Published in Nerve Magazine September 2011.
Squash is a funny sport. Britain boast a world number 1, and 9 players in the men and women’s top 20, as well as one of the best youth academies in the world, yet we hear so very little of it.
In an exclusive 3 part, interview Toby Gray caught up with a host of Britain’s top squash players to discuss the state of the sport in the UK, coverage issues, and reaction to the unfortunate blow not to include squash in the 2012 Olympic Games next summer. First up, world number 9 Alison Waters.
How is the injury coming along? When are you looking to getting back into competitive action?
I had an operation 9 weeks ago on a bone spur on my achilles. It is all coming along nicely and I’m doing lots of rehab work in the gym. I hope to be back playing in tournaments by October time. The recovery is quite a gradual process so I’m just taking it step by step and not trying to plan too much in the future.
Your achilles injury has caused some drawbacks this year, but how has the past 12 months been for your career?
Yes it has been a year or so plagued with this achilles injury. I did well in four tournaments over the summer period last year reaching two finals and two semis’s, which pushed my ranking up to the highest it’s been at three in the world. Then we had the Commonwealth games where I got to the semi finals but had to pull out of the bronze play off and the doubles due to injury. Since then I have played only two tournaments but was hampered with my achilles. This year has been very up and down and definitely the most testing time of my career.
How did you get into squash? What was it about the sport that made it so appealing?
I started squash when I was five and my parents and brother all played so it was always in the
family. We would go up to my local club, and play on the courts there, which I still do now. I have always loved the game. It’s fast and furious and yet with lots of skill as well. It’s a tough sport but I love every minute of playing and watching.
The world’s top 20 for both men and women is filled with British players, so in terms of popularity and scope, what do you make of the state of squash in the UK?
Squash is going really well in England. We have the current men’s number one in the world, Nick Matthew. Also we have 3 men and 3 women in the top 10 in the world. So things are really good. Also we have the European girls and boys champions so the future is looking good as well. We have a great setup with England squash and the EIS (English Institute of Sport) is one of the best, if not the best set up in the squash world.
With this influx of British talent, do you think there is enough coverage of the sport across the country?
No there is definitely not enough media coverage of squash. For instance Nick Matthew won 2 gold
Commonwealth medals, World Open and was world number one and there was hardly any coverage. If that had been tennis and Andy Murray it would have been national news for months! We really needed to get into the Olympics to maybe get more coverage and it is such a shame that all the hard work everyone puts in, that the sport doesn’t get the recognition it truly deserves!
All of this Olympic talk is hotting up, what do you make of the decision not to include squash in the Olympic Programme?
Yes it is a hard time for squash players and everyone involved with the sport with all the news about the Olympics in a year’s time. We would love to be in the Olympics and it would be our biggest squash event. The Ultimate! Everyone was really disappointed not to get into 2016, but the WSF and all the other squash organisations/ and countries all round the world are trying to get a really good case together for 2020. We never give up hope that one day squash will be an Olympic sport. I look forward to that day!
You’ve already achieved massive things in squash, but where do you see yourself, and squash in 5 years time?
Well in 5 years time I will be 32 which is a scary thought! At the moment I’m just looking to get injury free and fit again. Once that has happened then my goal is to get my ranking back to the very top and to actually start winning major events. Also to see England remain as one of the world’s best squash countries, as well as hearing that squash has been included in the 2020 Olympic Games. I could hang on and keep playing for another 9 years!
Check out the magazine layout of this article, designed by me - http://issuu.com/tobygray/docs/squash
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