The Hindu : Willstrop is World junior champion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

Sport

Sport - Squash

Willstrop is World junior champion

By S.R. Suryanarayan

England's James Willstrop, who won the individual event in the World Junior men's squash championship, receiving an all-silver racket from WSF President, Mr. Jehangir Khan and Mr. N. Ramachandran, President, TNSRA at the TNSRA-SDAT complex on Monday. The runner-up Peter Barker, also of England, looks on.— Photo: K. Gajendran.

CHENNAI DEC. 9. England's James Willstrop is the new World junior men's squash champion and he could not have reached this milestone in a more spectacular fashion.

Dominance is one thing but to leave an opponent begging for mercy quite another. His awesome show of power and precision left his compatriot Peter Barker a no hoper and ironically provided an anti-climactic finale to the individual event competition of the 12th edition of the championship at the TNSRA-SDAT complex on Monday.

It was a rousing final that the two competitors had promised on Sunday after the semifinals. It was not as though Barker did not tune his game but it was a case of Willstrop giving only that much freedom to show his wares. Having played Barker nearly half a dozen times earlier, Willstrop knew his rival's game like the back of his palm. But nobody expected him to take the fight out of his now-traditional rival in such a facile fashion. The final lasted just 28 minutes. Understandably disappointing to the good gathering but that is what brilliance can sometimes do. None but the legend, Jehangir Khan, who graced the occasion, would have nodded his approval on that.

Expectedly it was a moment to cherish for Willstrop and the exultation and show of emotions, when he grabbed the final point, an impeccable drop shot said it all. "It is unbelievable, amazing and a great feeling" he said as flash bulbs popped and congratulatory words zeroed in from all around. Willstrop admitted playing Barker in the final was a comfortable feeling because of the familiarity factor but what surprised him was the latter's inability to pull up. "May be I was playing excellently", he said quite modestly but in effect the truth, for the youngman who right through the championship had not lost a single game, was only to peak further.

His father and personal coach, Malcolm Willstrop, who had seen many of his son's matches, felt the boy played exceedingly well to make the gap between the two players look pronounced. The senior Willstrop said the biggest asset in his son's game happened to be his hands. "They are magical", he said to describe the kind of masking he does to his strokes to the discomfiture of his opponent. Be it the crosscourt drives or the delectable volleys directed to top of the board or the immaculate drops, Willstrop mixed them judiciously. A desperate Barker will vouch for that. Rarely has one seen a player sending his rival the wrong way in a fast rally.

Blanking Barker in the first game in just 11 minutes, Willstrop had set the tone for the final. Expectations of a comeback from Barker dwindled in the face of Willstrop's amazing touch. The admirable control over the volleys and split-second thinking in making placements can break anyone's morale. Barker was no exception as he buckled under pressure to make a disappointing exit, though he needed to be sympathised for Willstrop's game was in a different zone. As England Coach and Willstrop's elder brother, David Campion put it, "his game was right there of a top-ten player". Handsome compliments to a player, who himself has set a goal of getting into the top 25 in the New Year.

The World Squash Federation President, Jehangir Khan lit up the occasion by his presence and also the face of the winners, who had the privilege of receiving the medals from the legend. Willstrop received a trophy and in addition was also presented an `all-silver' squash racket by Mr. N. Ramachandran, President, TNSRA.

Meanwhile the team events get underway on Tuesday. After the fairly promising show by its players, India's seeding for the team event jumped from 13th to 6th place. Nineteen teams have been placed into four groups. The top two teams after the group league make it to the knock-out phase. India is clubbed with Egypt, Malaysia and Scotland. Other Groups: Gr `A': England, Wales, Canada, Switzerland, Ireland; Gr `B': Pakistan, Netherlands, USA, Hong Kong, Zimbabwe; Gr `C': Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Kuwait and Kenya. The final is on December 14.

The result: final: James Willstrop (Eng) bt Peter Barker (Eng) 9-0, 9-3, 9-1. Plate event: final: Piedro Schweertman (Neth) bt Robin Antony Clarke (Can) 4-9, 9-1, 9-1, 9-2; Classic plate: final: Ahmed Moshen Hassan (Egy) w/o Mustafa Essen (Egy); Consolation plate: final: Seif El Dein Mahmoud (Egy) bt Mohd Shahril (Mal) 9-5, 9-3, 9-5.

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