Having won the World Jr Championships and World Team Championships on his previous two visits to India, England ace james willstrop will be hoping for an encore at the psa masters
Having won the World Jr Championships and World Team Championships on his previous two visits to India, England ace james willstrop will be hoping for an encore at theu00a0PSA masters
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James Willstrop. pic/getty images |
England's squash ace James Willstrop has enjoyed a fairu00a0 bit of success in India having won the World Junior Championships and World Team Championships on his previous two visits here.
No wonder then, England's most successful junior player of all time is keen to leave his mark on the upcoming Punj Lloyd PSA Masters (December 5-10) at the Bombay Gymkhana.
"I've been to India twice and won on both occasions. They have been some happy victories," said Willstrop, who reached a career-high World No 2 in December 2005, when at the age of 23, he led England to victory in the World Team Championships in Pakistan for the first time in eight years.
But after a glorious 2008 u2014 in which the Yorkshireman became the British National champion for the second year in a row, reached the Tournament of Champions and British Open finals, and secured PSA Tour titles at the Swedish Open, Virginia Pro Championship and Canary Wharf Classic (for the second time) Willstrop's career suffered a major setback in April this year when he was forced to undergo ankle surgery.
Willstrop then arrived at the 2009 World Open in Kuwait as the 11th seed and burst into the quarter-finals after dismissing favourite and former World No 1 Karim Darwish. He made the semis after despatching former champion Thierry Lincou. His giant-killing run came to an end on the eve of the final when he was beaten by the eventual champion Amr Shabana in an 80-minute four-game encounter.
Seeded seventh at the Punj Lloyd PSA Masters, Willstrop attributed his junior success to his early inclination to the sport.
"I started swinging the racquets very early. My dad (Michael) coached, so I was straight on the court as a toddler when he finished his sessions.
"Basically as soon as I could walk," said Willstropu00a0 who won British National titles at all age groups - U-12, U-14, U-17 and U19.
