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December 13, 2012

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Willstrop reaches semifinals the ugly way

Source: AFP | December 13, 2012, Thursday | Print Edition

WORLD No. 1 James Willstrop had to abandon his customary fluency and show that he is capable of winning ugly too as he reached the semifinals of the world championships in Doha yesterday.

There were no fewer than 57 decisions amidst many collisions and disputes as the Englishman prevailed 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 against the tenacious 15th-seeded Spaniard Borja Golan. It earned Willstrop his fourth successive place in the last four, and the physical economy with which he has come through his three matches will have raised his hopes that at the age of 29 he may yet win the title for the first time.

But the traffic problem around the center of the court and the difficulty that Golan felt he had in gaining access to the ball made it a demanding contest emotionally.

"I'm delighted I have won, as one of the keys of winning, or of getting to the later stage, is to find a way of winning these ropey matches," Willstrop said.

"Yesterday (against Saurav Ghosal) was fluent, and the game was flowing, but today there was no flow at all. Probably people think I am a rhythmic player but I showed I can play when it's scrappy."

Once Golan came out to the front of the spectator gallery and argued at length with the Egyptian referee Nasser Zahran, who ordered him to go back in to the court.

And on another occasion Willstrop was warned that unless he cleared a path for his opponent he would start awarding penalty points. Then the Englishman came out of the court and said: "I'm not sure what you want me to do, Nasser."

Later he commented: "I tried not to get irritated. I just try to let him (Golan) do that. It's not great conditions when the rallies are being broken up like that, and he's shouting, and it's quite nasty.

"I have to concentrate on what I am doing, and there is no point in getting involved. I came off at one point and cleared up an issue, that's all. I'm very glad to take the win, however it was done, but without too much damage done, I think."

Willstrop won because he hit the ball more heavily and accurately, and had tidier weapons to finish rallies in the front court too. Golan did not have quite enough ways to finish points to trouble the top seed.

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