U.S. Open Squash

King stuns Duncalt to qualify for semifinal

The first quarterfinal of the Delaware Investments U.S. Open at Philadelphia’s Drexel University produces a shock of seismic proportions as qualifier Joelle King put out third seed and former champion Jenny Duncalf in a seesaw five game thriller.

Duncalf, hitting the tin far too frequently for her own good, was in some ways fortunate to take a first game in which she didn’t play well, but the New Zealander took complete control in the next two games, adding her own driving winners and drops to Duncalf’s still too high error count.

Maybe nerves got to King in the fourth as she too made a few errors, but Duncalf seemed settle and it was her turn to take advantage.

The start of the decider was always likely to be crucial, and a 5-0 then 7-1 start for King proved enough.

Duncalf started playing some of her best squash, but the gap was too much to bridge, and on her second match ball King was through to the semis.

“There’s less pressure on you when you’re not the seeded players,” explained a delighted winner, “but I’ve been at this level for a while and been close to some big wins so the pressure was maybe from myself.

“In the first game I felt I was in control, but not in control, it was weird. But then I got ahead, she came back but I managed to close it out.

“I’m absolutely stoked to get through, it’s my first semifinal of a Gold event, let alone a World Series, I’m so so pleased!”

Nicol extracts the first bit of revenge

The second women’s quarterfinal offered the prospect of guaranteeing a qualifier in the final, but only if Alison Waters could repeat last week’s win over Nicol David, the dominant force in women’s squash for the last six years.

Not many people have ever beaten Nicol twice in a row, and tonight the Malaysian world number one and world champion was in no mood for a repeat setback.

It wasn’t a dominant performance, but Nicol was always a little bit faster to the ball, a little bit tighter, and apart from the third when Alison kept it level pegging all the way to 9-all, David was always a little bit ahead.

Waters led 9-8 in that third, but a series of great lengths from the Malaysian racket levelled it at 9-all, a dropshot off a loose volley gave her match ball, and Alison’s volley into the tin brought the end as the Englishwoman’s racket went flying in disgust.

That’s one aberration removed for Nicol, now she’ll be aiming to complete the run to the title to remove another.

“She was always going to be up for it having beaten me last week,” said a relieved and delighted winner.

"I knew I had to start strong and fight for every point to stop her getting the feeling she had it again.

“I think I got used to playing on the court a bit quicker than her, but in the third she was finding her length better and becoming more comfortable, it was neck and neck so I was really pleased to finish it in three.

“Hopefully this should kick start me for a big push in the rest of the tournament ...”

Willstrop wins a bruiser

For anyone to take a 10-0 lead at this level takes some doing, but that’s what top seed and world number one James Willstrop did tonight.

He had to wait until the fifth though to open up that commanding lead, having shared the first four games with young Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy in a tough, often brutal encounter lasting 90 minutes.

The Englishman started well enough, helped by a number of errors from Shorbagy, to take the first game, but Shorbagy stepped up the pace, cut down the errors, and for the next three games there was nothing to choose between them.

Into the decider then, and now Willstrop’s control and physical conditioning that has improved so much started to pay dividends.

At 10-0 Shorbagy finally found a dropshot to claim a bagel-saving point, raised his arms and cried “yes” to the delight of the crowd.

Four more points, all from crisp winners followed, and thoughts started to turn to the impossible comeback.

A loose shot resulting in a stroke put paidd to those hopes and a relieved and tired Willstrop was through to a fourth successive U.S. Open semifinal.

"I had a good first, but then he started playing at a really good place and I was failing to take the chances I gave myself at the front, I was a bit weak and tentative in that area ad that helped him," said Willstrop.

“I was pleased with the fifth, mentally and physically, but when he starts coming back hitting winners you just have to pay your game and not panic. If he’d made it you’d have to take your hat off to him, but it was unlikely.

“I’m pleased to get through a match like that, and the format of this tournament with split first round and quarters is best for the players, so I’ll be able to get a bit of recovery tomorrow.”

Greg finishes strongly

A few too many errors from third seed Gregory Gaultier, together with solid play from Karim Darwish, put the Egyptian fifth seed into the lead in the final match of the night.

The Frenchman found improved consistency from the outset of the second game and proceeded to dominate the rest of the match, showing determination when necessary as well as his renowned shotmaking skills.

Never behind in those final three games, it took a minute over the hour for him to set up a semi-final with James Willstrop, a repeat of their marvelous match in last month’s British Grand Prix.

“I struggled at the beginning,” admitted Gaultier.

“I had the wrong strategy, going to the front too soon and he dominated me.

"I changed my tactics completely at the start of the second, tried to push him to the back and take things on the volley as much as I could and it paid off.

“I’m happy to play James again, we had an unbelievable match in Manchester and I’m looking forward to trying to get my revenge.”

Article by Kristi Maroc

Player lists have been released for the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships, revealing that all of the world's top ten men and women will be competing in this year's event!

With every major star in the squash world heading to Philadelphia to compete for the prestigious title, the U.S. Open is certain to conjure up an abundance of skillful and exhilarating squash battles among the best of the best.

The confirmed player list includes the world's greatest competitors such as skillful Englishman James Willstrop (#1), his compatriot Nick Matthew (#2), feisty Frenchman Gregory Gaultier (#3) and captivating Egyptian Ramy Ashour (#4), as well as last year's U.S. Open winner, Amr Shabana from Egypt (#6), who has also won four World Open titles in his lustrous career.

All will have a long and challenging road to make it through to the final deciding match and take home the grand prize on October 12, and with the bar set so high it's anyone's guess who the champion will be.

No one wanted to miss out on their shot at the U.S. Open title in the women's draw, with all ten of the world's top 10 ranked women showing up to compete for the crown.  The draw includes the powerful Nicol David (#1) from Malaysia who is yet to win a U.S. Open title in her astounding career history of 63 professional titles to date, as well as Egyptian sensation Raneem El Weleily (#2) who recently made a big jump into the top of the rankings, last year's defending champion from England Laura Massaro (#3), and athletic Aussie Kasey Brown (#8) who toppled Nicol David at last year's U.S. Open to make the final.

After an off season to prepare, and big prize money up for grabs, all players will be looking to bring their finest game to the center stage in October to progress through the challenging draws.

The U.S. Open forms part of the 2012 World Series for both the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and Women’s Squash Association (WSA), and offers $185,000 in combined prize money.

Article by Kristi Maroc

As a child, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up it’s likely James Willstrop replied ‘a top international professional squash player’ while other children were saying astronauts, racecar drivers, ballerinas or Hollywood actors. Like many other responses, his answer may have seemed like an innocent and possibly farfetched dream to many…but to James and those close to him it was already something realistic to aspire towards.

“I remember really being very young, there was no question that I really wanted to play the game to a top level,” says 29-year old James.

“I had a lot of encouragement and had an environment where I was able to be very involved and exposed to the game. I was at squash clubs, and found I loved it. I got addicted very early on and never really looked back.”

James’ family is all heavily involved in squash. His father Malcolm Willstrop was, and still is his coach, along with his brother David who was also previously a professional player and is now part of England’s national coaching team.

“It’s been a great life in squash for me. I’ve been very very privileged to have that chance to be exposed as a young child to that environment. As it happened I enjoyed it, I may not have taken to it as I did, but my family were well involved and I followed them.”

Now at the pinnacle of squash achievement, with a world #1 professional ranking, all of James’ dreams have come true.

“I was always really exposed to professional squash. I came to watch the British Open when I was young, and was obsessed with it – I still am really.”

The difference now is that he is actually competing in the British Open, and other major World Series professional tournaments such as the El Gouna Open, Hong Kong Open, and the U.S. Open.

James has confirmed he will return to the United States in October to contest for the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open title. In last year’s U.S. Open he lost in the semifinals to compatriot and known rival Nick Matthew, a result which he will no doubt be looking to amend this time.

He is also likely keen to retaliate from his most recent major tournament experience – at the 2012 British Open – where he was knocked out in the semifinals in front of a home crowd during a nail-biting hour-long match against Egyptian Ramy Ashour.

After the summer off to regroup and prepare for the first major tournament of the season, plus a taste for revenge on his lips, James is likely to turn up enthusiastic and raring to win the U.S. Open and substantiate his world #1 ranking.

“Motivation comes by easily because I love winning, I love the thrill of winning and competing to the very best of my ability, or giving the very best account of myself even if I don’t win. I just love striving for that,” he says.

According to James, the only road to success is hard work...there are no secret tips.

“As boring as it sounds, there aren’t really any shortcuts. Hard work is the key. And if you want to get better at things, practice is my biggest tip, it really is…hard work and training.

“There’s a lot of off-court training – gym work, core work, yoga, psychology – it’s all in there. The secret is literally hard work. Like anything, what you put in you’ll get out,” he says.

“My main target now is to just try to stay healthy and play the game and enjoy the experiences that might be left. That’s another thing that you learn when you get older, I think you get a lot of perspective and you understand that it doesn’t last forever.

“I’m really lucky to have played at some of the great venues around the world and win some brilliant tournaments, and I just want to try and enjoy that as well.”

The starring role that squash has played in James’ life means that now he is so successfully established in his career, he is enthusiastic about instilling his love of the game to junior players.

“I remember like it was yesterday when I was watching people play in these big venues and just being absolutely awestruck by them. They were my heroes, the players, at that time. So I suppose now when I’m stood in that position as the world number one, I try and steady myself and enjoy it.

“This time isn’t around forever, where you’re an elite athlete and at the top of your game, so I try to just think ‘let’s enjoy it, let’s try to put back into the game and encourage the kids and the fans to enjoy the sport’.

Discounted tickets for the renowned 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships will remain at early-bird sale prices for just one more week, until Saturday June 30.

At 25-50% off, tickets to witness an elite international showcase of squash talent are at bargain prices right now!

Held in Philadelphia, a passionate sports city just over an hour out of New York City by train, tickets are selling quickly to this professional squash spectacle.

Amtrak is also offering a 10% discount on the best available rail fare to the U.S. Open, making it easy to travel from New York and other US cities to this captivating event.

The U.S. Open is undoubtedly among the most coveted professional squash tournaments in the world, as it is part of the PSA and WSA World Series Tours.

This year the event boasts a record grand prize of $185,000, distinguishing it as one of the most highly rewarded championships in professional squash, and making it certain to draw all of the world’s best players.

In the men’s draw, current world #1 James Willstrop (ENG) has already confirmed that he will be playing, as too has his compatriot and long-term rival, last year’s finalist world #2 Nick Matthew (ENG).

The women’s draw will include longstanding world #1 and record six-time World Open champion Nicol David (MAS), and 2011 U.S. Open women’s defending champion world #2 Laura Massaro (ENG).

In addition to an incredible showcase of world class professional squash, there will also be an exciting array of activities and events happening throughout the championships, including an interactive squash zone, awards, club nights and much more.

At these heavily discounted prices for tickets, you need to get in fast!  Discounted tickets are only available for one more week, until June 30.  Head to www.usopensquash.com now to purchase yours!

At the U.S. Open website you can also watch a video tour of Philadelphia and the U.S. Open with local squash professional formerly ranked within the world’s top 50, Gilly Lane.

• DISCOUNTED TICKETS:  To buy your discounted tickets before June 30, click here.
• AMTRAK DEAL:  For further details on the Amtrak discount and getting to the venue, click here.
• GILLY IN PHILLY:  To be shown around Philly by local squash star Gilly Lane, click here.
• SCHEDULE: For information on events and activities during the 2012 U.S. Open, click here.

Article by Kristi Maroc

At almost 32 years old, England’s Nick Matthew has achieved virtually every accolade there is in professional squash, including the U.S. Open title in 2007 and finalist in 2011, plus an unfaltering world number one ranking for the entire year in 2011. 

In a recent interview following his impressive win of the British Open, the current world number two confirmed he will again play the Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships in October this year.  

Nick also says he has hopes to reclaim the world number one position once more in his career.

“That would probably be my main goal now – just to have one more turn at the top,” says Nick, settling back into his seat for the interview just minutes after walking off the court from beating Egyptian Ramy Ashour in the British Open final. 

“Obviously James Willstrop – my big rival – is there right now, but before I retire I’d love to get it back one more time.”

Winning the esteemed British Open title for a third time would certainly have contributed to that mission, and Nick's excitement about the triumph is clear. 

He is the first Englishman to win the British Open three times, one more remarkable addition to Nick’s already impressively long list of career highlights - not to mention attaining it by defeating the exceptionally skilled Ramy, another of Nick’s long-term rivals, for the first time in five successive matches. 

“When I win three nil in the first round of a tournament I’m surprised, never mind against somebody like Ramy in the final,” says Nick. 

“I’m over the moon, absolutely delighted.  I don’t have many more of these finals in me, I’m getting on a bit now, so I’ll enjoy it while I can.”

After Ramy’s ruthless performance against James Willstrop in the semi-final the day before, many expectations were that the 24-year old Egyptian would win the British Open.  However on finals day Nick dispelled any illusions of who deserved to take home the trophy, overthrowing Ramy in straight sets in just 33 minutes.

“I’m nearly 32…but I’m a young 32 some days!” Nick chuckles.

“I played great today, one of my best performances ever, so on such an occasion I can’t wish for anything more really.

“I don’t feel like I’m ready to stop yet though.  Hopefully after a good summer, starting back probably with the U.S. Open, I can have a good start to the season and get some more titles under my belt.”

With his unwaveringly strong game style and consistently solid performances, Nick’s chances at the final of the 2012 U.S. Open are evident. 

“I’m at a point now where I’m trying to peak for major events – the big ones in the calendar like the British Open, World Open, U.S. Open, Tournament of Champions – ones that I’m passionate about winning,” he says. 

“It’s sometimes hard to play every single week, but to be the number one in the world you have to be the best player over 12 or 13 tournaments over the year, and that’s something I’ve got to get better at if I want to win get that number one spot back.”

As a PSA and WSA World Series event, and with total prize money of $185,000, the U.S. Open in October will bring all of the world’s top players to Philadelphia to compete for the prestigious title. 

“I love playing in the US – some of the best atmospheres are at tournaments we play in the States,” says Nick. 

“It’s a relatively new sport there so the crowds are always really passionate and really loud, and they always seem to be packed out every day.  They love the dynamic and athletic nature of the game and they really get behind us.”

Nick started playing at the age of eight, and says he realized the potential to be a professional player when he was about 15 or 16.

“As a kid, I played every sport under the moon and then fell in love with squash.  It suited my personality, with the one-on-one combat.  I loved the dynamic nature too, where you had to think a lot and think for yourself.  It made you independent at a young age. 

“I realized from coming to the British Open as a kid that you could make a living out of it if you were good enough, and willing to work hard enough – and so I’ve been working hard ever since.

“In the United States, the number of kids you see attending the big tournaments like the U.S. Open and the Tournament of Champions is great.  And they’re all so keen to play!

When asked what he would say to those young players who have dreams of turning professional like him, Nick says:

“Get to the big tournaments!  See that atmosphere and get inspired to play in one of these amazing venues – it is very different from playing behind closed doors. 

“The sport is growing on television, so you can really do well out of it.  This is the professional game and where you want to be. 

“I’ve made a few sacrifices along the way, but I’ve enjoyed every minute and it’s beyond my wildest dreams what I’ve done up until this point.”

“I think there’s an opportunity there to be that American superstar – not taking anything away from the current players – but to be that first real top ten world champion from the US," says Nick. 

“When that happens, I think squash is really going to take off in the States."

To see Nick Matthew live at the 2012 Delaware Investments U.S. Open, you can buy tickets at http://www.usopensquash.com/tickets/.  Tickets are on sale now!