You're the oldest and have played more events than anyone inside the top 20. Is your career starting again?
Yeah, I've re-kindled the flame and started all over again, trying to play every event I can.  I'm showing the young guys what they should be doin!

You're not escaping four kids and a wife?
Oh well, some weeks it is. But most times I'd like to stay home with the kids. I look at it as a job and as long as I'm still in the top 10, there's good money to be earned so that's what keeps me goin. 

In 2004 you were no.1 for two months then in one year outside the top 10.
Well it was right at the time we had twins, and Susie had a rough recovery.  So for one year squash was on the back burner. There was a lot to deal with,especially becoming a father and trying to still be a pro, took me a while.

Looking at your ranking, it has never really been steady, but on your day, no one can beat you.  Why is that? 
It's been up and down like a yo-yo!  I normally, I've had more good results in the smaller events rather than in the big events. It's mainly mental fatigue, I know I can beat anyone out there. Trying to stay mentally strong consistently is the key.

Though my mind goes a little if I'm getting tired or winning easy, and then I start going for winners from all angles of the court. I'm slowing the ball down a lot more now and then hitting it hard or going for the winner. All the top guys can basically get everything back, so I've had to learn different tactics. That's why Rickets and Palmer are the two that give me the most trouble.

Slowing the game down like the Egyptian's do against them seems to work well, they are not the best of movers if you can mix the pace then twist and turn `em.

Probably your most asked question. The final of the 2002 world open you had match ball in the 4th against Palmer and were in a perfectly situated stroke position without fishing for it. You hesitated in doubt, played a tin, and lost the match.  
Yeah, I'll never forget that! I've never liked to win off a stroke, I've always tried to hit it. Win clean, whatever!  It doesn't look or feel good to win points this way.  Especially the world open. But the way the game is today, it's not normal what I did. Taking cheap points is what everyone does nowadays.  After the set, I was in the corner with my old man, demoralized about the whole thing and also about having to go on to play the fifth set. All I could think about at that moment was "you let the world open go."

It's one of those spur of the moment decisions you make that haunt you forever.  For six months that's all I could think about, especially when I stepped on court. 

Do you think Dave would've taken the stroke?
OH" DEFINITELY!!! That's what also pissed me off. (Laughs)

Have you played under the three ref system, and what is your view?
I think it's pretty good, if you get three referees who know what they're doing!

It goes smoothly when there's two players and one official ref. Then we used three professional refs at the Tournament of Champions and they were useless, they couldn't make a decision mate!  They all made different decisions in the beginning, then the ref's started looking to each other for what call they would make, which was really bad for the players cause we're looking back and they haven't even come to a conclusion until they knew what the other was thinking.

One of the main problems is that the refs are not aware of blocking and the ways to get cheap points. There needs to be a lot more education drawn into the referee system, where they have video analysis of matches and players come in and explain to them what's wrong.

Problem is they don't want to hear what we got to say because ref's tell us that " we don't tell you how to play!"

What about player referees?
Maybe in the qualifying and the first rounds, but not in the later stages: It's not very professional, it looks too Mickey-mouse! 

We had one event in Chicago last year where, L.J beat Peter Nicol in the first round.  As soon Peter stepped off the court they put a scoreboard in front of him and said, "You gotta ref the next game." Here he is in his twelve year career and has never refereed a match, and they've told him that this is the PSA rule and you have to ref the next match!

That's when they got a photo of him sitting behind the court with a score sheet in his hand. I'm not saying that's one of his worst performances, but he hasn't lost in the first round for over ten years and the first time he does they stick a scoreboard in face and say, "You gotta ref now!" I'm sure he was pretty embarrassed, but I was also embarrassed.

If I didn't have to play, I would've done it for him. It's like asking Andre Agassi after he lost to get up in the chair. You just don't do it!

Power made a public suggestion that pros and ex-pros should take a bigger role in refereeing, but I've never seen him ref!
Nah, Power has never refereed a day in his life. He's only saying that now cause he's retired! (Laughs)

I would pay to watch Power ref!
Oh mate, he'd argue!  I'd actually pay to have old top players come in and ref. 

Imagine Power being tournament referee also, and that he would oversee all decisions.  Mate, the tournament would never finish!


Don't Miss Part Two where John discusses: 
    Are the Olympics good for Squash?
    Arguing in squash
    Relations with PSA CEO
    Questions around PSA Contract with CEO
    Returning to Top 4
    Working with Prince
    Life after squash

Registered Members can view Part Two immediately by:
   1. Ensuring you are logged-in (top of page)
   2. Clicking HERE

Comments (0)