Willstrop Victorious at Docklands
by Martin Bronstein in London, Mar 26, 2004 © 2004    Draw/results  

James Willstrop Kept Thierry Lincou on the run © 2004 Fritz Borchert

Once more Britain’s great prospect James Willstrop showed why he will very soon stand atop the world of professional squash. In four games of this best-of-seven final he dominated Thierry Lincou with his speed of thought and body, his superb all-court coverage and his clinical finishing. In the final game of his 4/2 win he produced a series of cutting winners that left the usually agile Frenchman standing.

This was a fine exhibition of just how far squash has come from the attritional game of 25 years ago as well as showing how very demanding the sport has become due to the speed with which it is played. Maybe the shorter game – to nine points – is necessary to stop the players’ bodies falling apart. Mind you, when the first four games comprised a total playing time of 33 minutes, there was the prospect of the final being over in under 40 minutes, which is hardly the stuff of major finals.

ENGLAND vs FRANCE

James Willstrop on the attack from all corners of the court © 2004 Fritz Borchert

Willstrop had home crowd advantage, a sort of rehearsal for the big Rugby meeting of England and France the following day. He started off full of confidence and dominated the first game to reach game ball 8-4 but Lincou saved three game balls with two stunning forehand winners and a stroke to get to 7-8. Willstrop had enough of this nonsense and finished the game with a backhand cross-court cut that was simply breathtaking.

SIX MINUTE WIPE-OUT
Lincou is a rhythm player and one thing that Willstrop does well is destroy the other man’s rhythm. To show the first game was no fluke he continued in a like vein to win the second game in six minutes and 20 seconds. He also led the third game 4-2, but then his touch left him and five times he found the tin allowing Lincou to take the game 9-5. Or was he feeling sorry for his opponent? If he was he soon got rid of that emotion to run through the fourth game 9-4 in nine minutes to lead 3/1.

Willstrop puts a spin on every shot; there’s almost a touch of venom about the way he hits and places every ball, while Lincou hits fine length and width, only occasionally can he produce a stone-dead winner. But Lincou, who was on the receiving end of a series of questionable calls the fourth game, some of which could have destroyed a less disciplined player, kept his nerve and played the fifth game as though his life depended on it.

James Willstrop enjoys a big win in London © 2004 Fritz Borchert

What Lincou had to accept was that he was up against a player who could attack from the most unlikely positions with a selection of killer shots. One major difference was that when Willstrop had his opponent out of position he could finish the rally. When Lincou had worked Willstrop out of position he was unable to put in the killer shot, which then allowed Willstrop to work his way back into the point.

This fifth game was the real battle which started at deuce (8-8). Lincou saved match ball with a golden backhand drop winner to force the first deuce. Willstrop took the next point for advantage but once again Lincou hit a life-saving winner, this time a forehand straight nick to force a second deuce. Willstrop found the tin with a forehand slam to give Lincou his first advantage and then they played the longest rally of the match – if not the tournament - with both players opting for caution rather than glory. Willstrop hit a shot down the middle, interfered with Lincou’s line to the ball and Lincou called let. It could have been a stroke but the referee amazingly called No Let. Furthermore Willstrop had broken a string and had the rally continued, he would not have been able to control the ball. Once more Lincou expressed his disapproval at the referee’s strange decision while Willstrop coillected a new racket, but the decision stood.

Willstrop came back on court and won the next rally to get to advantage for the second time. He hit another forehand into the tin bringing up the fourth deuce. Lincou kept his nerve and went ahead with a forehand drop but Willstrop again nullified that with tight forehand drive forcing the fifth deuce.

This was what the spectators had come to see and there was a definite lack of breathing around the East Winter Garden. The referee gave Lincou a stroke to end the next rally and, holding advantage, the Frenchman finally finished the game with a beautiful length drive to win 10-9 in a game that had lasted 28 minutes. So now the score was 3/2 for Willstrop, and the feeling was that he was tiring and that if Lincou could keep the rallies going, he could still come out on top. That feeling, however, was wrong. It was Lincou who was tiring and Willstrop destroyed him at the front of the court with a series of cross court cuts and chops that Lincou simply could not pick up. Within four minutes, Willstrop had won the fifth game 9-2 and the highly pro-English crowd erupted in delight at the skill of this wonderful young player.

It was a good 77 minute match with drama and changing fotunes. I doubt if any of the fans went home disappointed.Lincou gave tribute to his young opponent but the evidence was there for all to see: Willstrop is a very special player and a very valuable addition to the sport of squash.

CANARY WHARF CLASSIC

FINAL
James Willstrop (Eng) bt Thierry Lincou (Fra) 9-7, 9-5, 5-9, 9-4, 9-10, 9-2 (77mins)

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