Jonathon Power
is the most successful North American squash player of all time. The
charismatic and colourful Canadian made his mark on the international squash
stage in 1996, despatching higher-ranked opposition in the Tournament of
Champions and German Masters to win both major titles and burst into the top
ten at the beginning of 1997.
Four further titles in
1997, including his first Super Series trophy in the Qatar International,
led to the high-point in his career at the end of 1998 when he clinched the
World Open title for the first time in Qatar – then crowned his status as
North America’s most successful squash player ever by reaching No1 in the
PSA World Rankings in May 1999.
Power joined the PSA Tour
in May 1991. He reached the World Junior final in Hong Kong and claimed his
first PSA Tour title in July 1992.
There are few titles that
have eluded the 30-year-old from Montreal. In addition to the World Open
crown in 1998, he boasts a British Open trophy in 1999, Tournament of
Champions titles in 1999, 2000 and 2002, the US Open in 1997 and 2000, and
the Super Series Finals title in May 2003.
In July 2002, Power
stormed to gold in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England - avenging
his loss to Nicol in the 1998 final in Malaysia to upset the top seed 9-4
4-9 9-3 9-0. In May 2003, Jonathon won the Canadian National title for the
fifth time, beating regular sparring partner Graham Ryding in the final.
Power was a finalist in
five PSA events in 2003. He followed his victory over Peter Nicol in the
Super Series Finals final by reaching the final of the English Open in
August, then clinched the Motor City Open trophy in Detroit and the Canadian
Classic title in November.
After breaking his finger
in the 2003 Qatar Classic in December, Power went on to be beset by further
setbacks in 2004, injuring his ankle in the Super Series Finals in May, then
sustaining a further injury in the Hong Kong Open which caused him to
withdraw from the following month's US Open in Boston.
In four events in October,
however, Power made the semi-finals in three and went on to win the fourth,
the Hungarian Open in Budapest – his first PSA title success for 11 months –
where he beat Gregory Gaultier in the final after overcoming Australian
Anthony Ricketts in the semis.
Back in his former home
town in November, Power delighted his Toronto fans by defeating James
Willstrop, old rival Peter Nicol and Ricketts to contest the Canadian
Classic final with Thierry Lincou – the Frenchman winning after an 80-minute
five-game battle.
But his biggest
disappointment of the year was to be drawn against Nicol in the second round
of the World Open in Qatar – and losing in four games.
His 2005 campaign got off
to a perfect start – winning the Apawamis Open after a four-game victory
over Karim Darwish in the final. Later in January, at the Windy City Open
in Chicago, Power toppled second seed Thierry Lincou in the quarter-finals
before losing to John White in the semis.
Bidding to win his fifth
title in the Tournament of Champions in February, Power came unstuck at the
quarter-final stage when he was beaten by David Palmer in a 94-minute
marathon. |