Mar 8, 2023
From Jake and Amir: App Ideas
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From Jake and Amir: App Ideas
How would you describe the sport of squash in 3 words? Brutal, creative, complex How would you describe the state of squash as a sport in th
Declan aims for first title at home
Nottingham’s James targets maiden AJ Bell British National title
By Daniel Rees
Nottingham-based squash star Declan James says he’s relishing the opportunity to contest the AJ Bell British National Championships in his hometown next week following a two-year absence from the competition.
Next week sees the UK’s finest squash players descend on the University of Nottingham Sport and Nottingham Squash Rackets Club to compete for the British National crown, one of the most prestigious titles on the British circuit.
James, who trains at Nottingham Squash Rackets Club, is seeded to reach the last eight and has the capability to go all the way having reached the last four in 2017 when he was also a 5/8 seed.
“Hopefully the crowd will be on my side and we’ll have lots of people down there supporting me. That can be enough to win these matches especially if it starts getting close,” he says.
The 27-year-old who currently sits 21st in the world rankings believes this year’s competition is as open as it’s ever been.
“It’s going to be the most competitive Nationals for a long time. There’s a whole host of players that can state their case for winning.”
The England No.4 faces a tough opening encounter against Merseyside's Patrick Rooney, with the winner likely to face defending champion James Willstop in the quarter-finals.
Despite enduring a troublesome start to the season, James heads into the competition high on confidence, having helped England take silver at the WSF Men's World Team Championships in December and surpassing his seeding at the Tournament of Champions, where he reached the third round.
Coincidentally, the first of his 13 PSA World Tour titles came in Nottingham and he has highlighted the British Nationals as a huge opportunity to add to his medal collection.
“The Nationals are one of those tournaments that you aspire to win in your career. It’s one of those career goals that if you’re able to tick off, it’s something you’re going to remember for a long time. That’s definitely what I’m aiming for.”
With the championships relocating to the East Midlands last year, James sees it as the perfect chance for the city to revive its rich history in the sport.
“Going back, you’ve had players like Peter Marshall, Simon Parke and John White all basing themselves in Nottingham. It’s always been a bit of a hub for the professional players, and in terms of the University of Nottingham, it’s one of the best in the country and has a strong sports pedigree.
“The university has invested so much into the new facility and apportioned a lot of it to squash courts which shows that Nottingham has that character in terms of its sporting history and background.”
James, who will often take a walk in the nearby Wallaton Park to mentally reset on rest days, comes into these championships with the intention of following in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessors.
“I’ve turned my bad form around,” he says. “It’s all about momentum.”
Kaneis - Outer Space (Lycii & Declan James Live Edit)
Twisted ankle for Declan...
Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Declan James (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 6-3 retired (43m)
A twisted ankle as Declan volleyed a forehand that Omar tried to reach, contact and injury break. Declan didn’t come back on court…
Omar
I started playing good squash, but I’m not sure his movement at the point was 100%. He withdrew from Wimbledon, so maybe he has a little niggle already. That made it tricky for me as I didn’t know how to play tactically. The second he played really well, he was up 6/4 but I managed to win that one too 11/7. The third well, we collided at 6/3, he twisted his ankle, I hope it’s not too bad and that he will be back soon…
Simon weathers the storm then outpowers Declan
[4] Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-0 Declan James (Eng) 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (39m)
A very good start for Simon in the opener, 4/0, but Declan finding his range quickly there, attacking beautifully and finding some lovely winners, 6/6. Unfortunately, errors riddled the English number 1 game, 5 in total, and that what makes the difference in the end, 5 winners for him, 6 winners for Simon 11/7 in 13m. The second was in my view the more intense one, with Declan truly taking the game to the German, and Simon having to retrieve a heck of a lot in the crucial second. At 6/6, it was still possible for Dec, but he found himself at the wrong end of long rallies, and it’s the German that gets the upper hand, 11/7 in 13m… The third sees the European number 1 blaster his opponent off the court, Declan doing his best just to put the racquet on the ball, and it’s sans appel, no quibble 3/0, 4/1, 11/4…
Declan (on twitter) Not good enough today, and Simon was too good, hats off. Disappointed that I couldn’t produce my best but this week has been another good part of the journey. Go back to work now and try to bridge the gap. Thank you to everyone for the kind words. Bat mode is coming
Simon I played really focused from the first point today and I think that was really good for my squash, especially against someone like Dec, who is a really confident player, if he gets leads he can really destroy you. I was focused from the first point and I kept it throughout the match which was really important.
Every once in a while I tried to lift it to get back into the rhythm. I just want to thank my coach Oliver Pettke who has been here in the last few days training with me. It made a big difference for me today, if I didn’t have him in my corner then I think I would have struggled even though the result looked like I won quite comfortably. We all try to break the big wall of Egyptians that are playing so well. They always have been good, but especially at the moment they are playing brilliant. It’s a good feeling to be one of the non-Egyptians up there trying to give them a hard time and that’s what I’m trying to do.
Declan: ‘My strongest point is my mental side’… meanwhile Abou…
Declan James (Eng) 3-0 [7] Mohamed Abouelghar (Egy) 14-12, 12-10, 11-6 (42m)
Yes, it’s an old story, no offence to Declan at all, who played superbly, patiently constructing rallies, not getting excited when Abouelghar was tining away and weathered the nicks as they were pouring in.
Perfect match from Declan really, down 10/5, raising his game as Abou dropped out mentally, taking a crucial first game from a mental point of view. The second was pretty close up to the middle, still with Dec a fraction ahead. At 10/7 for the Englishman, suddenly the realisation he might go up 2/0 against one of the top guys, a bit of a freeze there, but still Dec 12/10 on his 4th attempt. The wheels came off for Abou in the 3rd, 4 errors in 5 points at the start of the game…. 10/4 Declan, with a bit of nerves again creeping at the end, but it’s a fair and well deserved victory for a humble, hard working and clinical young man who deserves everything that is coming to him, in the quarters of that new event..
Declan I knew that I was playing well coming into this event, as my coach and I went back after Grasshopper and worked on a couple of things and it seems to have made a difference quickly which I’m really happy about. I knew I was playing well coming into the match, but I didn’t find my range in the first half of the first game. I was too loose on the backhand side and Mohamed is just lethal any loose ball then he will just punish you.
In the second half I found my range and that allowed me to get back into the match. Even though I was down in that initial phase, I wasn’t too worried about the scoreboard I just wanted to find my range.
I held myself together, a couple of nerves towards the end of the second, but I manged to convert. It’s only my second time beating a top ten player so I’m still learning, but I’m proud of myself and just want to do more this week.
I’ve learned more about myself in the last couple of years and I’ve tried not to let bad losses get me down or exciting moments getting me too excited.
You put yourself in a position of 2-0 against someone like Mohamed Abouelghar and I just tried to stay level headed and play good squash and make good decisions. The reason why I’m finding some form this week is that I’m making good decisions and keeping level-headed. I think I’m good enough to become a top ten player. I work hard off the court and for me the mental side is the important thing, it’s a battle in my mind really and I think that’s the difference for me and if I can get it right there then that’s the key to becoming a top ten player.
Declan Clinically gets his win against Mostafa...
Declan James (Eng) 3-0 Mostafa Asal (Egy) 11-5, 11-3, 11-9 (38m)
A pretty simple game today: if last time they played in Blackball in December – where Dec lost in a long 3/2 – Declan was not ready for what he was facing, today, he was basically as clinical as he could be.
Add to that that Mostafa who today reminded us he is 17, playing a bit of a junior squash game, going for far too much, too complicating, not much length, basically “I was not there” as he smiled at the end: let’s not forget he just came back from Pakistan after wining the CAS a few days ago. “I’m so tired” he admitted. “I was just not on the court, no thinking, nothing”.
Bless him.
Declan played as basic game he ascould before finding superb attacks, and really made Mostafa’s life hell. And he (dec) will be very happy with that.
Declan
So many people came to me telling me “so you are going to be able to get your revenge”. And I thought, no, I don’t want my revenge, because that’s an emotion, that would actually prevent me from playing my game and cloud my ability. What I was thinking was more on the line of “what didn’t I do right last time that I can do right this time”.
So today, I tried to leave emotions out of it, I had a very professional attitude I thought, and I’m happy with the level of squash I played, and I had to because he is a hell of a player and I have the utmost respect for him.
It all came down to the quality of my length, and being able to keep that quality on a consistent basis.
It’s a bit surreal that I’m going to be playing number 1 in the European Team, with a team with James Willstrop and Daryl Selby. Never in my dream I would have expected to be playing number 1 for my country at 25….
Tomorrow, I’m playing Abouelghar, I cannot wait. Last time we played was a hard 3/2 in Chicago, and I cannot wait to be back on the glasscourt having a huge battle, because I feel that’s where I belong now…