Matthew wins at Tournament of Champions
New York City, NY — On one magical night of squash, Dunlop Tour Team member Nick Matthew managed to capture his first-ever Tournament of Champions title, win back the world number one ranking and take out a long time rival in the process. Matthew defeated James Willstrop 8-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 in an 85 minute battle that saw both English players thrill a packed Vanderbilt Hall in Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal.
“This win is right alongside the Worlds and Commonwealth Games gold medals as my best victories,” said Matthew, who plays with the Biomimetic Evolution 130 racket. What made it especially sweet was the fact that, after a two month layoff due to injury, Matthew returned to action and not only won the tournament but also won back his number one ranking, which Willstrop had taken over during his absence.
Dunlop’s big night wasn’t relegated to Matthew’s heroics, however. Dunlop Tour Team member Natalie Grinham, of the Netherlands, also walked away with a Tournament of Champions (now in its 15th year) championship trophy, beating Dipika Pallikal 11-4,11-3,11-3 in just 25 minutes. Grinham plays the Biomimetic Evolution 120.
“What a great night for squash and for Dunlop, the leading brand in the sport,” said Steve Hall, Director of Marketing for Dunlop Indoor Sports. “The men’s final was heart stopping stuff, and Natalie’s domination was something to behold as well. Both players have made successful transitions to their Biomimetic Evolution rackets, and we hope to see more of our players lift trophies in 2012.”
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