Simon Rösner: ''I was very impressed with the organization''

After winning the Necker Pro Squash Open at the beginning of June, Simon Rösner kept his momentum and ended 2017-2018 reaching the semis at the World Series Finals in Dubai. Read our interview with the most successful German player of all times, who just broke into the world top 5.

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Why did he decide to play in the Necker Pro Squash Open, and what did he think of the event?

Simon Rösner: Nicolas Müller and Raphael Kandra both told me how great it was last year, so I thought I should try to participate to see it myself and I was not disappointed. I was actually VERY impressed about how the whole team worked on the event to make it a huge success. I can see it being a PSA event soon (author's note : since the interview, it has been announced that the Necker Pro Squash Open will become a PSA tournament in 2020). I think it was a great setup, with the Bagatelle Mall being right next to the court so a lot of people passing by were able to see our great sport. The brand-new ASB glass court with the stands behind and on the side made a great view for all spectators. I thought it was pretty well visited throughout the whole week with only a few empty seats for the final.

Simon Rösner (here in the final against Grégory Gaultier) was very complimentary to the Necker Pro Squash Open (Photo credit: Blastoff Creative)

What is the best memory he took away from his week in Mauritius?

S.R.: I was actually spending most of my time with my fiancé at the Sugar Beach Resort. With a few other players from the tournament, we did a trip to see dolphins and swim with them, but I didn't go into the water because I was scared (he laughs).

Simon Rösner (here with fellow German Raphael Kandra) also had time to enjoy the sights of Mauritius (Photo credit: Raphael Kandra)

When he plays an exhibition tournament, is the focus on having fun and pleasing the crowd, or is it winning or maybe work on a few things?

S.R.: Well, you kind of try to find a good mix of both. It's good to play tournaments with less pressure, it just adds a bit of extra enjoyment. At the same time I tried to have a few good games in order to be ready for the World Series Finals in Dubai.

Simon had a good run in Dubai, reaching the semi-finals where he lost to World Number 1 and future winner Mohamed El Shorbagy. What does he think of this unique format, that is to say round robin with best of 3 game matches?

S.R.: Yes, it is very unique. It just adds a bit of extra intensity to the game of squash. Not that it already wasn't intense enough but with that format you have to be there right from the very first point. So there's no playing around at all ...

After his win in Mauritius, Rösner kept his momentum and reached the semis in Dubai (Photo credit: SquashSite)

Simon just enjoyed the best season of his career, reaching a first semi-finals in a World Series event in Qatar in November, then making history with his win at the Tournament of Champions in January, and finally breaking into the world top 5 a few days ago. Is this the work from all those years paying off, or the result of some small changes he's been implementing?

S.R.: I think it is a bit of everything. I always got to the quarter final stage at big events, but never managed to make it further. I think in New York everything just came together. My squash was there, as well as my head. I believed I could win and I enjoyed my game. I took it point by point, game by game and match by match not thinking too far ahead. I have always been working on both the physical and the squash sides of things, so seeing it finally paying off was great for my confidence.

At the beginning of January, Simon Rösner became the first ever German player to win a major tournament, which he was honoured for in his city of Paderborn (Photo credits: PSA World Tour, Simon Rösner)

What are his views on the status of squash in Germany, where there is no big PSA tournament at the moment?

S.R.: Well, it is great to finally have two players from Germany in the top 30, after Raphael Kandra made the semis at the British Open. With Sabine Schoene and Hansi Wiens back in the day, we had some great players in German squash history. Our country has always had a well run Bundesliga, where almost all top players have been playing in. That's true we've not been having any PSA tournament lately, which is a bit unfortunate. I would absolutely LOVE to play in my home country - we have a great atmosphere at tournaments, as we have seen at the World Teams or the European Club Champs, both in Paderborn. The only thing I can say is I hope things will change in the future, and we'll have a (big) PSA event in Germany.

Simon started playing for Aix-en-Provence in French League a few months ago. Will he be attending the playoffs this weekend in Mulhouse and is he aware that his team have never won the title but are favorites this year?

S.R.: Yes I will be attending and really looking forward to it. We are favourites and I am aware that that they have never won the League. That has to be changed! We'll give our best to make it happen.

This weekend in Mulhouse, Rösner and his team of Aix will try to win the French League title (Photo credit: M Squash Passion)

Interview by Jérôme Elhaïk

All the pictures, videos and results are available on the official Facebook page (click on the image)