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Lee Beachill Retires From The PSA Tour
England’s Lee Beachill,
the former world number one and three-time British National Squash Champion, has
announced his retirement from the PSA Tour.
The 31-year-old
Yorkshireman, who has been unable to return to full fitness following surgery
last year to repair cartilage damage to his left knee, will make his final
tournament appearance in this week’s British National Championships.
In a professional playing
career spanning over thirteen years, Beachill won gold medals at consecutive
Commonwealth Games in Manchester and Melbourne in 2002 and 2006,
respectively, and helped England to win successive Men's World Team
Championships in 2005 and 2007. In October 2004, he became the first
English-born player to be crowned world No1 and went on to extend his PSA World
Tour haul to nine titles, from eighteen final appearances.
A PSA member since 1996,
Beachill joined the board in January 2008 and was elected President in October.
Renowned for his impeccable
on-court behaviour and a classically-constructed style which created a
foundation for one of the soundest games in the world, Beachill has been trying
to extend his career with the aid of a brace to support his troublesome knee.
However, following an extensive rehabilitation programme, he has eventually
conceded that the symptoms experienced over recent months have resulted in him
no longer being able to continue to compete professionally.
"It is with great sadness
that I have to announce my retirement at a stage in my career where I felt I
still had so much to offer. Unfortunately injuries play a part in the careers of
all professional athletes and I’m no exception!” explained the Englishman.
After becoming the first
man in history to reach the British National Championship final seven times last
year, it is perhaps fitting that Beachill should chose this week’s event to
announce the end of his playing career. With three titles to his name, he still
hopes to be good enough for one more tilt at the coveted crown.
Tributes have been received
from many of those who have worked with one of England’s finest ever squash
players during his thirteen year playing career.
Professional Squash
Association Chairman, Ziad Al-Turki
said: “I have known Lee for about five years having first met him at the
Saudi International in 2005 and since then I have had the pleasure of knowing
him as a professional athlete and a colleague on the PSA Board. As a promoter I
can say that Lee has been one of the most professional players on the Men’s
World Tour and was always willing to do whatever was asked of him for the
benefit of the event and the sport as a whole. His dedication to squash and
knowledge of the sport have made him one of the most committed, most hard
working members on the PSA Board.
“He will be missed by all
his fans but, knowing how dedicated he is to squash, I’m sure that he will take
his contributions from inside the court to new areas within the sport. I, and
the entire PSA Board, wish Lee the best of luck and thank him for the all that
he has contributed to squash, as one of its greatest players."
Respected coach Malcolm
Willstrop, who has been instrumental in Lee’s development into one of the
sport’s leading players, added: “Having been associated with Lee from the age of
eight, it is a sad day when he is forced to retire from the PSA World Tour. He
has achieved so much, especially in Manchester, so it is appropriate that his
career ends at the British National Championships. But for the injury, there
were no signs that he was not as good as ever, so that is the regret.
“He has already given the
game so much, and I am sure that whatever role that he finds in the sport he has
even more to give. Aspiring young players could do a lot worse than to emulate
Lee, both for the way he played the game and the manner in which he conducted
himself.”
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