Nick Matthew and Sarah Kippax are model professionals



By Alan Thatcher, Squash Mad Editor

Commuters on the London Underground will have had a pleasant surprise last week when they opened up the free Sport magazine and clapped eyes on an action picture of England international Sarah Kippax.

Instead of being pictured on court, Sarah was clearly photographed in a studio, simulating a forehand lunge …. and, most intriguingly, she was pictured in her underwear! Sarah featured in a section called Sport Uncovered. In the accompanying caption, she revealed a proclivity for developing muscle tone if she works out too much.

Sarah said: “There are so many components to squash, and you need to be good at all of them to be a top player. You have to be really agile, strong and quick, and then there’s obviously the tactics.

“The higher the level you get to, the more the mental component of squash comes into play. It’s only you and your opponent inside the court, so it’s really quite an intense battle. It is a non-contact sport but, in reality, you are in a confined space and are really going for it, so there’s always going to be a few knocks. I usually have a nice collection of bruises.

“People say you can burn around 600 or 700 calories just from 40 minutes of playing squash because it’s such an intense, high-impact sport. Skill and racket work is obviously important, but I do a lot of work in the gym, too.

“I use the bike because it recruits the quadriceps and glutes … the same muscles we use in squash – and I’ll do a lot of strength work, too, particularly on my legs.

“I have to be careful, though, because I have the kind of body type that builds muscle quite quickly and I don’t want to be too heavy on the court. I’m known to be a fit, physical player with good speed around the court, so a big part of my focus in training is on technique and tactical awareness.”

Nick Matthew was also pictured revealing an inch or two of undercladding this week as he took part in another photo-shoot, designed to extol the virtues of a new sports underwear range.

Nick is the latest high profile sporting ambassador to join 2UNDR™, the brand new high performance men’s underwear line which is set to change the way British sportsmen protect their best assets. 2UNDR uses the most advanced techniques and materials to provide the ultimate support and fit for every-day players and professionals like Nick; on and off the court.

According to the media release, the innovation of this product range is showcased in the inspired Joey Pouch™, a specialised, soft and comfortable pouch which houses and protects your package from unwanted skin-to-skin contact for reduced chafing and a perfect fit.

Featuring premium materials for superior comfort, the Joey Pouch™ holds and uplifts, to naturally enhance your most valuable assets. I wonder if any other squash player springs to mind.

Squash players will be pleased to learn that the garment promotes cooling in areas where heat commonly builds during activity. With a Twitter name of HotBalls, that is extremely reassuring to learn.

The signature 2UNDR Fly is another essential element of the product range, which provides you with an in-your-pants air conditioning system for your unmentionables.

Players’ private parts will also be protected by anti-chafing properties, boosted by high-quality seam construction.

That’s priceless information, and a long-overdue product in the squash marketplace. I shall not attempt another squash marathon without them. You’d be nuts not to.