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Mental strength is what will separate the World Champion from the rest of the pack.

That's the verdict of former champ Thierry Lincou, who believes there is so little to choose between the top squash stars that sheer will to win will be the deciding factor.

Lincou, 31, is anticipating a hard fought tournament with the difference between victory and defeat coming down to a couple of points.

"It is going to turn on who is mentally the strongest. We know each other quite well, The difference between the players is very minor.

"At the end of a five-set game when both players are physically exhausted, the difference will be the extra mental strength.

"It is a question of will and determination at that stage. The guy that wants it most will win."

Lincou, currently ranked seventh in the world, said the psychology of the sport was absolutely critical at the top level. And much of his preparation has been based on that philosophy.

"Physically we'll all be ready and fit for the special occasion but it's more mental.

"You need to prepare yourself to be ready to play under pressure and to push yourself to the limit.

"In sport after all the effort and the work you put in, winning is the reward - everything else is a bonus. Winning is the best feeling of all."

Lincou, who practices positive visualization techniques, said the idea was to reach 'the zone' where the crowd, the setting and the occasion faded into the background.

"I think before getting on court you feel the atmosphere. Once you warm up and start your game you are in the zone.

"You must be thinking, always, about your tactics and your strategy. You must not be thinking about the crowd."

The players come into the tournament on the back of a ten-day break, following three major events in South Africa, Qatar and Hong Kong.

And Lincou believes everyone has been working towards the Bermuda showdown.

"In the back of your mind, even if you play other tournaments, you want to be ready for this one.

"You tend to peak for this tournament and I think I'm arriving here in pretty good form."

Lincou concedes his motivation dipped slightly after he achieved his goal of winning the world title in 2004.

"You set targets for yourself and when you achieve them it is hard to stay as motivated as before."

But he believes the emergence of fellow Frenchman Greg Gaultier, who has shot up the world rankings this year and is seeded two for the tournament, has helped give his career a new impetus.

"It gave me a push. It gave me that feeling that I couldn't let go. I had to stay motivated otherwise he would really go in front of me.

"He's given me a push to stay on and get better and at the same time I have helped him a lot by being a role model."

Though Lincou, who actually hails from the French owned Reunion Islands where he lived till he was 17, is considered the country's best ever squash player, it is his younger compatriot Gaultier, who has been tipped for glory in this event.

Even so, the elder statesman is not ruling himself out.

"Personally I believe I always have a chance to win each tournament. I think the level is very high and the players are very close to each other. It really depends on the day."[[In-content Ad]]

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