CHENNAI: FORMER World Number 1 from England James Willstrop will be the Indian squash team’s foreign coach for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, sources in the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) confirmed on Friday.
“His appointment has been green lit by the ministry. He is expected to arrive here in Chennai on September 17, two days before the Games start in Japan. The plan is that the team will leave together with him from here,” the source added.
Willstrop, who is based at the Pontefract Squash and Leisure club in West Yorkshire, was previously part of a national camp for the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games as a sparring partner. Two-time world championships medal winner Chris Walker was the foreign coach at that period of time. Both Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh — ranked No.1 here — are expected to travel to UK soon to train with the Englishman, it is learnt.
Willstrop has won one silver (2010) and five bronze medals at the World Championships and was part of three-gold medal winning men’s team at the World Team Championships (2005, 2007, 2013). In the Commonwealth Games, he has won one gold each in singles and doubles. He is also the son of Malcolm Willstrop, widely regarded as one of the best squash coaches. Malcolm has coached two-time Asian Games gold medallist Saurav Ghosal.
This comes after the SRFI had conducted a week-long sparring camp early this month with top squash players like Gregoire Marche, Melvil Scianimanico – both from France and Spaniard Bernat Jaume with those selected for the Asian Games. The squad is yet to be announced officially.