Matthew: "I've still got six months left to really push my body"

As he reflects on his greatest World Championship memories following his quarter-final exit at this year’s tournament, Nick Matthew insists he’ll push his body to the limit during the latter stage of his outgoing season.

Earlier this year, Nick Matthew announced his decision to retire from professional squash at the end of the 2017/18 calendar, calling time on a 19-year long career that has seen the Sheffield-born star lift a colossal 35 PSA titles.

Matthew entered this year’s World Championships in Manchester for a 15th time, in a career which has seen the England home-favourite claim squash’s most prestigious trophy on three separate occasions in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

Having overcome George Parker, Max Lee and Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi in the first three rounds of this year’s tournament, Matthew was drawn against World No.2, Mohamed ElShorbagy in the quarter-finals.

In a match characterised by sheer grit, determination and physicality, Matthew competed admirably before succumbing to an 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6 (53m) defeat to two-time runner up ElShorbagy.

It seemed almost ironic that the Bristol-based Egyptian would end the last remaining home representative in the competition in his last major home tournament.

As always, Matthew was gracious in defeat and was quick to commend both the quality of his opponent and the magnificent home crowd.

“The biggest testament to Mohamed is that it takes a pretty good performance to beat me here. I play my best squash in Manchester,” said Sheffield-born Matthew.

“This crowd were absolutely fantastic. I know you were willing me on and I didn’t want to let you down.

“Thank you for supporting me because I was coming up against someone who was at the very top of his game tonight.

“There was a point in that second game where I thought about just retiring there on the spot. I will end this tournament with good memories about the way I thought back.”

As Matthew enters the twilight of his career, the Englishman can look back upon some of the great memories throughout his distinguished career, but one moment sticks out as his most memorable success.

“Coming back here to Manchester brought back some great memories of 2013,” said Matthew, the only Englishman to have ever won a PSA World Championships title.

“I remember doing BBC Breakfast the day after I won, and I think I was still drunk!

“I had just brought out my autobiography and I agreed that anyone who pre-ordered got a signed copy for Christmas and I had to sign about 1000 personalised books the next day with a hangover, so there’s fun memories of 2013 but probably too many to mention.”

The 2017 AJ Bell PSA World Championships quarter-final was the 23rd time that Matthew and ElShorbagy had met in their careers, despite the 11-year age difference between the pair.

A proliferation of so many past epic duels, it seems, culminates in more than just rivalry, but respect.

“Nick is one of the greats of the game,” said ElShorbagy. “To have a rivalry with him is something that I will remember for the rest of my career and the rest of my life.”

“Every time he goes on court he is fighting to win the match and the tournament. If he didn’t believe he could beat everyone, he wouldn’t be playing today.

“He is a great warrior, but I am a warrior myself. Every time we play against each other it feels like a war on the court.”

Despite the loss, the three-time British Open champion remained defiant and warned he would not let his career fizzle out over the months ahead.

“If I keep playing like that, then maybe I can sneak another National title or the Commonwealth Games as a realistic target. I have still got six months left to really push my body,” said Matthew.

“This year recently there have not been many fairy-tales in sport. I can think of lots of different examples this year where people have wanted a happy ending and it hasn’t happened.

“For example, there have been higher-profile athletes than myself like Usain Bolt where it hasn’t quite happened. There is no such thing as written in the stars.”

Matthew, who was the English flag-bearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is set to call-time on his career after next year’s Commonwealths on the Gold Coast, Australia, where he is aiming to finish on the high of earning a fourth gold medal.