Mighty Matthew Wins Fifth Swedish Open Crown

England's Nick Matthew celebrated his seventh appearance in the final of the Case Swedish Open over the past ten years by winning the PSA International 70 squash event for the fifth time today in Linkoping.

The 34-year-old world No.3 from Sheffield beat long-time adversary Gregory Gaultier, the world No.2 from France, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 in 63 minutes to retain the title he last won in 2014.

It was the pair's 32nd meeting on the PSA World Tour and despite Gaultier breezing into the final without dropping a game during the tournament, it was Yorkshireman Matthew who dominated the contest from the outset, putting in an accomplished performance to record a second consecutive Tour victory over the Frenchman.

"I felt like I played well today and I always seem to play really well here in Sweden," said Matthew.

"I've won here five times now and I've been in the final seven times. It's a great venue and the people here are knowledgeable and really appreciate what we do so when you're in this surrounding you always play at you best."

In the opening game it was the Englishman who took the early ascendency, utilising his usual style of attritional play to forge a 10-5 lead before sealing the game with an audacious forehand volley nick - but only after Gaultier had mounted a late surge, saving four game balls to get within two points of the game.

The duo traded points throughout the opening parts of the second game but, when ahead 8-6, Gaultier made two consecutive errors to allow Matthew to draw level and the 'wolf' made the opportunity count, turning the screw to take the next three points, and the game, unanswered.

Gaultier continued to be plagued by errors in the third game and Matthew kept the pressure on and was rewarded with the victory, his first 3/0 win over the Frenchman since the semi-finals of the 2014 Swedish Open.

"Greg played so well in the early rounds but he maybe needed a closer match earlier in the tournament because I could tell he wasn't at his best physical condition today whereas I had a few close 12-10s so that maybe helped me," he said.

Matthew - who has now notched up his 31st PSA Tour title - will now go into the second PSA World Series event of the year, the Guggenheim Partners Windy City Open, in confident form and will be hoping to stop the run of world No.1 Mohamed Elshorbagy after the Egyptian added the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions to his ever increasing trophy collection in January.