Frenchman Gregory Gaultier Is 2015 World Champion by Nathan Clarke
photos squashpics.com
November 22, 2015
- 32-year-old Gregory Gaultier ended nine years of heartbreak to win
the most prestigious tournament in squash at the fifth time of asking,
defeating Egyptian Omar Mosaad in the final of the 2015 PSA Men’s World
Squash Championship in Bellevue, Washington today (Nov 22).
Gaultier had tasted bitter defeat in four previous finals, none more so
than in 2006 when he squandered five match balls against Australian
David Palmer, but produced a masterclass performance to defeat the
hard-hitting Egyptian in straight-games to seal the title and trigger
scenes of emotional celebration.
“It’s unbelievable, there’s no words that can describe this feeling,” said Gaultier.
“It’s better late than never. Since I was a kid it was always my dream
to win this tournament. Maybe in the past I put too much pressure on
myself. I remember my first experience at 23-years-old in front of the
pyramids in Egypt. I had five match balls and I remember at that point
I started to feel like a kind of asthma. My head was shaky and frozen.
“I couldn’t finish off the match but you always learn from losses and
it was an experience. I lost four times and I kept wondering if it was
ever going to happen. I just kept on believing in myself, kept on
working hard. I was always disciplined.”
The current World No.3, whose victory will propel him to the top of the
PSA World Rankings come December 1st, controlled the court as he played
with unrelenting determination. A huge fightback from Mosaad in the
third threatened to change the complexion of the match but an exquisite
drop shot to level the game at 10-10 handed the flamboyant man from
Aix-en-Provence the momentum, which he used to full advantage.
“It’s my fourth time as World No.1, it’s always a target,” added the
man who triumphed in the wake of the Paris attacks in his home country.
“I train to become the best and it’s magic when it happens. It is the
cherry on the top of an amazing day and it’s amazing to share it with
the people around me who work so hard as well.
“Our hearts were broken with what happened in Paris - all the French
people and all around the world. So many people came to talk to me and
support me about it. There should be peace in this world and respect.
Whoever you are you have to give respect to people. There should be no
terror and today we put on a great fight, but it was a fight with
respect on and off court.”
Defeated finalist Mosaad added: “Gaultier is such an experienced player
and to play against him is really hard. He played really well, put me
in trouble but I think I did a good job this tournament. I’m really
happy to have reached the final and I’m looking forward to my next
tournament.”
