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08-Mar-05:
Ross Confirms Junior Promise -
At Thirty One!
Howard Harding reports
Fifteen years after beating Peter Nicol for the second time in a
British Junior Open Squash final to round off a glittering career as
a junior, Surrey's Stacey Ross has returned from a nine-year
layoff from the game to win his first significant senior tournament
- beating both the Scottish and Welsh number ones en-route to the
North of Scotland Open
title in Aberdeen.
It was in 1984 that Ross, now 31, from Sutton, won the U12 British
National title - picking up the U14 and U16 titles over the next
four years. In an international field in 1987, he triumphed in
straight games over Nicol - one of the most successful players of
all-time, who recently celebrated his 60th month at the top of the
senior world rankings - in the British Junior U14 Open final. Two
years later he repeated his success over the then Scotsman in the
U16 Open final.
"As a junior, I really enjoyed my squash, but once I discovered I
couldn't give it 100%, I decided to stop altogether. For me it was
all or nothing," explained Ross.
"I wanted to try something different."
The child prodigy went to work in the City of London, as a money
broker - and did not touch a squash racket or go near a squash court
for nine years!
But the lure of squash eventually returned - and Ross abandoned his
pinstripe suit to pursue life as a squash professional.
"My friends told me I was wasting my time, but I wanted to see if I
could make my mark - and I was now prepared to give it 100%," said
Ross.
He trained hard and joined the Professional Squash Association some
three years ago, and began the slow climb up the world rankings.
Last month, Ross celebrated his first appearance in a PSA Tour event
final - and led 2/1 in the climax of the
Belgium Open in Brussels before
losing to Italy's Davide Bianchetti, ranked 17 places higher in the
world.
A week later in the BSPA Head Grand Prix event in Aberdeen, Ross -
seeded only to reach the last eight - pulled off the best win of his
career by beating Scotland's top seed John White, the world No11 and
former world No1, in four games in the quarter-finals. Then in the
final, he fought back from a game down to defeat Welsh champion Alex
Gough, the title-holder and former world No5, 9-11 11-10 11-9 11-6
in 75 minutes.
"Beating John White was like winning the Cup Final for me - but then
to go on and beat Alex Gough and win the tournament is a massive
confidence-booster," said Ross afterwards.
"I knew that if I could be consistent, I could be a handful for
anyone. I couldn't be more pleased about this success.
"Now I genuinely know that I can beat anyone - and I want to build
on this."
Ross and his wife Deborah now have a four-month old son Charlie.
"I've always struggled when I play abroad, and seem to do better in
tournaments nearer home - and now I have a new distraction to deal
with!
"But this win has given me a new lease of life and I'm determined to
capitalise upon it."
After a schedule of around one tournament every two months, Ross is
now planning to compete in one PSA event per month - and next has
his eyes on this month's Swiss Open in Geneva, where he is
the No3 seed. He then plans to play in the Irish Open and the
Mega Italia Open.
"I've still got three good years in me - and I feel I can still
improve," added the rejuvenated 31-year-old comeback hero who
represents UniSport Guildford in the National League.
Ross's coach Ian Robinson, who is also the Guildford club
team manager, praises his number one for ignoring the advice he gave
him some years ago: "I advised him that he should go and get a job -
but, to his credit, he ignored this and stuck to his belief.
"Stacey thoroughly deserves this success after grinding his way back
over the last few years," added Robinson. "He is a great talent and
is so hungry for success."
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