JAMES WILLSTROP: PRINCE EXO3 REBEL


Ever since, his height has been something the whole Willstrop family like to boast about. “I’ve always been rather a freak,” he says. “When I was just 13 years old I was already 6ft 3ins.”


Being an oversized youngster helped James’s junior squash enormously. Under the tutelage of his father Malcolm, acknowledged as one of the most successful coaches in the country, he enjoyed a glittering junior career, collecting titles like other kids collect football stickers: British Junior Opens, European Junior Champion, and World Junior Champion. He quickly became the most successful junior player ever to come out of England.


Then in 2002 he launched himself upon the men’s World Tour, asserting his authority from the very outset. By the end of 2005, at the tender age of 22, he had reached a ranking of World No.2.


But in a sport like squash, where players tend to peak in their late 20s, this premature success brought with it problems of expectation. James remembers how fans and media couldn’t understand why he failed to reach the World top spot. “A lot of criticism came my way,” he says.


After losing form last year, and dropping in the rankings, James is now firmly back within the World’s top 10. Earlier this year he won his 12th World Tour career title, the Tournament of Champions in New York. However, he refuses to pinpoint one single reason for his resurgence. “It’s not just about the practice you’re doing, the coaches you have, the nutritionists you have,” he explains. “It’s more about your body and your mind finally learning their trade, if you like.


People like to think there is something magical happening, but really it’s a matter of years of hard work and effort. The experience you gather over many years, the losses you’ve had, the bad times you’ve learnt from – you gather it all together in your brain, and your body assimilates it all over a number of years. Suddenly things just happen.”


Unfortunately he can’t make such bold claims about his band Lost For Words.


James Willstrop will next compete in England at the ROWE British Grand Prix, Europe’s leading world tour event, which will be staged in Manchester from 15th – 20th September.


www.isquashstore.com/Prince EXO3REBEL


James Willstrop starts the new season using the new Prince EXO3 Rebel, the ‘flagship’ and latest model of the Prince racket range and the ultimate in World Tour inspired construction.


The EXO3 Rebel is ideal for players seeking enhanced performance from an extremely aerodynamic 135g lightweight frame featuring Prince’s revolutionary EXO3 technology, offering lightweight power, a superior sweet spot and unique manoeuvrability for unsurpassed shot making accuracy and playability from all areas of the court.


Speed: Wind tunnel testing proves EXO3 Speedport frames move through the air up to 24% faster than traditional rackets, allowing players to hit their best shots more often, even faster.


Sweet Spot: EXO3 rackets enlarge the sweet spot by up to 83% over traditional racket construction.


Energy Channel and Energy Bridge: The patented Energy Bridge is an EXO skeletal structure that suspends the string bed from the frame, increasing the sweet spot and reducing vibration by up to 50%. The Energy Channel is a sculptured groove within the frame adding unmatched stability and control on every shot.


Prince EXO3 rackets provide the largest sweet spot for perfect control, ultimate speed, more power and unmatched stability for pin point accuracy.


Headsize: 73in/470cm2 Weight: 135 grams Balance: 37.5cm String Pattern: 16 x 16 Cross Section: 17mm - 18mm - 22.5mm String: Super Syn. Gut 17 Yellow Grip: Micro-Zorb Indoor


Technology Features: Energy Channel, Energy Bridge, Power Ring, Triple Threat, Wallglider Bumper, Carbon Handle, Titanium Paint


For more information or to buy on-line visit: www.isquashstore.com/Prince or telephone 0844 8797 949.


INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE September 2010 | 21 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine


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