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Paul Johnson summary and statistics]

Feb 3, 2001, New York, © 2001 SquashTalk
Photos: © 2001 Debra Tessier, squashphotos.com

by Ron Beck

Paul Johnson is the quintessential UK-trained player: patient, accurate, conservative in his shot selection, uncomplaining on-court. As a consequence, he makes few waves on the circuit. He is almost un-noticed, lurking in the top six in the world. His marathon match last year against Peter Marshall at the TOC, scheduled as the last match of a long evening, was reported by several squash journalists as the prime advertisement of boring squash.

This is the conundrum that Johnson faces: what makes him a good and almost great player is also his biggest weakness - he seems reluctant at all times to take the offensive or to let his creativity break free during a match.

Johnson is seeded to reach a showdown with Peter Nicol in the third round, this is if he can get past rapidly improving Australian Joe Kneipp. Johnson could provide an early test of Peter Nicol's return to sharp match play.

Left-hander Paul Johnson first appeared in the PSA world rankings at 0213 in January 1990, aged 17. By September, the Londoner had broken into the top 100 at #94, then two years later, in September 1992, he made it into the top 50. His top 20 debut at 20, in March 94, was followed by an indifferent four-year period in which he drifted in and out of the lower reaches of the top twenty - until May 1998 when he made it to number nine before moving up to his current career-high position of World No. 4 in December.

The turning point in his career came when he took the decision to move to Harrogate in the north of England, to work with national coach David Pearson. 'My game is getting better and better - the move is bringing its rewards,' he said at the time.

His appearance later in the 97 British Open will be remembered as one of the most remarkable matches in the event's history: Johnson, with match-ball in the third, seemed to be heading to a second successive first round win over Peter Nicol. The point was played, the players shook hands and walked off court as the audience cheered a repeat win for the Englishman. The referee, however, called the pair back to replay the disputed point - which saw the game, and eventually the match, then go to the Scot!

A further mark of the success Johnson achieved in 1998 was his elevation to England No. I for the first time. He powerfully justified this status in February 1999 when he won the British National title for the first time, beating defending champion and England No. 2 Simon Parke 3-2 in the final.

The son of a semi-professional soccer player, Johnson turned down an offer to join the leading London soccer club, Queens Park Rangers, at 16 to pursue a career in squash. Ten years later, this decision is at last reaping its rewards.

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