Matthew Makes It Five At Canary Wharf Classic

England's Nick Matthew bagged a record fifth Canary Wharf Classic squash title, beating German Simon Rösner in straight games in a heavyweight battle full of ferocious hitting and frenzied rallies.

The 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 scoreline might suggest it was a fairly routine win against a lower-ranked opponent - it was anything but.

Underdog Rösner brought his A-game, which had already seen him beat James Willstrop and Peter Barker at East Wintergarden in London this week - but Matthew had an answer for everything the German "tree-chopper" could throw at him.

At times, it was like watching a prize-fighter take punch after punch on the ropes and not only recover but have enough composure to land several haymakers of his own.

Not to say, Matthew was merely counter-punching. In the pivotal second game, he hit seven winners to just one error - something Rosner credited afterwards.

"I've enjoyed this tonight," said Matthew after notching up the 33rd PSA World Tour title of his career. "It's amazing to win this title for the fifth time.

"It's a great venue. This is where you want to be playing squash," added the 34-year-old from Sheffield who becomes the first player since Egypt's Ramy Ashour in October 2013 to win three Tour titles in a row.

"I had one of those moments here two years ago where I was looking around wondering why I wasn't enjoying it. Because I was thinking you should be enjoying it.

"That makes you appreciate it even more. It was just brilliant.

"I feel a bit guilty because two years in a row I've been the only person in the building that doesn't want it to go to a five-game match. So apologies for that."

The Wolf flew out of the blocks, to the extent that when he made his first error, at 7-1 up, there was an audible note of alarm in the crowd.

He drew gasps from the crowd with some gut-ripping retrievals. After losing one such point, the German - who displayed fantastic movement himself - was looking to the skies, presumably thinking 'What must I do to beat this man?'

Matthew took the first game 11-4 and went three points up in the second. The 6ft 3in Rosner fought back with some ferocious hitting, but the Yorkshireman dealt with the onslaught and took it 11-9.

Then the intensity rose yet another level at the start of the third, with the rallies drawing several "oohs" and "aahs" from the packed-house crowd, before Matthew pulled away at 4-4 to make it 9-5.

Rosner fought back in some incredible rallies, to the delight of the crowd who wanted more - but, as Rosner said, Matthew was "just too good on the day", sealing the win 11-7.