Devoy needs Open win to regain her confidence

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 45

Devoy needs Open win to regain her confidence

PETER HALLWRIGHT

PETER HALLWRIGHT

of NZPA i • ! London The world ’squash;! champion, Susan Devoy, her battered by three recent losses in Europe; badly wants to win her fifth British Open in a row next month, j “I’ve had an up; and down season,” Devoy told reporters at Tuesday’s Open draw in a plush iPiccadilly sports club. But the has no motivation 'problem in (spite of her defeats, i Ji i - “I really want to win it badly,” Devoy said. “It’s my confidence; that's (taken a bit of a knocking." J Joining Devoy (in the top half of the draw are two players who have contributed to her doubts — Britain’s Lucy Soutter, who( beat Devoy in the Swiss Open, and the young Michelle Martin, her conqileror in the quarter finals of lihe French Open on March! ill. But the number one seed is not concerned. | 11 "I’m certainly not worried about anyone in particular," Devoy said. “I’ve been training very hard.’’! | After quashing retirement rumours in the, British press earlier in the month, Devoy is clearly anxious to get on with the job. Asked if [she had any plans to take a break iin the coming months, she said: “I don’t think I need a rest. I need a win.” ! I i ' Also on hand I to see the draw was ; the j men’s fourth seed, Ross Norman. “I’d like to have gone in the bottom- half of the draw,”

Norman said. i The former world champion is in the same half as world number one, Jansher Khan, and Australia’s Chris Robertson, who Norman looks likely [to meet in the quarter final. : "We’ve always had really difficult matches," the New Zealander said/- " In the bottom half, Norman | could have expected to come i against Umar Hayat Khan or : Ross Thorne, of Australia, both easier I than Robertson 1 and fellow, Australian, Rod-; ney Martin, in the top. I ! And Norman showed signs of changing ; his mind about which of the world-beating Khans he would rather meet; I During the world open at Birmingham [last October; he favoured meeting Jansher, and in the final of the team event later in London, nearly beat the young Pakistani. j-| Now, Norman agrees with the rankings; list which holds Jansher aloft. | -. i | “He's about the best player in the world! today," Norman said. "I think Jahangir would just about be easier now." j I But he added that he would .have to be in very good shape to repeat his: 1986 world open victory over;his old rival. I ; Meanwhile, Norman has had nine days of solid training since losing to Jahangir in the French Open semi-final on March 12: "It’s been( good,” Norman said. “A last little topi up before the British Open." ,|. J Norman will play one more , tournament, the Monte Carlo Open, before the £65,000 [ "Wimbledon ! of squash"J be- I gins on April 13.