James Willstrop
James Willstrop at the 2017 Men's World Team Squash Championships
CountryEngland
ResidenceHarrogate, North Yorkshire, England
Born (1983-08-15) 15 August 1983
North Walsham, Norfolk
Height1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight88 kg (194 lb)
Turned Pro2002
RetiredActive
PlaysRight Handed
Coached byDavid Campion
Racquet usedUnsquashable
Men's singles
Highest rankingNo. 1 (January 2012)
Current rankingNo. 60 (August 2023)
Title(s)21
Tour final(s)46
Medal record
Men's squash


Representing  England
World Championships
Silver medal – second place2010 KhobarSingles
Bronze medal – third place2005 Hong KongSingles
Bronze medal – third place2009 KuwaitSingles
Bronze medal – third place2011 RotterdamSingles
Bronze medal – third place2012 DohaSingles
Bronze medal – third place2015 BellevueSingles
World Team Championships
Gold medal – first place2005 IslamabadTeam
Gold medal – first place2007 ChennaiTeam
Gold medal – first place2013 MulhouseTeam
Silver medal – second place2011 PaderbornTeam
Silver medal – second place2017 MarseilleTeam
Silver medal – second place2019 Washington D.C.Team
Bronze medal – third place2003 ViennaTeam
World Doubles Championships
Gold medal – first place2022 GlasgowDoubles
Bronze medal – third place2017 ManchesterDoubles
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place2018 Gold CoastSingles
Gold medal – first place2022 BirminghamDoubles
Silver medal – second place2006 MelbourneMixed doubles
Silver medal – second place2010 DelhiSingles
Silver medal – second place2014 GlasgowSingles
Bronze medal – third place2014 GlasgowDoubles
Bronze medal – third place2018 Gold CoastDoubles
Last updated: May 2023.
James Willstrop reacts during the 2009 Kuwait Open semi-finals.

James Willstrop (born 15 August 1983, in North Walsham, Norfolk) is an English professional squash player from Yorkshire.

Career

Willstrop has a large build for a squash player, being 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm) and 194 pounds (88 kg). He trains at Pontefract Squash Club in West Yorkshire, where he was trained by his father, Malcolm Willstrop.[1]

In 2002, Willstrop claimed his third consecutive British Junior Under-19 National Championship title, to establish himself as England's most successful junior player of all time – having won National titles at all age groups (under-12, under-14, under-17, and under-19), and British Junior Open trophies at under-14, under-17, and under-19. In the same year, he established himself as the world's top junior player, claiming both the European and the World junior titles.[2][3]

Willstrop became one of the youngest players to represent the senior England team, making his debut at both the European and World Team Squash Championships in 2003.[4] In 2004, he won the Pakistan Open title in Islamabad (upsetting Amr Shabana in the quarter-finals) in his first appearance in a PSA Super Series final.[5] In 2005, he finished runner-up at the British Open as the seventh seed, then followed this by lifting the Qatar Classic trophy in only his second Super Series final appearance.[6] This first-time success led to Willstrop a career-high World No. 2 in the PSA world rankings published that December. This made Willstrop the top-ranked Englishman, which led to his promotion to squad number one in the England team for the 2005 World Team Championships in Pakistan later in the month when he led the team to victory for the first time in eight years.[7] He also won the bronze medal at the 2005 Men's World Open Squash Championship.[3]

In the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Willstrop partnered with Vicky Botwright to a silver medal in the mixed doubles.[8] In 2007, Willstrop won the British National Squash Championships title, beating John White in the final,[9] helped England retain the 2007 Men's World Team Squash Championships title in Chennai, India, and won the English Open, beating fellow Yorkshireman Nick Matthew in the final.[10]

Willstrop retained his British National title in February 2008, beating fellow Pontefract player Lee Beachill in the final.[9] He also finished runner-up at the British Open for the second time in May 2008, losing in a five-set final to David Palmer. Willstrop held match balls at 10–9 and 11–10 in the fifth game, but Palmer ultimately won 11–9, 11–9, 8–11, 6–11, and 13–11 (3–2).[11]

In 2009, he reached the semni finals of the 2009 Men's World Open Squash Championship and in January 2010, Willstrop won his first Tournament of Champions title in New York, defeating World Number 1 Ramy Ashour in the final and dropping only one game during the tournament.[3] In the singles final of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Willstrop was defeated by compatriot Nick Matthew 11–6, 11–7, 11–7. The match ended after 66 minutes.[12] He also finished runner up to Nick Matthew during the fnal of the 2010 Men's World Open Squash Championship; it was the first time in the history of the competition that it was an all English final.[13]

In 2011, Willstrop reached the semi finals of the 2011 Men's World Open Squash Championship and finished runner up with England in the 2011 Men's World Team Squash Championships. He ended his 2011 season by winning 15 matches in a row en route to winning the Hong Kong Open, the Kuwait Open, and The Punj Lloyd PSA Masters.[3] With those three PSA World Series titles, Willstrop succeeded fellow Englishman Nick Matthew as the World No. 1, in January 2012.[2] The rivalry with Matthew continued for many years as Willstrop struggled to overcome his compatriot. Matthew regained the World Number 1 ranking and beat Willstrop in six National finals from 2010 to 2018.[9]

In 2013, Willstrop won hs third World team title, after winning the 2013 Men's World Team Squash Championships in France.[14] He won two medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games; a silver in the singles and a bronze in the doubles.[15]

He continued to compete at the highest level into his thirties and won two silver medals tn the 2017 Men's World Team Squash Championships and the 2019 Men's World Team Squash Championships.[2] In between he won the gold medal in the singles and bronze medal in the doubles at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In the men's singles he beat Paul Coll of New Zealand in straight games, 11–9, 11–4, 11–6.[16][15]

In 2019 and 2020, Willstrop won the British National title, beating Daryl Selby and Joel Makin respectively in the finals.[9] At the 2022 Commonwealth Games (his fifth Games) he won the gold medal partnering Declan James in the men's doubles.[17]

Personal life

Willstrop is a vegan.[18]

He resides in Harrogate, Yorkshire, with his partner Vanessa Atkinson, herself a professional squash player.[19]

World Open final appearances

Outcome Year Location Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up2010Al-Khobar, Saudi ArabiaEngland Nick Matthew7–11, 11–6, 11–2, 11–3

Major World Series final appearances

British Open

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up2005Australia Anthony Ricketts11–7, 11–9, 11–7
Runner-up2008Australia David Palmer11–9, 11–9, 8–11, 6–11, 13–11
Runner-up2009England Nick Matthew8–11, 11–8, 7–11, 11–3, 12–10

Tournament of Champions

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up2008Egypt Ramy Ashour11–7, 14–12, 11–9
Winner2010Egypt Ramy Ashour12–10, 11–5, 9–11, 11-3
Runner-up2012England Nick Matthew8–11, 11–9, 11–5, 11–7

Qatar Classic

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner2005Australia David Palmer11–1, 11–7, 11–7
Runner-up2011France Grégory Gaultier11–8, 11–7, 2–11, 11–8

US Open

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up2009England Nick Matthew11–7, 11–4, 11–7

Pakistan International

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner2004Australia Anthony Ricketts6–11, 11–9, 13–11, 11–3

See also

References

  1. ↑ "James Willstrop interviews his father, squash coach and inspiration". The Guardian. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "James Willstrop profile". Squash Info. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "James Willstrop profile". PSA Tour. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  4. ↑ "James Willstrop". www.squashplayer.co.uk. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "Pakistan Open 2004". Squash Player. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Willstrop Denies Doha Hope In Qatar Classic". World Squash Federation. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  7. ↑ "England Clinch World Title In Pakistan". Squash Info. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  8. ↑ "Gold for Nicol and Beachill, The Grinham Sisters and Kneipp/Grinham". Squash Player. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "History - British National Squash Champions 1974-2021". British National Squash Championships. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "England Beat Australia To Retain World Title In India". Squash Info. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "On This Day: Palmer v Willstrop – British Open 2008 Final Highlights". Squash TV. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  12. ↑ "Day Five – the Finals". Squashsite. 8 October 2010. Archived from the original on 12 October 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  13. ↑ "Matthew & Willstrop In First All-English World Open Final". World Squash Federation. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "England dethrone Egypt". Squash Site. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  15. 1 2 "James Willstrop". Team England. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  16. ↑ "GC2018 - Squash". GC2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  17. ↑ "Declan James and James Willstrop win all-English Commonwealth squash final". The Independent. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "‘I try not to get hung up on food and sometimes you have to accept what’s available’". Squash Mad. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  19. ↑ "World Squash Championship: Ashour & Matthew into quarters". BBC Sport. 30 October 2013.

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