Semi-Finals:
Willstrop earns chance
of back-to-back titles
Richard Eaton
 James
Willstrop proved himself the in-form player of the PSA Tour
in following his capture of the World Series title at Hong Kong
eight days ago by reaching the final of the World Series event
here in the Kuwait PSA Cup.
Winning top titles back-to-back is increasingly rare on the
men’s circuit, but the Englishman’s impressive 11-9, 11-6, 11-3
win over Gregory Gaultier, the former world number one
from France, suggested he may be capable of it.
However once again Willstrop will have a final against Karim
Darwish, the former world number one from Egypt, who
tenaciously saved two game points to avoid a decider in a
compelling 11-4, 11-9, 5-11, 15-13 win over his young compatriot
Mohamed El Shorbagy, the former world junior champion.
Willstrop’s victory takes him significantly closer to ending
2011 by equaling his career high world ranking of two. It may
also have been more economical on energy than Darwish’s, which
can be an significant factor during a physically demanding
finish to the season.
Willstrop found a forceful accuracy which applied cumulative
pressure, eventually frustrating Gaultier so much that in the
third game both his error ratio and his protests to the referee
escalated.
His frustration expressed itself in some yells, one swish with
his racket at the wall, and a couple of prolonged complaints
which caused the official to tell him to “be a little bit quiet,
please.”
Willstrop knew then that his consistency was altering the mood
of the match. “I stopped him from having opportunities to
attack, tucked him up in the back corners, and played with
rhythm and accuracy,” said Willstrop, who believes he is playing
better than when he first rose to prominence in 2005.
“I’m a little bit of a late developer,” the 28-year-old said .
“I came through quickly but I wasn’t a complete player. It’s
been a constant process, always looking for things to improve my
game. Now I am on a winning streak I am just trying to focus on
holding it together.”
But Darwish too played with control and tactical maturity for
two games. When he looked like running into trouble he was then
able to adapt and scrap resiliently, just managing to halt his
dangerously improving friend and rival.
This change of pattern happened after El Shorbagy won his first
game in the five matches he had played against his senior
compatriot, at last getting in front of Darwish more often and
taking opportunities to hit damaging strokes, both short and
long.
Darwish saved game points at 9-10 and 12-13 but missed match
points at 11-10, and 12-11 as the match teetered for several
minutes on a precipice in the fourth. After avoiding a fall
Darwish was asked whether it had been a question showing the
younger man who was still boss.
“Sometimes it’s like that,” the 30-year-old agreed. “Sometimes
age can give you an advantage, and experience as well. He can
give me a lot of respect, but at the end it got a bit brutal.”
Willstrop’s win was the second time in two tournaments that he
has beaten Gaultier, having beaten the Frenchman in Hong Kong
after losing to him in the semi-finals of the World Open in
Rotterdam three weeks ago.
But his repeat encounter with Darwish is likely to be very
different from the one in humid conditions in Hong Kong. Cool
weather in the Gulf is likely to bring storms, and a special
roof will be constructed over the court to ensure that the
showdown is not upstaged by a deluge.
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