Willstrop Wins 2014 China Open





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PSA World tour title since 2013 by defeating compatriot PSA International 70 event in Shanghai earlier today. England’s James Willstrop , the World No.7 and 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medalist, claimed his firstWorld tour title since 2013 by defeating compatriot Peter Barker 3-2 in the final of the 2014 China Open – Squash Stars On The Bund,International 70 event in Shanghai earlier today.





The 31-year-old Pontefract based player got the better of Barker in a mammoth 98-minute battle, surviving a thrilling comeback to win his first tour title since beating the Essex-man to honours at the 2013 Canary Wharf Classic.





PSA tour event since 2006, Willstrop rebounded to put in impressive back-to-back performances against Egyptians After suffering a disappointing first round exit at the recent Hong Kong Squash Open, his first first-round exit in atour event since 2006, Willstrop rebounded to put in impressive back-to-back performances against Egyptians Marwan Elshorbagy and Omar Mossad to reach the final of the inaugural China Open and put in a resilient fight-back in the final to come from 2-1 down against Barker to complete an impressive 3-2 victory..





Willstrop took an early one game lead but Barker, one of the sport’s most physical players, showed his world class ability to reel off two successive games as his attacking play proved too much for Willstrop to contain. In a back-and-forth match, it was Willstrop who got a second wind and upped his level, withstanding an onslaught from Barker in the fourth to take a crucial tie-break and from there on momentum was with the ‘Marksman’ as he raced home to complete a stunning victory in Shanghai.





2014 China Open – Squash Stars On The Bund: Final: