Squash champion Nick Matthew seeks new challenges

If you think making New Year resolutions is an easy thing spare a thought for squash player Nick Matthew.

The 30-year-old finished 2010 as World Champion, double Commonwealth Games champion and world number one, leaving him with a headache as to what to aim for in 2011.

But it's a problem he's more than happy to have.

He said: "It's been a year beyond my wildest dreams. I had three major goals at the beginning of the year and would have been satisfied if I'd achieved one, never mind all three. I obviously need to sit down and get some new goals."

Canary Wharf played a significant part in Matthew's 2010 success, as his victory in last year's tournament provided the springboard for him to go on to global domination.

He said: "It was a big boost for me, as I didn't have the best record up until then at Canary Wharf and I had been quite vocal about being determined to improve it.

"My match with James Willstrop (pictured) in the semis will go down as one of the best in my career, and to back that up with a win over Gregory Gaultier in the final was a massive statement.

"Injury permitting, I'll be back this year. It's one of the players' favourite stops on the tour, with great crowds every day."

Matthew clinched the world title last month, beating Willstrop in an all-English final. The pair have helped raise the profile of the sport in this country, although Matthew revealed their relationship isn't particularly friendly.

"There's a massive amount of respect there, but we are not massive buddies off the court," he said. "It's a very healthy rivalry, though, and has been great for each of us to be pushing each other and great for the sport in this country.

"Tickets were sold out for our potential meeting in the final of the Nationals before the event had even started, so people obviously want to see the two of us go head to head."

Matthew's victory in the Worlds made him the first Englishman to claim the crown, ending the recent domination of the Egyptians. He described the feeling at the moment of victory.

"It was a very strange feeling," he said.

"Obviously one of joy, but also of relief that I didn't blow this fantastic opportunity. It's not often you're in the World Open final, so I didn't want to blow it."

Picking up gold in the singles and doubles at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi underlined Matthew's current dominance of the sport. His biggest regret is squash's failure to be accepted as an Olympic sport for 2016.

He said: "If we were involved in the Olympics the exposure of squash would be accelerated massively. It's highly disappointing that we're not there because everyone can see we deserve to be. Governing bodies like the IOC and FIFA clearly don't often make sense.

"But the state of the professional tour is the healthiest it has ever been. Players have been complaining that the schedule is too busy, which shows how popular the tour has become around the world."

Titles are important, but Matthew takes pride from the consistency that propelled him to the world number one slot in the summer.

He's back on top again, and wants to use his status to continue to build the sport's profile in the UK.

He said: "Getting to world number one for the first time was the culmination of 20 years of effort, so that was a massive thing. It showed I was the best player over the course of a year, rather than just a one-off, so it was important.

"I'm delighted to have got it back for January 2011, and hope to come to Canary Wharf still as number one.

"We can build on that by taking the sport out to the masses and capitalise on our success by getting the next generation of players involved in the game. Tournaments like Canary Wharf, in iconic locations, really help that."