Matthew planning to go out on a winning double

AFTER announcing his intention to retire at the end of the forthcoming season, Nick Matthew believes he can now solely focus on his two main goals – victory at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

In keeping with modern internet-dominated times, the 37-year-old three-time world champion from Sheffield declared his intention to call it a day on court via his own You Tube channel.

And the Yorkshireman – who has also won Commonwealth gold three times as well as three British Open titles – fully intends to go out on a high.

First on his radar will be this year’s World Championships, handily staged this December across the Pennines in Manchester, where he won it for a third time four years ago.

Then, five months later, Matthew hopes to win a third straight men’s singles title at the Commonwealths when it is staged on Australia’s Gold Coast.

There are other opportunities for titles both before and after – most notably the chance of a 10th British Nationals title at the National Squash Centre in February – but, in his last season, Matthew has chosen to prioritise two main targets.

“The season will take me where the season takes me but the two main goals for me are the Worlds and the Commonwealths,” said Matthew.

“I’m certainly not treating it as a wind down year – I’m putting all of my energies into achieving what I still want to.

“I just wanted to get this news out there and draw a line under it and focus on what I want to really achieve.”

Matthew will next be in action in a PSA World Tour event next week when he contests the San Francisco Open.