Willstrop Wins 2014 China Open by Nathan Clarke September 7, 2014
- England's James Willstrop, the World No.7 and 2014 Commonwealth Games
silver medalist, claimed his first PSA World tour title since 2013 by
defeating compatriot Peter Barker 3-2 in the final of the 2014 China
Open - Squash Stars On The Bund, PSA International 70 event in Shanghai
earlier today.
The 31-year-old
Pontefract based player got the better of Barker in a mammoth 98-minute
battle, surviving a thrilling comeback to win his first tour title
since beating the Essex-man to honours at the 2013 Canary Wharf
Classic.
After suffering a
disappointing first round exit at the recent Hong Kong Squash Open, his
first first-round exit in a PSA tour event since 2006, Willstrop
rebounded to put in impressive back-to-back performances against
Egyptians Marwan Elshorbagy and Omar Mossad to reach the final of the
inaugural China Open and he looked to be easing to the title after
taking an early two-nil lead.
But the resilient
Barker, one of the sport's most physical players, dug deep to level the
game after producing some fine play during the third and fourth games.
However he fell short in the final game as Willstrop managed to find an
extra gear, surviving everything Barker could throw at him, to grind
out the victory and lift the trophy with a 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 10-12,
11-5 triumph.
2014 China Open - Squash Stars On The Bund: Final:
[1] James Willstrop (ENG) bt [3] Peter Barker (ENG) 3-2: 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 10-12, 11-5 (98m)
