Madeline Perry: ’I don’t have same desire to compete anymore’

Madeline Perry is Ireland’s most successful squash player. Still ranked 18 in the world, she retires from the world tour after today’s Irish Open 2015 final against Nicolette Fernandes at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club at 3pm.

: So, why retire now?

The fact I’m 38 is probably the major one! I’ve been talking about it for a while. Most of the other girls don’t even take me seriously anymore when I talk about it!

I had a couple of niggly injuries last year and I thought about stopping then.

I just don’t have the same desire anymore to compete. I still enjoy playing and training, but it is just that intensity of competition. I’ve been going to competitions this year and not feeling as up for it as I have been.

I didn’t really want to keep going like that having had such a successful career. I didn’t feel I was doing myself justice anymore.

: Still, it must be hard to walk away from something you have done so well for so long and enjoyed so much?

: Yeah, because I still love playing and I find myself thinking ‘surely it can’t be that difficult to get up for a match’.

But it obviously is. I do think ‘why would I not want to keep doing this? Why would I not want to keep playing forever?’ It is hard to reason in your head and of course I felt great in practise last week after announcing it. We’ll see.

I’ll see how I feel afterwards. There’s nothing to stop me if I wanted to come back, although I can’t imagine that I will.

: So, what will you miss about life on the circuit and what will you be glad to see the back of?

: I’ll miss all of it. I actually don’t even mind the travel. Sometimes it’s nice to sit down on a plane and not do anything.

Just watch a movie. Because of my status from travelling so much I go straight into the business lounge so I don’t even know I’m in an airport.

The competitive side of it is something I might miss, but I don’t know. Hopefully, I will find soething else.

: What were the highlights?

: Getting to number three in the world, obviously. Beating the world number one in the quarter-finals of the British Open was definitely my greatest win.

Then getting to the final of that. Winning the Australian Open.

My first ever tournament win in Italy was such a big thing, too. And winning in Singapore in 2011 after missing out on a medal at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi the year before.

: And the low point?

: One of the worst was Delhi in that Commonwealth quarter-final. That was a shocker because I bottled that match and I haven’t generally bottled many matches in my career.

I’ve been a good competitor and I just put too much pressure on myself and couldn’t deal with it. Simple as that. And I didn’t have the support network around me at that event to deal with it properly.

: So, how is the body holding up as you walk away?

: I’ve never had an operation, apart from the time I broke my jaw in a surfboard accident in Cornwall.

The longest I had out was when I had tendonitis in my knee. I think I took about six weeks off court for that.

The last couple of years have been a few more pulled muscles, but my body is 38-years-old. I pulled my abductor muscle as well because my hip is starting to wear a tiny bit.

: So, how has squash changed since you started as a professional in the late ‘90s?

: “All the girls are much better athletes. I guess it’s the same for every sport now, but the top ten are all phenomenal athletes now and the number one is an unbelievable athlete. The bar has been raised.

The Egyptians are huge now and they bring a lot of flair to the game with a lot of shot-making and stuff. At junior level they win every single title and still a lot at seniors.

The Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand aren’t as strong although England are always there because they have high numbers playing the game. Pakistan have kind of gone off the radar. In general, it’s just so fast now, compared to what it was.

: The 1970s was boom time for Irish squash, but how is the game faring here now?

: “There just wasn’t any development stuff done for the sport when it was really popular and it’s a shame. It’s a shame they weren’t able to build on my success as well. There are some good young guys coming through, but in terms of girls there isn’t really anyone coming through.

: So, what’s next for you post-retirement?

: Initially, I am off to Borneo to do charity work for three months. As my fitness trainer says, I don’t do anything by halves. It’s a nice thing to do and it gets me away from everything. It’s probably not going to be much of a rest though.

It’s sustainable development so helping rural communities get running water and conservation-type projects. I’m a project manager for younger volunteers.

After that I am open to offers of work. I want to be involved in sport and there are different ideas in my head. The easy thing to do would be to go to America and get a coaching job.

There are so many jobs and a lot of money, but I don’t know if that motivates me enough. I feel like I would just like to do something different.

: Finally then, how does it feel being here this week at your last event?

: It’s weird. It’s terrible. I’m actually okay since I got here because I’m in my usual routine. I’m okay with that. I’ll just do that every day and pretend it’s not happening. I don’t really want to finish. It’s one of those things.

It has to be done. I always thought I would get an injury and that would decide it. I thought my body would make the decision for me, but it hasn’t.