James Willstrop - profile

PRESS RELEASE

Publication date: 13 February 2012 (paperback), available 20 January 2012 on Kindle

ACCLAIMED NEW BOOK DESCRIBES WILLSTROP’S JOURNEY TO WORLD NO 1

Englishman James Willstrop is one of the world’s leading squash players and one of the sport’s most complex and cerebral characters.

Brought up in Pontefract, he is anything but the archetypal Yorkshireman - a poetry-loving vegetarian with a love of musicals, Morrissey, Oscar Wilde and Philip Larkin. He became world No 1 in January 2012 despite being accused by many of being ‘too nice’ to be a  winner.

James, 28, has just written his first book - a diary account from January 2010 to February 2011. He writes with candid honesty about the issues that affect him, using flashbacks to earlier periods in his life.

As critical of himself as of others, he talks openly about his close relationship with his father and coach, Malcolm; the devastating death of his mother, Lesley, and his fierce and often acrimonious rivalry with fellow Yorkshireman and former world No 1 Nick Matthew.

“Despite all my training over the years this sport can still render me exhausted within 10 minutes,” he says. “I suppose that’s part of the lure of the game.  Not many sports can do that.”

Acclaim for ‘Shot and a Ghost’:

"There aren't many sports book that I read and feel the sportsman himself jumps off the pages."

Matt Pinsent, BBC Sport and four-time Olympic gold medalist

"Willstrop is a very different sort of British sporting hero. One of Britain's finest ever racket sports players and a sportsman who deserves greater publicity than he gets."

Patrick Kidd, The Times

"The way in which he conducts himself is inspiring, at a time when we are all looking for true role models for our young."

Tony Smith, Warrington Wolves head coach

‘A Shot and a Ghost: a year in the brutal world of professional squash’ by James Willstrop is available from www.willstrop.co.uk and on Amazon, Kindle.

Note to Editors:

For further information on distribution or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Graham Stanford, SBM Sports, 07833 771 800

Rod Gilmour, Daily Telegraph squash correspondent, 07779 784 883

www.willstrop.co.uk