Willstrop Outlines to Richard Eaton What a Crucial Part Girlfriend Vanessa Atkinson Has Played in His Rise to the Top of World Squash
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
p18-19_3 Column Left 21/01/2013 15:29 Page 1 FEATURE Courting Success James Willstrop outlines to Richard Eaton what a crucial part girlfriend Vanessa Atkinson has played in his rise to the top of world squash emaining world no.1 for almost a The reluctance of others to praise her to a large extent because she whole year required James Willstrop efforts may stem from the widespread understands Rto make use of many resources, but awareness that Willstrop's main coach like few others can his “strange life”, as one of the least often identified, remains his father Malcolm, who he calls it. That is what touring can be. remarkably, is his relationship with introduced James to squash a quarter of Secret as well as strange. Public Vanessa Atkinson. a century ago. though their collaboration appears, it has They are the two best known squash But if there is jealousy, it is well many secret ingredients – secret players ever to become a couple, yet hidden. The three spend plenty of time pressures, secret fears and hopes, and relatively little attention has been given to together and there is no doubt that sometimes secret responses, though Atkinson's input into Willstrop's Malcolm also appreciates Atkinson's calm sometimes they are visible. achievements. and well-considered influence. No one who has not experienced Throughout the most consistent year “James could have no better ally than these things can easily comprehend of his career Willstrop soaked up a great them. Theirs is, therefore, a secret love, deal of her support, listened to her pre- yet in full view. and mid-match analyses, took on board It is easy to be sceptical about all this. some of her ideas and capitalised on her A successful emotional partnership often feeding ability during drill sessions. I have a “great deal of requires falling in love many times, and It was hardly a coincidence that after always with the same person, it has been she retired in 2011, he rode a wave of respect for her said. success in 2012, reaching a host of True or not, compliments are often finals, maintaining a remarkable essential ingredients in the mix and consistency and only narrowly missing his Willstrop supplies them, saying: “She's a second World Open final. Even if the high- wonderful achiever. She has eclipsed ranking Englishman never becomes a his girlfriend,” he ”said. “She understands, what I have done, so I would be silly not world champion, he will always appreciate she’s very intelligent and she's been to have an influence from her,” the latter the help of his Dutch partner, Atkinson, through it – he’ll never meet anyone comment referring to her world title who did. better for him. They are ever success in Kuala Lumpur in 2004. “Not all players are good at so well suited.” Those of us who were there still giving advice, but she is,” said Mixing emotional and remember how Atkinson, a winner of three Willstrop. “She has a great professional relationships titles on that court that year, thrived on the deal of knowledge and can be risky, though. It emotions and body-hugs of the Malaysians she's incredibly has worked for by outplaying the Grinham sisters on measured and clever.” Atkinson and Willstrop successive days to take the trophy. Vanessa Atkinson interviews boyfriend James Willstrop in her role as compere at the 2011 World Open 18 THE SQUASH PLAYER p18-19_3 Column Left 21/01/2013 15:29 Page 2 FEATURE Her victory speech was articulate, establishment there is, seek good theatre amusing and appropriate, which made it together, sometimes even when travelling, all the more surprising to hear that she and enjoy hill-walking in the Dales. had not found it easy to deliver. Both are deep thinkers with strong Inhibitions clouded her talents and consciences. They can be forthright. perhaps still do. Naturally enough they don't always see Coaching is just one of those, as it is eye to eye, but then life has not always not a frequent role for her, but when she been easy for either. performs it, there are hints of abilities Willstrop lost his mother while young; similar to those which emerged on that Atkinson was uprooted from Newcastle at triumphant sunny day nine years ago. the age of 10 when her father took a job “She's good at analysing a match,” in the Netherlands. When he returned to Willstrop said. “She often talks to me England, she stayed in the Netherlands, between games and I have a lot of fluent in Dutch, with Dutch nationality and respect for her opinion. She's good retaining Dutch squash loyalties. between games because she talks simply She became the Netherlands’ first and calmly. She could have a career as a world squash champion and yet her coach, so I have a great deal of respect material rewards, as so often for women, for her.” have almost certainly been disappointing. This kind of relationship makes them Willstrop’s may well be significantly rarities in squash. There have only been greater. four previous male-female coaching-and- Integrating dual identities is not easy life partnerships between leading players, either, even when returning close to and only one where the principal coach has been female. She is Engy Kheirallah, a member of Egypt's 2008 world title-winning team, who has been successful from time to She could “have a career time in harnessing the match-winning talents of her husband, Karim Darwish, as a coach the former world no.1. Arguably Tommy Berden and Natalie Grinham, the husband and wife team from the Netherlands, have a public profile which rivals Atkinson and Willstrop for where you spent your” first decade, and prominence. Although Berden's playing Atkinson is still finding ways to forge a career was over by the time he began to new life. make a difference to Grinham's game, he The effectiveness of their professional has made an even bigger name for connection is linked to these and other himself as a promoter of two World Opens. struggles. Atkinson the player passed Very well known in their day, too, were through a similar demanding mill as Rhonda Thorne, a world champion from Willstrop and he is candid about the Australia, and her then husband, Ross stresses it causes. Thorne, who was a world no.4 during the “My life is like most professionals’ – 1980s. Their opportunities to help each quite strange and tough. I am often very other were occasional, though, as much high and low, and my home time is of the time they were touring separately. limited,” he said. It seems probable that Robyn “That’s what most professionals are – Blackwood and Bruce Brownlee, top 10 quite selfish. When you have a goal like a players from New Zealand who later squash professional, it’s very self-centred married, helped each other sometimes, too. – and it has to be. You are trying to make Altogether, though, a quartet of couples yourself better, and therefore it would be over three decades is remarkably few. very tough for most girlfriends, wives and Vanessa Atkinson kisses James Willstrop after Willstrop’s professional relationship with partners to understand that. another win by her boyfriend Atkinson became closer after her “There are also lots of girlfriends who competitive career ended in May 2011, do understand but have not been there. some of his fitness problems and now allowing them to spend more time together. Vanessa has done both. She understands back as the world no.1, and the much “When she was a player, it was a bit the pressure and intensity, and has younger Mohamed El Shorbagy making tough,” Willstrop said, referring perhaps done it all. significant strides, the task will not to the heartache of being on different “She knows how difficult a life it is. I become any easier. tours and to the difficulty of emotional am not coming home at 5pm – it’s To deal with it best Willstrop may need connections even when they were jetlag and intensity, and low times and to seek further evolution of his game. together then. high times, and she’s great at Atkinson has an English degree to finish “I can give her a bit of grief about understanding that.” at Leeds Met and a life of her own, but things,” he admitted. “But once away How long Willstrop still has as a she may be there some of the time to from the squash court, she is a very leading player at 29 and how much he help him do it. calming influence and a clever person – can still achieve is uncertain. He has “It’s been immense, and she allows and good at talking about squash as well. evolved from one of the circuit’s most me to play the game and do training and “We don't always go on about squash. expressive strokemakers, firstly into one be very selfish,” he says. If we do go home and talk about squash, who hit much straighter more often and “Vanessa understands these selfish that's fine, but there are other things in more recently into one who is very strictly things, yet she's incredibly unselfish our lives.” disciplined, deeply mindful of economies herself. A lot of her life with me is helping Indeed there are. Together they know of direction and movement. me to do the best I can in the time that I almost every decent vegetarian With Ramy Ashour having solved have left – and I am grateful.” THE SQUASH PLAYER 19.