NICK MATTHEW HAS GOT A MOTHER!
Yes, I’m sure you knew that, but what I mean, is that I eventually met her. Up to now, I had only met Hedley, Nick’s father.
I find the lady extremely nice, well, I would, wouldn’t I, she likes my articles, so… Joke apart, we had a lovely chat after the semi-finals, during the party that Eventis organised in the Crucible Foyer.
By the way, the food was absolutely gorgeous!
During the party, Peter made a little speech to thank all the people who had made this second edition of the Mamut English Open hosted by the Sheffield Council a wonderful event. I started to write from memory all the people he thanked, but I called this column “en bref”, so, it wouldn’t fit the format, trust me.
Sue, Nick Matthew's mother, was very appreciative of James Willstrop’s career and raise. “He is such a beautiful player, very down to earth, even when he was a young boy, he was always very sensitive, very caring. I don’t think that success will ever make him change…”
With such great parents, no wonder Nick Matthew is going up, up, up. Yes he is, you people. God, he had one bad tournament, and like he told me at the Super Series finals earlier this month, “you can’t win all the time”….
DOUBLE TROUBLE!
Terry Dudley and Ann Kerison are among the hundreds of
volunteers that have made the English Junior Open possible. They have
worked extremely hard this week of course, but they put in a tremendous
amount of effort during the year on behalf of the juniors, as do the
Hallamshire and Abbeydale clubs where the junior open was hosted.
It was my first English Open (which by the way lives up to its name, as only English players have made it to the semis…), and I have to say, I hope it won’t be my last.
The
organisation was spotless. Tim Garner and Angus Kirkland were
everywhere, always with a smile, always available, always efficient. One
evening, I saw them at the bar of the Hilton, and I thought something was
wrong about their appearance…. They actually didn’t have their earpiece on,
and I had the impression they were naked!
During
the party last night, Peter Nicol mentioned that the tickets sale went much
much better than the previous year, and that’s very good news. It was very
nice to see those great players being supported by a very large crowd, and
that is the result of the incredible amount of work the Eventis trio has put
into the event day in, day out.The Hilton, one of the sponsors of the tournament, was wonderful. I personally had a large room where I spent hours and hours (no, you bad people, I wish I had the time!), while Steve Cubbins was camping in the bar with his laptop to get some wireless reception.
The
staff was extremely helpful, smiling, coping with a bunch of mad squash
people, and wondering why a strange French woman was spending her life
taking picture of complete strangers!
I had to feel comfortable in the Crucible, now, hadn’t I? It’s a Theatre,
so, home to me. I love the corridors, up and down, large Green Room, huge
tournament office, lovely bar and there again, smiling and helpful
people.
The
referees were familiar faces, Peter Kramer, tournament referee, Tony
Parker, Wendy Danzey and John Massarella. They did a perfect tournament, and
apart from one player’s bad attitude, the event went wonderfully smoothly…
Thanks lady and gentlemen…
I can’t say I enjoyed Sheffield though, as I didn’t see much of it!
But the view from the hotel was beautiful, the canal and the boats, the
quays… and last night, after the party, I walked home, and the surroundings
of the Crucible are really breathtaking.
So, Sheffield, lovely to nearly meeting you, and let’s hope that during my
next visit, I’ll have more time to walk around and discover the region…
The view from the Hilton
Life is sweet…
