POSTED: Monday September 14th 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SQUASH - Willstrop Sets Up Historic All-English British Open Final

PSA/WISPA TOUR EVENT NEWS

RESULTS: internationalSPORTgroup British Open     Squash Championships, Manchester, England

Men’s semi-final:

[10] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [3] Amr Shabana (EGY) 11-5, 11-6,     11-1 (32m)

[4]     Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [6] Peter Barker (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6     (48m)

Women’s semi-final:

[5]     Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [3] Alison Waters (ENG) 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9     (63m)

[2]     Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [4] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6     (48m)

Willstrop Sets Up Historic All-English British Open     Final

England’s James     Willstrop crushed Egypt’s three-time world champion Amr Shabana in the second     semi-final of the internationalSPORTgroup British     Open - Manchester 2009 at     the National Squash Centre to     set up the first all-English final of the world’s oldest and most     prestigious squash championship for 70 years.

After a historic day in which three Englishmen competed in the     semi-finals for the first time in living memory, Willstrop will face     fellow Yorkshireman Nick     Matthew.  The world number     four from Sheffield scored a resounding straight games win over his     England team-mate Peter Barker     to reach the final of the $92,500 PSA World Tour Super Series event     for the second time in four years.

Madeline Perry     became the first ever Irish player to reach the women’s final after     beating England’s Alison     Waters.  The world No8     from Belfast, who produced the event’s biggest shock when she ousted hot     favourite Nicol David, the     world number one and defending champion from Malaysia, will now face     three-time champion Rachael     Grinham, of Australia.

Since reaching last year’s final, where he lost in a dramatic     fifth game tie-break, world No9 James Willstrop has undergone ankle     surgery and is battling to fight back to the career-best world number two     ranking he achieved in December 2005.

But     the 26-year-old from Leeds put in a near-perfect performance to overcome     Amr Shabana, a world number one for 33 months, 11-5, 11-6, 11-1 to set up     the historic all-Yorkshire final.

“I’ve not made it a secret that I am a big fan of Amr’s - he is     a legend of the game,” Willstrop told the packed crowd at Sportcity after     his sensational win.  “He is a     very difficult player - and to beat him here in Manchester in the British     Open is very special.

“I     was very consistent from the start - I started well and this set the     tone,” added the two-time national champion who lost to Shabana in     straight games only eight days ago in the US Open in     Chicago.

“Last week he trounced me - I was half a yard off the pace and     he was sublime.  But tonight     was one of those performances when I kept consistently     tight.”

Lifelong coach Malcolm     Willstrop was delighted with his son’s performance.  “He played extraordinarily well -     but you have to play well to beat the best player in the world on current     form.”

England number one Nick Matthew had not dropped a game en-route     to the last four - and was in devastating form as he despatched Peter     Barker, the world number eight, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 in 48     minutes.

“Even though it was 3/0, I couldn’t relax for a moment,” said     the 26-year-old from Sheffield later.  “The game went according to plan -     and it’s not often that happens.      It very rarely happens that you win all your matches 3/0 - so I’ve     given myself a real chance for tomorrow.”

Barker, the left-handed Londoner who upset Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, ranked two in     the world, in the previous round, was full of praise for his close     friend:  “That’s the best he’s     ever played against me.  And     when you get beaten by a better player, it’s somewhat easier to     take.

“I     did everything to win, but it wasn’t good enough.  I can’t argue with the     result.”

Fifth seed Madeline Perry produced the game of her life to beat     Nicol David in the quarter-finals of the $53,500 WISPA World Tour Gold     championship - and maintained her run in the semis, recovering from a game     down to defeat third seed Waters 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 in 63     minutes.

“I     wanted to play well after beating Nicol yesterday - it would have been     disappointing to then lose in the semi-finals,” said the 32-year-old world     No8 from Banbridge, near Belfast.

“I     was aware that Alison would come out fast and furious and I had to be up     for it and work hard.

“Obviously beating the world number one boosts your     confidence,” added Perry.      “I’ve beaten a few good players, but not a lot of world number     ones!

“I     am very proud of where I come from - so reaching the final of the British     Open should put me up there with the best Northern Irish squash     players.”

In     the other women’s semi, Yorkshire’s Jenny Duncalf failed to reach the     final for the second year in a row.      The world number six from Harrogate went down 11-8, 11-7, 8-11,     11-6 to Rachael Grinham, the second-seeded Australian who is looking for     her fourth title.

“I’m happy to be in a major final - and the fact that it’s the     British Open makes it even better,” stated the 32-year-old from Queensland     who won the title in 2003, 2004 and 2007.  “I felt better about the way I     played today - the further I get through the draw, the better I feel.  My accuracy was a lot better.  I can definitely enter the court     tomorrow feeling a lot more relaxed.”

Duncalf was devastated by the loss:  “It was a wasted opportunity -     with Nicol out, it opened up the draw.  I was edgy the whole time, I just     wasn’t timing it right and miss-hit everything. 

“I’m disappointed that I just didn’t play well - but she played     a good game.”

Official website: www.isportgroup.com/BritishOpenSquash

Follow the action from the PSA and WISPA World Tours live on WWW.PSALIVE.TV - the webstreaming     service of both the Professional Squash Association and Women’s     International Squash Players’ Association.  Enjoy live action, replays,     download archive matches and exclusive Live & Uncut     DVDs

# # #

Keywords · Squash · internationalSPORTgroup British Open Squash Championships · Manchester · England

Name: Howard Harding
Organization: PSA/WISPA/WSF/ESF
Email:
Phone: +(44) 1737-243333

Please refer all questions to the company listed above issuing the press release. SFC will not be able to assist you with any inquiries and disclaims any content in these press releases.