Emily Whitlock: ‘The last place I wanted to be was on a squash court’
By MATT COLES

Eight-time World Champion Nicol David survived a scare against Egyptian wildcard Jana Shiha on day one of the El Gouna International, PSA World Tour Platinum event as she prevailed in a gripping five-game battle at the El Gouna Squash Complex.

The top half of the first round action took place today, and Malaysia’s David, a former World No.1, booked her place in the last 32 thanks to an 11-7, 6-11, 13-11, 6-11, 11-8 victory.

Youth met experience as 17-year-old Shiha performed admirably in front of her home crowd, and she twice came back from behind to level the match before pulling ahead to 8-6 in the fifth to put herself on the brink of a massive upset.

But David, 35, dug in and used her experience to come back to take the win, setting up a round two clash with World No.1 Raneem El Welily on the glass court at the El Gouna Marina.

“I did what I could. I knew these youngsters are trying to take any opportunities that come their way,” said David.

“I was playing pretty well, but then she found the windows to take the opportunities and she played really well. I lost a bit of my focus on the ball and my timing, and at the end I knew I had to really dig deep. My focus came in at the right time, and I’m very pleased to win that 3-2.

“I’ve been here before (staring down the barrel of a defeat) and it takes a lot to get back. I had to see the ball and hit it, so that was all I did. I was very pleased to come out 3-2 and win it in a close match, but I really needed to fight.”

Also surviving in five games was World No.21 Emily Whitlock, as she came from two games behind to overcome another Egyptian, Nada Abbas.

Abbas has been struggling with a foot injury since January, but she has still been able to reach two PSA Tour finals in that time, and her talent was evident in the opening two games as the 18-year-old controlled proceedings at the El Gouna Squash Complex.

A 2-0 deficit seemed to kick Whitlock into gear, and she found a lot of joy with some accurate backhand drops as she dropped just a solitary point in the third. The Englishwoman kicked on from there to secure victory in five games. The 25-year-old will play United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy in the second round.

“The last place I wanted to be was on a squash court. I just haven’t been enjoying it, but I treated it like I was on holiday, a going to the gym in the morning, chilling out in the afternoons kind of thing,” said Whitlock, who celebrated her 150th win on the PSA Tour.

There were also victories for the Gilis sisters, World No.29 Nele and World No.42 Tinne, who both won to book their places in the second round of the tournament.

The 42-year-old Rachael Grinham and Egyptian Mariam Metwally claimed respective victories over Scotland’s Lisa Aitken and New Zealand’s Amanda Landers-Murphy, while there were wins for Danielle Letourneau of Canada and Coline Aumard of France.

In the men’s draw, up-and-coming Egyptian Mostafa Asal saw off Campbell Grayson to secure his spot in the second round of the tournament, winning 11-6, 12-10, 11-4.

Asal, 17, the World No.41, won the first 11-6, but there was a lengthy delay in the second, as the Kiwi needed treatment to a cut below his left eye. The delay lasted around 20 minutes, and when he came back onto the court, the Kiwi put in some fine rallies to send the game to a tie-break.

However, Asal managed to win the second, before going on to win the third to secure the match, booking his place in the second round against Joel Makin.

“I am happy today that I managed to work on my footwork and I managed to play his game. It was tough but I am happy that I managed to win the second game because he was a little bit tired, so I am happy that I went through and I am looking forward to my next match,” the Egyptian said.

The big shock of the day came through Edmon Lopez, as the World No.62 overcame Hong Kong’s Leo Au, who sits 38 places above the Spaniard in the rankings.

Au had won both of their previous matches on the PSA Tour, but Lopez – who only came into the draw on Sunday as a result of Ryan Cuskelly’s withdrawal – prevailed in an attritional affair to win the biggest match of his career, winning it by an 11-5, 16-14, 11-13, 11-6 scoreline to set up a second round match with India’s Saurav Ghosal.

“What made the difference today was the fact that I was strong physically and made sure I prevented him from playing his lob/drop shot game by picking up the pace as much as I could. It was hard for me because I had to keep the pressure up, but I’m glad it worked,” Lopez said.

Fellow Spaniard Borja Golan also took victory in round one, along with English duo Adrian Waller and Tom Richards, Egyptian maverick Mazen Hesham and Australia’s Cameron Pilley.

First round action continues tomorrow, as the bottom half of both the men’s and women’s draws kick off their campaigns at the El Gouna Squash Complex. 

2019 El Gouna International, El Gouna, Egypt.

Men’s First Round (Top Half):
Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Mazen Gamal (EGY) 3-1: 11-1, 11-4, 6-11, 11-5 (38m)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt Joshua Masters (ENG) 3-2: 13-11, 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-3 (50m)
Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 3-0: 11-6, 12-10, 11-4 (66m)
Borja Golan (ESP) bt Ben Coleman (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (47m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt Ivan Yuen (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (29m)
Adrian Waller (ENG) bt [WC] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) 3-1: 11-1, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5 (45m)
Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt Leo Au (HKG) 3-1: 11-5, 16-14, 11-13, 11-6 (77m)

Men’s First Round (Bottom Half): To Be Played Thursday April18:
Mohamed Reda (EGY) v Greg Lobban (SCO)
Lucas Serme (FRA) v Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Nathan Lake (ENG)
Alan Clyne (SCO) v Tsz Fung Yip (HKG)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) v Karim Ali Fathi (EGY)
[WC] Fares Dessouky (EGY) v Todd Harrity (USA)
Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) v Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY)
Ramit Tandon (IND) v Cesar Salazar (MEX)
Max Lee (HKG) v Karim El Hammamy (EGY)

Women’s First Round (Top Half):
Nicol David (MAS) bt [WC] Jana Shiha (EGY) 3-2: 11-7, 6-11, 13-11, 6-11, 11-8 (46m)
Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Mayar Hany (EGY) 5-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 (42m)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) 3-1: 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4 (29m)
Coline Aumard (FRA) bt Haley Mendez (USA) 3-1: 11-4, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10 (41m)
Nele Gilis (BEL) bt Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-1, 11-5 (32m)
Emily Whitlock (ENG) v Nada Abbas (EGY) 3-2: 4-11, 8-11, 11-1, 11-9, 11-5 (46m)
Danielle Letourneau (CAN) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 11-8 (26m)
Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt Lisa Aitken (SCO) 3-1: 11-7, 12-14, 11-8, 12-10 (49m)

Women’s First Round (Bottom Half) To Be Played Thursday April 18:
Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) v Olivia Blatchford Clyne (USA)
Hollie Naughton (CAN) v Rachel Arnold (MAS)
Julianne Courtice (ENG) v Joey Chan (HKG)
Rowan Elaraby (EGY) v Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
Ho Tze-Lok (HKG) v Millie Tomlinson (ENG)
Zeina Mickawy (EGY) v [WC] Farida Mohamed (EGY)
Lucy Turmel (ENG) c Nadine Shahin (EGY)
Yathreb Adel (EGY) v Alexandra Fuller (RSA)

Draw – Men’s Second Round (Top Half): To Be Played Friday 19th April
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v Diego Elias (PER)
Mostafa Asal (EGY) v Joel Makin (WAL)
Borja Golan (ESP) v [7] Paul Coll (NZL)
[5] Simon Rösner (GER) v Tom Richards (ENG)
Adrian Waller (ENG) v Gregoire Marche (FRA)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Edmon Lopez (ESP)
Zahed Salem (EGY) v [3] Tarek Momen (EGY)

Women’s Second Round (Top Half): To Be Played Friday 19th April
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v Nicol David (MAS)
Tinne Gilis (BEL) v [16] Joshna Chinappa (IND)
[14] Victoria Lust (ENG) v Mariam Metwally (EGY)
Coline Aumard (FRA) v [5] Joelle King (NZL)
[7] Laura Massaro (ENG) v Nele Gilis (BEL)
Emily Whitlock (ENG) v [13] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[12] Salma Hany (EGY) v Danielle Letourneau (CAN)
Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 

Report by MATT COLES (PSA Media Team) Edited by ALAN THATCHER.

Pictures courtesy of PSA

WALL, N.J. – Wall Stadium Speedway management and Pro-Tech 8 have announced a partnership for the upcoming season.

Pro-Tech 8 will become a contingency sponsor for all weekly divisions at the Jersey Shore oval.

Pro-Tech 8 will award a $100 bonus for the “Pro-Tech 8 Fans Pick of the Race Award” for all weekly divisions, on a rotating basis this year. Race fans will participate in the selection of the award winner each week and receive Pro-Tech 8 apparel for their participation.

In addition, Pro-Tech 8 will give the “Pro-Tech 8 Twin Challenge Award” which is a cash bonus to the highest average finisher of all twin and triple feature shows.

“Pro-Tech 8 is excited to get involved with auto racing as we begin to expand our product line into the performance industry in 2019” said Ted Bart, President CEO of Pro-Tech 8. “We believe a grassroots approach to brand awareness begins at the short tracks across America, which is the backbone of racing.”

MADISON, Ill. – Gateway Motorsports Park and World Wide Technology, a market-leading technology solution provider, announced a long-term naming rights agreement on Wednesday.

The new deal renames the facility World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

The multi-faceted racing venue serves as home to NASCAR, IndyCar and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region, where WWT was founded and is headquartered.

WWT also becomes the official technology partner of the track and will use the venue to advance development programs for the company and its community outreach initiatives.

“The support of WWT will help ensure that our track will compete for North America’s most elite races and offer an innovative and exhilarating fan experience for years to come,” said Curtis Francois, owner and CEO of Gateway Motorsports Park. “The relationship with WWT will help us tremendously as we continue to grow World Wide Technology Raceway into one of the premier racing facilities in the country.

“WWT founder and Chairman David Steward and his family are among the most respected corporate and civic leaders in our community. We are thrilled to partner with their iconic brand and mission,” Francois continued. “Further, David Steward II and his company Lion Forge are actively engaged in the sponsorship, which speaks to the powerful future potential of our alliance.”

The announcement was made during the 2019 Global Leadership Forum Summit, which took place at WWT.

Founded by David Steward in 2015, GLF strives to connect the world’s leading STEAM organizations that are engaging, educating, empowering, and transforming underserved communities and building tomorrow’s workforce.

The track plans to utilize the assets and knowledge that WWT and their partners are developing in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Whether it’s STEAM initiatives, technological enhancements for fan experience, or community outreach and diversity, the raceway will serve as a cutting-edge proving ground.

“WWT and the Steward family are blessed and honored to align ourselves with the Francois family and the team at World Wide Technology Raceway,” said David Steward. “Given our shared vision and values, we knew we had a perfect opportunity to better serve the entire community. Under Curtis Francois’ tremendous leadership, we look forward to creating a meaningful and lasting impact for the region in the years ahead.”

“As our family has experienced firsthand, motorsport events are a great way to bring a diverse array of people together throughout the region,” added David Steward II. “We are thankful and grateful for the opportunity to support the new partnership and provide additional opportunities to the community.”

As part of the partnership between the two St. Louis area organizations, Gateway will feature WWT signage throughout the venue, web and social communications channels and branding on all event promotions.

Signage changeover is currently underway and will continue to evolve throughout the year.

The new partnership furthers WWT’s tie to racing, as the company is also the official technology and analytics partner of Richard Petty Motorsports and the primary sponsor of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team.

Chris Tilley is one of the hardest working men in motorsports.

No, he’s not a race car driver. He’s not a car owner or crew member. The 33-year-old Tilley is a promoter, announcer and public relations man; and those roles keep him incredibly busy.

“I think last year with other things that I had going on, I spent four Saturday nights at home. Two of them were due to rain,” Tilley admitted.

It is understandable if you’ve never heard of Tilley. Though if you’ve been to a dirt-track race in the Southeast or Midwest in the last few years, you’ve probably heard his booming voice. The kind-hearted native of Somerset, Ky., tends to fly under the radar when he’s walking the pits at a race track, though his voice is recognizable during the many events where he serves as announcer.

So how did Tilley make his way into the racing business? Like many before him, it’s because he went to the race track with his dad as a kid.

HOLLY, Mich. – After a longer-than-anticipated offseason, the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series presented by Engine Pro will kick off its new season on May 4 at one of its longest-running facilities, Indiana’s Anderson Speedway.

The high-banked quarter-mile will play host to the Must See Racing season opener for the first time, as a star-studded field of drivers tries to conquer the Hoosier State bullring during the Must See Racing 50.

Leading the charge for the series regulars will be four-time defending series champion Jimmy McCune, who romped to another title last season on the strength of five victories during the course of the year.

McCune, who boasts a series-best five victories at Anderson (2010, 2015 hat trick, 2017), will be looking to get back to victory lane there after being bested by a dominant Chris Neuenschwander one year ago.

Neuenschwander is expected to be back, however, to try and defend his victory from last year’s Must See Racing 50, again driving the No. 10n Pro Strip/NAPA Auto Parts entry for car owner Ron Koehler.

His victory last fall saw the New Haven, Ind., veteran charge from seventh to the win, lead 48 out of 50 laps and put all but runner-up McCune a lap or more down by the time the checkered flag waved in one of the most dominant performances in series history.

Aside from McCune and Neuenschwander, longtime series veteran Tom Jewell will be back in the White Hare Racing No. 7 to take another stab at securing his first Must See Racing victory, while National Sprint Car Hall of Famer and three-time Pay Less Little 500 champion Jeff Bloom is also expected to compete.

Canadian Ryan Litt will return to Must See Racing competition this season in hopes of unseating McCune for the series championship, with former supermodified ace Charlie Schultz and McCune’s nephew – Anthony McCune – also projected to be title contenders, as well as in the mix for an Anderson victory.

The list of non-series regulars who could play a factor at Anderson is equally as loaded, too, with North Carolina’s Tony Grams and Ohio’s Trey Osborne among those with plenty of bullring experience.

Osborne is a past Mel Kenyon Midget Series winner at the Anderson quarter-mile and will pilot the Mike Blake Racing No. 81, while Grams is entered in his own No. 22 machine.

The Must See Racing 50 at Anderson will be broadcast live on pay-per-view by Speed Shift TV, as well as taped for broadcast on the SPEED SPORT television series on MAVTV. United States Auto Club pit and infield reporter Georgia Henneberry will serve as the pit reporter for the SPEED SPORT broadcast.

And while the likely winner of the season opener won’t be known until the first Saturday in May, one thing is for certain: with more than 20 cars projected to be in attendance, the action on the track will be fast, furious and entertaining – all hallmark qualities of The World’s Fastest Short Track Cars.

“All of us at Must See Racing are extremely eager to kick off the 2019 season after a long winter, and there’s hardly a better place to do so than at Anderson Speedway, which is deeply tied in to both the history of Must See Racing and the history of sprint car racing as a whole,” said Must See Racing President Jim Hanks. “Having the Must See Racing 50 as our season kickoff this year, with so many potential storylines to follow, will make for a strong launching pad for our racing calendar this year.

“We hope the fans will come out and join us on May 4 as we hit the track for the first time in 2019.”

In addition to the Must See Racing sprint cars, late models, Legend cars and the Midwest Champ Carts will also be on the racing card for the May 4 program.

Pit gates will open at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, with rotating practice beginning at 5 p.m. Qualifying will start at 6:30 p.m. and racing will begin at 8 p.m., immediately following opening ceremonies.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is targeting at least one signing in every area of his squad this summer, sources have told ESPN FC.

Solskjaer said after the chastening Champions League exit to Barcelona on Tuesday night that he is facing a "rebuild" at Old Trafford before United again challenge for top trophies.

The work is set to start at the end of the season with Solskjaer looking to strengthen each area of his team with two new defenders, two midfielders and a forward.

Goalkeeper David De Gea will enter the final year of his deal in the summer but progress over an extension has been slow.

Sources have told ESPN FC the United manager will be backed with significant funds during the summer transfer window and will also be allowed to spend any cash generated by player sales.

Club captain Antonio Valencia is set to lead the exodus after the club decided against triggering a one year extension in the 33-year-old's contract. The Ecuador international has not started a game for United since the 2-0 win over Newcastle on Jan. 2 but, according to sources, is nearing a comeback and could return to the squad for Sunday's trip to Everton.

Ander Herrera is set to leave for Paris Saint-Germain this summer after failing to agree terms on a new contract. Juan Mata is yet to sign a new one-year deal and will become a free agent on June 30 if the stand-off continues.

There are also doubts over the futures of Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo, Eric Bailly, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez although sources have told ESPN FC there are no plans to sell Paul Pogba despite interest from Real Madrid.

United usually work towards a plan of signing three players during the summer but with more players than usual expected to leave, Solskjaer is set to get special dispensation to bring in more targets.

There is interest in Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane, Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez as well as young English trio Declan Rice, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jadon Sancho.

Sources told ESPN FC that after the 3-0 defeat at Camp Nou, Solskjaer told his players he is determined to build a squad capable of reaching Barcelona's level.

"They played very well," said Sanchez, who was applauded onto the pitch on his return to his former club after coming on for the final 10 minutes following his return from a hamstring injury.

"We had very clear chances, but this is football, this is the Champions League, if you get something wrong or fail then the other team gets on top of you. That's what Barcelona do.

"When I came on to the pitch I heard the applause and the truth is I am very happy about this.

"It was a nice moment for me. With the other players we won good things here and I am very happy to return from my injury and I am also very happy with the applause from the crowd."

In his teens, Virgil van Dijk worked part time washing dishes in a small-town restaurant. Nobody at Willem II, his mid-table Dutch club, saw much future in him. He was a well-liked but occasionally difficult kid -- "a real little rat," according to his youth coach, Robby Hendriks. Willem II wasn't even planning to offer him a professional contract.

Fast-forward to 2019, and this spring, Van Dijk, 27, is expected to win both of England's Footballer of the Year awards. One is voted for by his colleagues, the other by the Football Writers' Association. If Liverpool win their first league title in 29 years, it would be in large part thanks to him. A long, gradual rise -- a mix of planning, dedication and luck -- is reaching its crescendo. But how did Van Dijk, No.4 in the ESPN FC 100, get this good?

Van Dijk's long rise began the summer he turned 17, in 2008, when he shot up 18 centimeters (7 inches) in height. Before then, Van Dijk has admitted to the BBC, he was a slow, short right-back with an unstable knee, not a player who was good enough to dominate as a central defender. The freshly minted giant -- he's now 6-foot-4 and 203 pounds -- reminded some at Willem II of another big defender who had passed through the club in the mid-1990s, Jaap Stam, but Van Dijk still couldn't break into the first team. His club thought he had "too many limitations" -- something Edwin Hermans, then coach of the reserves, later told Dutch newspaper Trouw.

Admittedly, Willem II weren't the greatest talent-spotters; a younger kid in their academy at the time, Frenkie de Jong, never quite cracked the first team, either. De Jong joined Ajax's youth ranks aged 18, and even when he returned to Willem II on loan, he made just one 20-minute appearance. (He's now waiting to join Barcelona when the transfer window opens on July 1.)

Van Dijk might have ended up being a full-time dishwasher if it weren't for the intervention of the Koeman family. Martin Koeman -- a Dutch international and father of two Dutch internationals, Erwin and Ronald -- scouted the 18-year-old for the family's ancestral club, FC Groningen. In 2010, Van Dijk headed north on a free transfer. He cycled to reserve-team practices because he couldn't yet drive. Groningen didn't let him play matches because he was overtired after a season playing for Willem II's reserves and under-18s simultaneously.

Only Van Dijk thought he was ready for Groningen's first team. Even when others didn't rate him, he always did.

Finally, on May 29, 2011, three months before his 20th birthday and after four sub appearances, he made his first professional start against ADO Den Haag. He was at fault for ADO's goal but scored twice himself. That set a rhythm for his career: He would become a pillar of each new team almost from day one.

There would be further setbacks. Most notably, aged 20, he nearly died. After days of undiagnosed medical problems, he suddenly found himself in the emergency ward of the Groningen hospital with peritonitis and kidney poisoning. He later told Voetbal International magazine: "I remember lying in that bed. The only thing I could see was tubes. My body was broken. I couldn't do anything. For the first time in my life, soccer was a side issue.

"My mother and I prayed to God and talked about possible scenarios. At one point, I had to sign papers. It was a sort of will. If I died, some of my money would go to my mother. I looked death in the eyes, and that wasn't pleasant."

Pretty soon, though, he was back on the field.

Van Dijk's teammate and housemate at Groningen, Tim Keurntjes, said that by this point, Van Dijk had become a central defender who had everything going for him: build, height and skill. It probably worked to Van Dijk's advantage that he had been short for most of his youth. If he was caught out of position as a kid, he couldn't rely on a bone-crunching tackle or a last-ditch sprint to save the situation. He had to learn soccer the traditional Dutch way: sport as a kind of dance in space in which every player has to ask himself every second, 'Am I in the right place now?' and, 'What could happen next?'"

Groningen's coach, Robert Maaskant, noted another quality: Van Dijk listened to criticism. He learned rapidly and consistently. Almost perversely for a late-blooming defender at a small club, he still believed he could reach the top; he just needed to improve his weak points. Perhaps because the level at Groningen was too easy for him, his biggest problem was concentration. In that sense, he was made for soccer's elite level, playing for teams on which the hysteria and stress forces you to focus.

Another theme in his career emerged: Every two years, he would move up a level. By 2013, he was ready for his next step. He turned down Brighton and then big money at Krasnodar in Russia because he had decided the smart career move was to join one of the big Dutch clubs. Unfortunately, none of them were interested. They all underestimated the first-rate player with a second-rate career who'd had a terrible game for Holland under-21s against Italy.

Groningen phoned Ajax's technical director, Marc Overmars, to offer him Van Dijk, reported Voetbal International magazine, but Overmars bought another young centre-back, Mike Van der Hoorn, instead. Today Van der Hoorn plays for Swansea in the Championship, and Van Dijk is competing for the Champions League and Premier League with Liverpool.

In 2013, Van Dijk joined Celtic instead, and from the start, he saw it as an intermediate step. He instantly became an unquestioned regular in an iron-tight defense, winning two straight Scottish titles and continuing to improve by the month. Still, Holland's coach Louis van Gaal didn't take him to the 2014 World Cup, instead choosing the inexperienced defenders Terence Kongolo (playing for Huddersfield, who have been relegated from the Premier League) and Bruno Martins Indi (now at second-tier Stoke).

Van Dijk doesn't blame Van Gaal. "I wasn't as far [along in my career] then as I am now," he told the Dutch Algemeen Dagblad newspaper. "The Scottish league just is below standard."

Van Gaal's scouts had shown him videos of Van Dijk letting attackers run away behind his back. Moreover, he told the Volkskrant newspaper, the young Van Dijk "didn't defend forward," meaning he didn't move into space toward the ball. The easiest thing for a big center-back is to sit back and fight out one-on-ones against a striker, but Holland's tactics (and Liverpool's now) require forward, proactive pressing. Van Dijk, who never enjoyed the luxury of top-notch youth coaching, has had to acquire that. His belated mastery of it has made him a perfect fit for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, perhaps the world leaders in proactive pressing.

In 2015, Martin Koeman's son Ronald brought him to Southampton. Soon after, aged 24, Van Dijk finally made his debut for Holland. (For comparison, his partner in the Dutch central defense, Matthijs de Ligt, debuted at 17.) Van Dijk served his standard two-year stint at Southampton and then, at 26, made his long-planned leap to the top, at Liverpool.

The transfer fee of £75 million made him the most expensive defender in history. He always says he never thinks much about the price -- not his problem, he believes. Still, it was a remarkable fee for a man who had cost Groningen exactly nothing nine years earlier and Celtic just £2.7 million in 2013.

In his debut at Anfield, he scored the winner against Everton in the Merseyside derby.

He feels as if everything since has gone almost automatically. VVD -- not his nickname in Holland, as it's already the acronym of the governing center-right political party -- is now an unquestioned star, yet he remains different from the multi-millionaires around him in the team. While most of them have been surrounded since adolescence by agents, sponsor reps and other hangers-on, Van Dijk remembers what it's like to be a modestly paid, ordinary person. He reached adulthood still able to walk unrecognized down the street anywhere except Groningen. He knows he might have stayed unrecognized forever.

Sometimes, watching Dutch TV at home in Liverpool, he sees former teammates play in the Dutch second division on minimum-wage contracts. His past has given him an awareness of others that is rare in top-class soccer: During the anthems before Holland vs. France last November, he gave his coat to a young girl mascot whom he'd noticed was freezing.

At 27, Van Dijk has reached the soccer player's zenith: an old head on young legs. His concentration seldom falters anymore, and the combination of his Dutch and British soccer education is paying off. Ronald Koeman, now Holland's manager, has made him captain.

Georginio Wijnaldum, Liverpool's other Dutch international, told the Nu.nl website: "If Virgil doesn't agree with something, you'll hear it from him. On the field, he's constantly busy with teammates, the people beside and in front of him. It's nice playing with Virgil behind me because he's always coaching. He keeps talking."

Van Dijk admits that he may talk too much, but the talking shows how he views soccer: as a test of intelligent, collective positioning. He values brain over brawn. Asked by the Algemeen Dagblad about his fellow physical-super-specimen Sergio Ramos, he replied: "I don't think Ramos is the best of this moment. Ramos is a wonderful player, but he's not my type of central defender. I try not to end up in the situations that he often gets into."

To see how Van Dijk prefers to solve problems on the pitch, watch how he single-handedly neutralized two counterattacking Tottenham players, Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-Min, by himself in last month's encounter at Anfield. That match was a must-win for Liverpool as they chase a first Premier League title, and with little time left and the score level at 1-1, Spurs had their chance to dash the Reds' dreams at Anfield.

It's a masterpiece of decision-making: Van Dijk calculated that the biggest danger would be a shot by Son, a natural striker, so he positioned himself between the two opponents and let Sissoko run all the way into the box but all the while forcing him onto his weak left foot. The Frenchman fired well over the bar. Minutes later, Liverpool got the winner. It was a moment that might end up deciding the title, and Van Dijk didn't even have to make a tackle.

"Every day, every week, I feel I'm getting better," he said.

Van Dijk now has a quiet life: train, come home to his wife and toddler daughters, rest, give everything he has in the match, and repeat. It's a demanding existence, but then, these are his peak years -- unless it turns out there's another upward step left in him. It's all a world away from the teenage part-time dishwasher, yet that person is still part of Van Dijk, too.

"I think you have to stay normal," he told the Volkskrant. "What I am, I remain, with help from my wife. I haven't started to float. I've had to work quite hard to get where I am, but I'll never forget where I came from."

Gloucestershire 235 (Dent 75, Roderick 74, Clarke 4-43) beat Surrey 88 (Smith 3-7, Liddle 3-17) by 147 runs

Chris Liddle and Tom Smith claimed three wickets each as Gloucestershire skittled Surrey for just 88 to win their opening Royal London One-Day Cup match at Bristol by 147 runs.

The home side were bowled out for 235 after winning the toss, having been 156 for one, with Chris Dent and Gareth Roderick the main contributors, while Rikki Clarke and Tom Curran shared seven wickets. It looked a below par total. But Surrey turned in a hapless batting display, Jason Roy top-scoring with 19 as they were bowled out in only 24 overs.

Liddle finished with 3 for 17 and left-arm spinner Smith 3 for 7 from two overs. Tightly as Gloucestershire bowled, it was an abject display by the visiting batting line-up.

The game was played in bright sunshine on a slow pitch. Surrey made a quick breakthrough when George Hankins chased a wide delivery from Clarke and edged through to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.

The best batting of the day followed as, having taken time to assess the pace of the pitch, Dent and Roderick played with increasing freedom. Skipper Dent was first to his half-century, off 62 balls, with four fours and a pulled six off Clarke, and Roderick soon followed, off 65 deliveries, having struck seven boundaries.

The pair were making batting look easy, Roderick having lofted Liam Plunkett over midwicket for six, when they fell in quick succession. Dent skied a catch to mid-on off Clarke to end a stand of 152 in 25 overs and the next over saw Roderick miscue to mid-off to give Curran his first wicket.

The collapse that followed was a major surprise. Soon Gloucestershire were 171 for 5, with Ian Cockbain bowled off stump by Gareth Batty and Jack Taylor stumped attempting to swing Will Jacks' offspin into the leg side. Benny Howell and Ryan Higgins added 43 for the sixth wicket before falling to Clarke and Curran respectively and there was little contribution from the tail as Gloucestershire were bowled out inside 48 overs.

Surrey looked strong favourites at halfway, but never recovered from losing Mark Stoneman to the third ball of their innings, bowled by Dan Worrall with a ball that nipped back off the seam. It was the start of a sorry procession, Liddle removing three of the top five in Roy, Rory Burns and Foakes, while Jacks, on 17, dislodged his leg bail attempting to pull Worrall as Surrey slumped to 61 for 5.

There was simply no resistance as Howell had Ollie Pope caught behind down the leg side for 13, Clarke was bowled by Higgins and Smith polished off the tail by sending back Curran, Batty and Plunkett in the space of 11 balls.

The speed with which the match ended caught everyone by surprise and Surrey - three times finalists in this competition between 2015 and 2017 - were left to reflect an opening group performance that was little short of embarrassing.