England’s Waters calls time on
professional squash career
England’s
Alison Waters has announced her retirement from professional squash with
immediate effect following a successful 21-year career.
The two-time Commonwealth Games medallist is the most capped England
female player of all time, earning 140 caps between 2005 and 2018.
The 37-year-old made her England debut at the WSF World Junior Team
Squash Championships in 2001 when England captured gold against
Malaysia.
Waters went on to represent England at senior level, appearing at six
WSF World Team Squash Championships, winning gold in 2006 and 2014, and
helping her country to four runner-up finishes. She also appeared at the
European Team Squash Championships eleven times, helping England secure
gold at every event.
At
the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Waters won silver alongside
Peter Barker in the Mixed Doubles event, and bronze in the Women’s
Doubles with Emma Beddoes. Three years later, she went on to claim
double silver at the World Doubles Championships in Manchester with
Jenny Duncalf and Daryl Selby.
London-born Waters turned professional in 2000 and earned a career-high
ranking of world no.3. She boasts the third highest all-time unbroken
run in the world top 50 (18 years and 11 months). Waters recently
competed in her 200th PSA World Tour event, winning 301 matches out of
494. She reached 24 PSA finals and claimed 10 titles - the biggest being
the Carol Weymuller Open in 2014.
Away from the Tour, Waters reached the British National Squash
Championship finals a record ten times, tasting success in 2008, 2010,
2013 and 2014.
Waters
said: “I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that has
supported me over my whole career, especially my family and friends who
encouraged me from the very start.
“A huge thanks to England Squash, the English Institute of Sport and
Performance Herts for the incredible support over my whole career. I
couldn’t have done it without you all.
“It was always a huge honour for me to put on the national colours and
represent England. Thanks to all my amazing teammates over the years for
so many amazing memories.
“Special thanks to my coach Paul Carter who was in my corner since I was
12-years-old. Thank you for being an amazing coach and for supporting me
on and off the squash court. We definitely shared lots of amazing times
together, especially on England duty, special moments I will always
remember fondly. And thanks for sorting out my forehand swing! That was
definitely a coaching miracle!
“Thank you to everyone that has sponsored me, billeted me or helped or
supported me in any other way.
“I plan to stay involved with squash through coaching and hopefully
sharing my experiences.”
National Coach David Campion said: “Alison has enjoyed a remarkable
career and is a legend of English squash. I watched her make that very
difficult transition from a top junior player, culminating in winning
the World Junior Team Championships in Malaysia in 2001, to a world top
senior player.
“She has been an outstanding team member for England for a very long
time, and on behalf of England Squash, I would like to thank her for her
extraordinary contribution.
“Alison is one of the most respected players in the game - a fearless
competitor who played hard and very fair. A true professional who
dedicated her life to the sport, we all wish Alison the very best for
the future.”
Waters’ coach Paul Carter said: “It has been an absolute pleasure and
privilege to play a part in Alison’s career over the last 25 years and I
am enormously proud of everything she has achieved as both a junior and
senior.
“I wish her every success for the future and look forward to seeing what
the next chapter holds.”
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