CANBERRA: England’s world number one Nick Matthew downed Egyptian rankings rival Ramy Ashour in straight games in the final of the Australian Open in Canberra on Sunday.
Matthew stuck with Ashour through the mercurial Egyptian’s periods of brilliance then squeezed the challenge out of the world number two as he battled to a 16-14, 11-7, 12-10 victory.
Matthew became the first Englishman to win the Australian title since Gawain Briars in 1978.
"You have to go through the patches when he’s just too good for you," Matthew said.
"He’s brilliant and you just have to get through those moments."
Matthew and Ashour went point for point in the first game until 9-9, when the Egyptian brought up the first of five game points.
But every time he took the advantage, usually through an outrageous nick or unbelievable drop, Matthew somehow managed to fight his way back until 14-14, when an Ashour error gave Matthew game ball.
He needed no second invitation and took an epic first game 16-14, then came out firing at the start of the second to seize control of the final.
"Obviously the first game is so important and then when I got a good start at the second that was a massively crucial part of the game," Matthew said.
Matthew said he felt he still had plenty of improvement left.
"I’m only just 30 and I still feel that although I’ve not got the attacking game of Ramy, I’m always working and becoming better," he said.
Meanwhile, Madeline Perry became the first Irishwoman to win the Australian Open when she beat England’s Alison Waters in a magnificent five-game final.
Perry saved two match balls in the fifth game to win the biggest tournament of her career 11-5, 12-10, 6-11, 4-11, 13-11.
The women’s decider swung first one way and then the other until fourth-seeded Perry closed it out on a controversial no-let call, which caused Waters to throw her racket in disgust and Perry to throw hers in elation.
"Getting to the final was a big achievement, but winning it was huge for me," Perry said.
