09-Oct:
Willstrop
geared up
for a home charge ...
By Lee Sobot, Yorkshire Evening Post
Pontefract's James Willstrop is chasing a home win in the
world championships for squash but the selfless 25-year-old says his
quest for glory involves more than just himself.
His family, coaches and supporters have all helped get him there and
Willstrop is planning "outrageous" celebrations should his ultimate
goal be realised.
World number three Willstrop has high hopes for this year's World
Open held in Manchester, starting this weekend and cumulating in the
final a week on Sunday.
Willstrop's girlfriend Vanessa Atkinson also takes part in
the women's event while clubmate Lee Beachill and Sheffield's
Nick Matthew also take part in the men's section. Held every
year with recent venues ranging from Qatar to Bermuda, this year the
Open returns to England for the first time since 1987 when it was
held at the NEC in Birmingham.
World number three Willstrop reached the semi-finals in Hong Kong
three years' ago but the Pontefract Squash Club player hopes to
achieve the ultimate and win the tournament on home soil.
To be world champion has been Willstrop's dream ever since he began
playing aged four-years-old but Willstrop hasn't forgotten his rise
to fame and those that helped him get there.
All will be involved in the celebrations should Willstrop win next
Monday's final and it's safe to say his first answer on how he would
celebrate is something of a joke...
 "I'd
probably just go home and have a cup of tea and maybe a great big
packet of biscuits!
"I'm sure there would be people to share that with and to be honest
it's just something that you build up to try and achieve so much
that we wouldn't just let it go. I'm sure there would be some fairly
outrageous celebrations.
"I would definitely share that with people from my club as they have
been a massive part of what I have done. I've been at that club
since I was four years old and to just share that with them and all
the people that have helped would be great.
"It's not just about me. So many people have helped in small ways –
even the people coming along to watch who make it a fantastic
atmosphere. It would be a wonderful thing to win for yourself
obviously but there are so many people that have contributed, that
have been there and supported you. You couldn't do it without all
that support.
"It would be so wonderful to win something like that and then just
be able to say thanks and well done to all those people."
Probably receiving the first drink
would be Willstrop's dad and coach Malcolm who is responsible for
sparking his son's love affair with squash.
Malcolm still coaches Willstrop at Pontefract Squash Club and
Willstrop can remember how it all began 21 years back.
"I was born into a pretty squashy kind of family, my dad coached and
he still does.
"I was just young and my mum took me down to the club courts aged
three or four years old and I was just getting involved by seeing
the ball hit around court. Then you are picking up the ball and
asking your dad if you can go on court and it just works from there
really. I just got addicted to it and loved it."
Willstrop went on to have a
sensational junior career, winning titles at all age groups and
becoming England's most successful junior player of all time.
Willstrop's squash-playing mum Lesley tragically lost her brave
battle with cancer in 2000 but, eight years on, her six foot four
inches son has now won a host of senior titles too.
These include the English and Pakistan Opens, the Qatar Classic, the
British Championship twice and the World Team Championship twice for
England. It's already been a glittering career but Willstrop admits
victory in Manchester would be a huge achievement.
"I don't think you can
get any bigger than this, to win the world title in Manchester –
that really is the pinnacle, you can't get any bigger than that.
"Being in Manchester just gives it that little bit of extra edge. It
does make such a difference – there is the support, being
comfortable in your surroundings and you are close to home – if
things go wrong you can soon work it out in your home surroundings.
"There's the comfortable feeling and that's apart from the fact that
it's probably going to be one of the best tournaments ever staged
because of the organisation."
"It is a big chance and to be at home is a tremendous opportunity to
do it, you know that if you ever want to do it, you want to do it
here. But I don't want to get too bogged down with all that and I
don't want it to become so important that it becomes a stressful
thing."
Willstrop will certainly lack
nothing in support and he too may be doing his fair share of
supporting with girlfriend Vanessa taking part in the women's event
starting on Tuesday.
World champion in 2004, Vanessa was born in Newcastle but represents
Holland having moved there as a child.
The "squashy family" theme is continuing though Willstrop says there
is more to him and Vanessa than squash – though he admits it is a
huge advantage having a partner on the same wavelength.
"We just sit at home
every night and talk about squash!
"It is good to have things in common and obviously we talk about my
squash and her squash and we know what each other is talking about.
It's something we can both talk about and both understand."
Along with the rest of his friends
and family, Vanessa will be an avid spectator next week when
Willstrop's quest for glory begins against a qualifier.
However, while Willstrop must wait until Monday, he hopes tomorrow's
qualifiers lend a hand by going right down to the wire!
"I play my first game
on Monday against a qualifier and they play on Saturday and Sunday -
hopefully they will be absolutely knackered!" |
