Episode 409 Stuart Davenport

Former World No. 3 Stuart Davenport joins us for a fascinating trip back to the golden era of squash and an inside look at what it takes to reach the very top of the game.

Davenport talks candidly about his own career and his experiences competing at the highest level, including his run to the semi-finals of the 1983 World Championships — an event dominated by the extraordinary Jahangir Khan, who went through the tournament without dropping a game.

But this conversation goes well beyond the history books.

Stuart breaks down the mental game of squash, including the importance of concentration, the ability to thrive within the chaos of a match, and the subtle skills that can separate the very best players in the world from those ranked much lower.

We also get into one of the less-discussed aspects of elite squash: working the referee — how players manage the relationship with the official, influence the rhythm of a match, and use every available edge to their advantage. Stuart shares his observations of players who have mastered this art across different generations.

And perhaps most intriguingly, Stuart offers his inside perspective on Paul Coll's remarkable rise from World No. 80 at the age of 23 to World No. 3 by 26. What did he see in Coll that helped explain such a rapid ascent? What separates a very good professional from a true virtuoso?

A fascinating conversation about performance, psychology, tactics, referees, chaos, concentration and what it really takes to become one of the best players in the world.