Nick Matthew has revealed that he is closing in on a return to fitness as he prepares to defend his two titles at the Commonwealth Games.
The 33-year-old is not sure whether he will be at his best after undergoing surgery on a knee problem last month, but is confident that he will be fit enough to make a strong challenge for more medals.
"I had a small meniscus tear which was just wear and tear from playing so much squash," Matthew, who enjoyed singles and doubles success in Delhi four years ago, told reporters. "They said it was a six-week recovery and I'm four weeks today post-op so I'm ahead of schedule.
"The key for me is to maintain the mentality that just by getting here my job isn't done. That is the danger of recovering from injury - I've got to remember that I haven't even started.
"My goal is to come here and play and perform well and it's about controlling my performance on the court. I don't know if I will be 100% year but I know I'm feeling strong enough to perform."
The squash event gets underway on Thursday, with the singles final taking place on Monday.
Callum Mulvihill
