Willstrop Set To Cause A Stir At The 2005 Brit Insurance Super Series Finals

James Willstrop, the former junior British, European and World squash champion from Pontefract in Yorkshire, will seek to enhance his rapidly growing reputation amongst the world elite when he makes his debut appearance at the Brit Insurance Super Series Finals at London's Broadgate Arena next week (9-13 May).

The past 12 months have seen the 21-year-old enjoy a meteoric rise to the upper echelons of the world game, reaching the semi-finals of four PSA Tour events, clinching his first PSA Super Series title and shooting to a career best No5 in the world rankings. Considered one of the biggest threats in the world game, he has already claimed a string of major scalps during his fledgling professional career, including high profile victories over fellow Broadgate finalists, Jonathon Power, Amr Shabana and David Palmer.

The 6' 4" Yorkshireman has today been drawn in the Harrow Group alongside fellow Yorkshiremen Lee Beachill and Nick Matthew and Australia's world No2 David Palmer - the title winner at Broadgate in 2002. Willstrop will launch his title bid against Bermuda-based Australian on Monday 9th May.

Reacting to the draw, Willstrop said: "David is a tough opponent but it doesn't really matter who you draw first as all three group matches are going to be hard. It's up to me to make sure I'm ready for them. A good start would be helpful so I've got to make sure I'm at my best."

After the three-day group stage, the two best-placed players from the Harrow group will progress to Thursday's semi-finals along with the top two qualifiers from the Fleet Group, headed this year by France's defending champion and No 1 seed Thierry Lincou.

In a first for the Super Series Finals, reigning world champion Lincou has been drawn in the same group as three former world champions - England's Peter Nicol, Egypt's Amr Shabana and Canada's Jonathon Power - making it, on paper, perhaps the most competitive group in the history of the tournament. Lincou will be first on court on the Monday evening, opening his title defence against the in-form Power, winner of last month's Bermuda Masters. Nicol, making an unprecedented 10th appearance at the finals, will face Shabana later in the evening as he embarks on his bid to clinch a record fourth Super Series Finals title. The Englishman - winner of 49 professional titles - currently shares the record with the great Jansher Khan.

Despite the breathtaking quality of the 2005 Brit Insurance Super Series Finals field, Willstrop will be unfazed at the prospect of mixing it with the world's best after qualifying as the fifth highest points scorer on the 2004 PSA Super Series Tour - a series of elite world events that included the World Open, the Hong Kong Open, the PSA Masters and the Pakistan Open. It was at this final qualifying event, in Islamabad last December, that James cemented his place in the eight-man line-up at Broadgate, defeating Australia's Anthony Ricketts to clinch his first PSA Super Series Tour victory.

"I believe this is an event that I can win," added Willstrop. "The world game is really open at the moment - the last seven or eight tournaments have been won by different players - and that's great for the sport. On our day, any one of us is capable of beating the next. We all have what it takes to win this tournament.

"I've never been to the event before but I've watched it on TV and the venue looks superb. It's a big event with a great deal of prestige. I was really keen to qualify and am very happy to have made it."

Coached by his father Malcolm Willstrop - also coach and mentor to club mate Lee Beachill - James capped a sensational junior career in 2002 when he claimed his third consecutive British Junior U19 National Championship to establish himself as the country's most successful junior player of all time. His trophy cabinet already boasted U12, U14 and U17 national titles as well as British Junior Open trophies at U14, U17 and U19 level. 2002 also saw him become the world's top junior, when he claimed both the European and the World titles

After representing England with distinction at all junior levels, Willstrop has gone on to become one of the youngest players ever to play for the senior England team. Just last week, he helped steer the four-man national team to victory over France in the final of the European Team Championships in Amsterdam.

"Lee is almost like a son to my dad. When we play each other dad just leaves us to it. He sits and watches but doesn't offer any advice," said Willstrop junior.

The draw for the 2005 Brit Insurance Super Series Finals, announced today by tournament promoters WSM and CSS, is as follows:

FLEET GROUP HARROW GROUP
Thierry Lincou (1) David Palmer (2)
Peter Nicol (4) Lee Beachill (3)
Amr Shabana (7) James Willstrop (5)
Jonathon Power (8) Nick Matthew (6)

Monday 9th May
5pm Thierry Lincou v Jonathon Power (Fleet)
6pm Lee Beachill v Nick Matthew (Harrow)
7pm Peter Nicol v Amr Shabana (Fleet)
8pm David Palmer v James Willstrop (Harrow)

Tuesday 10th May
5pm Lee Beachill v James Willstrop (Harrow)
6pm Peter Nicol v Jonathon Power (Fleet)
7pm David Palmer v Nick Matthew (Harrow)
8pm Thierry Lincou v Amr Shabana (Fleet)

Wednesday 11th May
5pm Amr Shabana v Jonathon Power (Fleet)
6pm David Palmer v Lee Beachill (Harrow)
7pm Thierry Lincou v Peter Nicol (Fleet)
8pm Nick Matthew v James Willstrop (Harrow)

Thursday 12th May
6pm Semi-Final 1, Winner Harrow Group vs Runner-Up Fleet Group
7pm Semi-Final 2, Winner Fleet Group vs Runner-Up Harrow Group

Friday 13th May
5.45pm Third Place Play-Off
7pm Final

Presented by British Land, the Brit Insurance Super Series Finals is one of the sport's most coveted events and is contested annually by the top eight qualifiers from the PSA Super Series Tour.