‘We need to entertain the group after which benefit from the legendary Canary Wharf hospitality’ says six-times champion Nick
By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor
A significant squash rivalry shall be rekindled when Nick Matthew meets Gregory Gaultier in a Dunlop Legends Problem on Finals Night time on the GillenMarkets Canary Wharf Squash Basic.
The 2 former world champions will take to the court docket earlier than the ultimate on Friday March 18 earlier than a sellout crowd at Canary Wharf’s spectacular East Wintergarden venue.
They confronted one another within the Canary Wharf Basic remaining in 2010 when Matthew triumphed 12-10, 6-11, 13-11, 11-3 in 69 minutes of intense, bodily squash.
It was Matthew’s first Canary Wharf title and he went on to win the occasion six instances, overtaking four-times winner James Willstrop within the course of.
Nick’s final Canary Wharf remaining triumph was towards Fares Dessouky in 2017 when he kindly donated his £9,000-plus prize cash in direction of pressing medical therapy for younger Sussex junior Sumner Malik, who later died of an incurable mind tumour.
That 2010 conflict was Gaultier’s solely look in a Canary Wharf remaining, and Matthew’s victory tasted even sweeter after an epic semi-final battle with fellow Yorkshireman Willstrop the earlier evening lasting 127 minutes!
The looks of Matthew and Gaultier at Canary Wharf will herald the relaunch of the Dunlop Squash Roadshow programme, which was postponed throughout lockdown.
Matthew is delighted to be spearheading the undertaking as Dunlop, the largest and most historic model in squash, search to revive the game after such a protracted interval of lockdown.
The Sheffield-based Matthew mentioned: “Canary Wharf is the perfect venue to restart the Dunlop Roadshows that we had been doing earlier than lockdown. We reincarnated the thought as a Jonah Barrington-style Roadshow with myself main it and clearly that could be a huge honour for me to have the ability to do this.
“By way of the Dunlop Legends Problem match, I’m actually trying ahead to as soon as once more savouring the particular environment of finals evening at Canary Wharf.
“Together with the Event of Champions finals evening in New York, Canary Wharf has that unbelievable buzz to it. I loved getting on court docket with Ramy Ashour on the Grand Central Terminal in New York when Ramy tried out his new scoring system, and I used to be a part of Canary Wharf finals evening in November. This time I’m trying ahead to being a part of it once more however truly on the court docket this time.
“Hopefully we are going to placed on an amazing present for the group. I do know each of us are nonetheless in good condition and may nonetheless put up a superb present. I’m actually excited to showcase ourselves and the Dunlop model, relaunch the Roadshow and have a little bit of enjoyable with the group.
“Dunlop have some thrilling plans to take the Roadshow spherical some key golf equipment throughout the UK and I’m trying ahead to these occasions serving to to construct the sport again up.
“Clearly I performed at Canary Wharf much more instances than Greg did however I keep in mind us having a few actually good battles on that court docket and it will likely be enjoyable to have one final one for the group!
“We’ll in fact benefit from the legendary Canary Wharf hospitality after the match as properly which is a giant a part of the entire event!”
Gregory Gaultier added: “I’m delighted to return again to Canary Wharf and play Nick for the Dunlop Legends Problem match. We each have been representing Dunlop for 20-plus years and it’s nice to maintain concerned with the model that supported us over time.
“I’ve been protecting in form, and I’m trying ahead to seeing everybody once more in London and enjoying in that stunning venue.”
Steve Heatley, Class Supervisor for Dunlop Squash added: “What a implausible alternative to observe two legends of the Dunlop model, and our nice sport, get again on court docket at Canary Wharf.
“Nick and Greg had been each World Champions, World Quantity Ones and down the years each gamers performed some nice matches at Canary Wharf, one of many main venues for Worldwide Squash.
“As Dunlop Ambassadors, Nick and Greg are nonetheless closely concerned with the model and I’m certain their rivalry will re-ignite and they’ll placed on an amazing present.”
About Dunlop Sports activities
Dunlop is owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries and has its headquarters in Kobe, Japan. Dunlop has a legendary historical past within the sport of squash and is the Official Gear Accomplice of the PSA World Tour.
Present Dunlop gamers on the tour embody Ali Farag, Sarah Jane Perry, Diego Elias, Tinne Gilis, Sabrina Sobhy, Eain Yow NG, Millie Tomlinson amongst many extra.
Dunlop legends and former world No.1’s Nick Matthew and Greg Gaultier are additionally Ambassadors for the model.
Study extra at www.dunlopsports.com
About Sumitomo Rubber Industries
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) was based in 1909 in Kobe, Japan, and employs over 37,000 folks internationally and has gross sales income of round $8 billion.
SRI acquired the worldwide rights to the Dunlop model in April 2017 and owns fellow sports activities manufacturers Srixon, Cleveland Golf and XXIO. SRI specialises within the tyre business but in addition in offering rubber-based merchandise for a lot of different industries equivalent to medical, building, marine, sports activities services and many others.
Footage courtesy of PSA World Tour, Steve Line (www.squashpics.com) and Artyom Liss
