Willstrop excited over Shabana showdown

The 30-year-old Yorkshireman was given a tough workout in Tuesday night’s quarter-final Peter Barker before prevailing 11-7, 5-11, 12-10, 11-5.

Many people expected him to face fellow Yorkshireman and current world No 1 Nick Matthew at the last four stage, but his hopes of regaing the title he won in 2012 was ended by Shabana’s 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 2-11, 11-9 victory over him before Willstrop took to the court against Barker.

“It’s not been my best week of squash,” said WIllstrop. “But I improved again a little bit today.

“Pete gave me a lot to think about, but I’m through to a semi-final and I’m old enough now to know that you can turn things around and get through the rusty patches.

“I’m not playing badly but I haven’t set the world on fire.

“Every player would say that Shabana is at the top of their list. His ball striking and natural purity is great. I like playing here and I like playing Shabs so I’m looking forward to it.”

After securing victory over Sheffield-born Matthew, the No 2 seed, Shabana felt like he was playing some of the best squash in his career.

“That was probably one of the best matches that I have played in a long time,” said Shabana,

“Nick is the World Champion and the World No 1 and he’s beaten me in the last four or five games that we played so I had to play at my very best to beat him.

“I had a game plan and I stuck to it and thankfully it worked.”