Video: Top players peaking in time for World Championships - Willstrop

Pontefract’s own James Willstrop has his say on the competitive world of squash.
ON FORM: US Open squash champion Gregory Gaultier in action.ON FORM: US Open squash champion Gregory Gaultier in action.
ON FORM: US Open squash champion Gregory Gaultier in action.

One of the great events on the World Tour for men and women professionals, the US Open, was won by Nicol David and Gregory Gaultier a week ago last Saturday in Philadelphia.

The event, like the game in the US, is gaining serious momentum and much of this is down to the vision of US Squash and all of the sponsors and supporters at the Drexel University, where the event is played.

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As we have already pointed out, the USA governing body of squash have had the foresight to make the prize money equal for the women and the men; they too have ploughed resources and great effort in to producing a wonderful event. This is the third year in a row that the historic event has been brilliantly staged in Philadelphia and the news came through on the eve of the event that Drexel University and US Squash have come to an agreement with the PSA and WSA to extend the life of the event for ten years.

ON FORM: US Open squash champion Gregory Gaultier in action.ON FORM: US Open squash champion Gregory Gaultier in action.
ON FORM: US Open squash champion Gregory Gaultier in action.

This is a very positive attestation that professional squash is moving in the right direction and clearly has plenty to offer.

I hope no-one watching last week’s action could be in any doubt about that. David has, in the most seamless fashion, reinstated her authority on the women’s game.

Her dominance was temporarily threatened when she lost out in the Malaysian tournament and British Open consecutively in the spring but she has responded, as champions do, by winning four major events on the bounce, in Malaysia, New York, Philadelphia and then just on Sunday in Shanghai. Just as the chasing women had begun to sense a chink in the armour, the response came, and she rules the roost once more.

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In Philadelphia she played possibly her closest competitor, England’s Laura Massaro who cleverly and tenaciously became British Open Champion in May, defeating David in four games there.

This time David took the spoils, in a fierce five-game spectacle, which stuck the two fingered salute up to those who argued that the women’s prize money should not equal the men’s.

In the men’s event Greg Gaultier delivered a sublime performance of accuracy and poise to dispatch Nick Matthew in straight games.

Everything the Frenchman hit seemed to just glue itself to the one of the four corners of the court.

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It appeared to be one of those matches where everything seemed to happen automatically for Gaultier and he proved that he is the number 2 behind Ramy Ashour, who is unbeaten for 16 months going in to the World Championships this week.

Elsewhere in the world of squash, round one of the Premier Squash League on Tuesday saw Yorkshire clubs faring none too well; Pontefract were thumped by Duffield 5-0 at Duffield and Chapel Allerton lost 4-1 to the University of Birmingham away from home. Chapel A play Nottingham at home and Pontefract play Birmingham at home on November 5.

On the professional circuit Miguel Rodriguez beat Daryl Selby 3-1 in the final of the Bluenose Classic in Halifax, Nova Scotia. At the Macau Open, Dipika Pallikal beat Rachael Grinham in four games and Omar Mosaad beat Adrian Grant in a 96 minute five game final.

The men’s World Squash Championships have just begun in Manchester. Qualifying took place on Saturday and Sunday at Sportcity in Eastlands Manchester.

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The first round matches were underway yesterday and the quarter-finals begin on Thursday at Manchester Central.

Watch psasquashtv.com for the action. The later stages will be televised on the BBC next weekend.

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