Peter will be expecting lots of
local support as he lives a stone’s throw from the venue in
Limehouse. He was disappointed to go out early last year and I
know he will want to improve on that this time round.
 He
started this season in superb fashion, beating David Palmer in
two consecutive PSA finals, in Chicago and Baltimore. That level
of performance earned him a deserved place in the world top ten
and now everyone in squash is wondering how much further he can
go.
Last year he did very well and he knows that this year he needs
to push on to get better. His movement is very good and
physically he is improving all the time. He is now looking to
challenge the top eight in the world but is struggling to do so
consistently. However, his recent win the Kuala Lumpur Open in
Malaysia will give his confidence a major boost leading up to
Canary Wharf. He beat fellow Londoner and left-hander Adrian
Grant in straight games to win the title, which brought him 13
victories in 18 Tour finals.
It’s a strong draw this week and Peter will not shirk away from
the task in front of him. He loves playing the top guys and has
already recorded a superb victory over Amr Shabana.
As a fellow left-hander, I know how much that can count in your
favour as the right-handed players have to adjust their game to
counter yours. |
FACT FILE:
Current world ranking: 10
Highest: 9
Born: September 26, 1983 (Harold Wood, Essex)
MAIN TITLES: 13 PSA titles from 18 finals, including the Windy
City Open (Chicago), Baltimore Open, Saskatoon Open, Colombian
Open, Kuala Lumpur Open.
 |
8
PETER BARKER (England)