was all good – we were giving each other impression of the match. Some days - days like today – when you do good work, you have to think about it and re-play it and hopefully it can sink in, be imprinted inside your head for the next time.

RW: A couple of days ago when I spoke to you, you said you were working towards being 100%. You feel like you’re getting closer after tonight’s match?

RA: Yeah, the last two months I’ve been trying to get back to 100%. I’m trying to. I think today was better than yesterday- everyday it gets better. It’s all about confidence, and being able to mentally take it out of my mind and move naturally - because the problem is that when you’re injured on court, you change a bit of your footwork and the way you move as well. So you try to get back out on the court and do the same things naturally as you’ve always done.

RW: Well, to my eye, you appeared to be moving quite freely. James, on the other hand, did not appear so. Did you get a sense that he wasn’t moving quite as well as he normally does?

RA: You know, I didn’t really feel a difference. James always moves so well. But you know, sometimes when we play, he has good days and bad days, sometimes I have good days and bad days. It comes down who’s taking that step forward into the court- so maybe I had a little bit more of a jump tonight.

RW: Do you feel like you’re peaking at the right time – the final tomorrow night?

RA: I’m trying to! (smiling)

Nick Matthew

Rob White: After Amr hit the service return smash nick on your match point at 10-9 in the 5^th, what goes through your mind after that point – do you think the squash gods are against you or are you more

Nick Matthew: Well, it’s interesting, he (Shabana) sort of stood far up the court and I thought he’d take a step back once I served, so I fired in low and it went straight onto his racquet – it was like a feed, I couldn’t believe it! (laughter) I thought I was a bit naïve to fall for it more than anything. And I also felt like, if he was going to go for it, it’s such a fine margin, then maybe the odds were in my favor if he was going to go for it. Obviously, it was quite a heartbreaking moment especially since I had match ponts in the 4^th game as well – just to see that go in as well. But fortunately, I managed to get it in the end. But yeah, it’s cliché, but you just got forget about it when it happens and focus on the next point. And we both had some times in the 4^th where we weren’t happy with a couple of the referee’s decisions. But you have to re-focus really quick because the next point’s right there.

RW: Talk about the crowd tonight- you guys had them fired up!

NM: Yeah, they were great. But it’s a balance. You have to feed off of it, yet be in control. I read somewhere that Peter Nicol said that it took him like four or five years to adapt to that. You know, hopefully I’ll get it right- I’ve played here a lot of years now, so hopefully…

RW: I’ll let you get out here on this one because I know you’re wiped and want to get out of here…you’re the #1 player in the world and you’ve just come off the court - you’re exhausted, and there’s 30-40 kids lined up here to get your autograph. And I watched you patiently sign each and every one, patiently take a photo with them, talk with them. You take the responsibilities of being #1 pretty seriously, don’t you?

NM: (pause) It’s worth it. I get the most enjoyment seeing them enjoy it, so it’s a pleasure.

James Wilstrop

Rob White: James, it appeared to me that you didn’t seem to get into a groove tonight.

James Wilstrop: No, not really, no. (pause) I wasn’t that bad, but I wsn’t that good. Some of it was me, but a lot of it was down to Ramy’s exceptional play. And that happens sometimes- whoever you are. (pause) But you know, I’ve been playing squash at an intense level for the last six months or so now with very little rest, recuperation time, and I’ve kind of exceeded my expectations in reaching the finals and semis…so, some days it’s going to fall apart. Not saying it fell apart tonight, but it wasn’t great. It’s disappointing on such a big occasion – I gave everything I had.

RW: What’s next for you?

JW: We have the national championships - a big tournament back in England, so that’s the next thing.

RW: So, no rest?

JW: No.

RW: The New York fans love you – could you feel the support out there?

JW: Yes, I could. It’s a wonderful place, a wonderful crowd. I’m sad I couldn’t give them more to cheer about, but we had some wonderful rallies so I hope we gave them a good show.