Peter Marshall (squash player)

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Peter Marshall
CountryFlag of England.svg  England
Born12 May 1971 (1971-05-12) (age 54)
Nottingham, England
Highest ranking2 (November 1994)
Medal record
Men's squash
Representing Flag of England.svg  England
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1994 Barcelona singles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1993 Karachi singles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1997 Petaling Jaya singles
World Team Squash Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1997 Petaling Jaya Team
European Team Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1990 Zurich Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1991 Gelsenkirchen Team
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1992 Aix-en-Provence Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2000 Vienna Team

Peter Marshall (born 12 May 1971) is a former professional squash player from England. He is notable for his unique double-handed playing style.

Contents

Biography

Early career and junior success

Marshall demonstrated exceptional talent from a young age, winning British junior titles across all age groups: under-12, under-14, under-16, and under-19. [1] He won the British Open U19 tournament in 1989 [1] and the World Masters U23 Championship in 1990. [1] He was coached and mentored by six-time British champion Jonah Barrington. [1]

Professional career and rise to World No. 2

Marshall was renowned for his unique double-handed playing style, a technique he developed in childhood due to his smaller stature and the weight of racquets at the time. [2] Despite advice from many coaches to switch to a single-handed style, he persisted with his two-handed approach. [3] His flexibility allowed him to use both one and two hands effectively on his forehand, giving him exceptional reach. [3] He was known for his disciplined, patient, and well-organized game, [3] possessing exceptional length and a deceptive double-handed backhand. [2] He employed a steep downward swing, aiming for the ball to "die" in the back corners, and was adept at playing deceptive angles. [4]

Marshall first attained the England No. 1 ranking in November 1991, holding the position unchallenged for four years. [1] He also held the No. 1 ranking in both Britain and Europe for several years. [1]

The 1994-95 season was a highlight of Marshall's career. He reached the final of five PSA Super Series events and reached a career-high World Ranking of No. 2 in November 1994, behind Jansher Khan. [1] Many observers believed he would challenge Jansher Khan for the World No. 1 spot. [3]

He finished runner-up to Jansher Khan at the World Open in 1994 and the British Open in 1995. [1] He also secured notable victories against reigning World Open champion Rodney Martin and a historic win against Jahangir Khan at the World Open in Johannesburg, becoming the first British player in 11 years to defeat him.

Marshall won the British National Championship in 1992 and 1994 [1] and won gold medals for the England men's national squash team at the European Squash Team Championships in 1990 and 1991. [5] [6]

Battle with illness

In 1995, at the peak of his career, Marshall was afflicted with glandular fever, which sidelined him from top-level competition for two years. [3] He was later diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which continued to impact his career. [1]

Despite the significant setback, Marshall displayed remarkable resilience. He returned to the professional tour in 1997, reclaiming his place in the England squad and contributing to their victory at the World Team Squash Championships in Malaysia. [1] He broke back into the world's top-10 in 1999 [1] and won his third British National Championship title in February 2000 and a third European Squash Team Championships in 2000. [1]

After his peak professional career, Marshall continued his involvement in the sport. He won the Over-35 British National Championship in 2008 [1] and the British Open Masters Over-40 title in 2016 and 2018. [1] He most recently won the Over-40 British National Championship in February 2024. [7]

Post-retirement activities and advocacy

Marshall released his autobiography, Shattered: A Champion's Fight Against a Mystery Illness, in 2001, detailing his struggles with chronic fatigue syndrome. [8]

He holds a BSc in Physiotherapy from the University of Nottingham and an Executive MBA from Imperial College London. He later worked for Ernst & Young. [1]

Marshall is actively involved in the squash community and served as an Ambassador for Access Sport. He is currently a trustee for the England Squash Foundation. [1] He is also a founding member of Independent Squash Minds. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Professional Squash Association in 2015. In 2023, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the University of Nottingham. [1]

Major Tournament Results

Peter Marshall's Major Tournament Results
TournamentYearResultOpponent
World Open 1994Runner-up Jansher Khan
British Open 1995Runner-up Jansher Khan
British National Championship 1992WinnerBryan Beeson
British National Championship 1994Winner Peter Nicol
British National Championship 2000WinnerDavid Evans
World Team Squash Championships 1997Winner(England Team)
British Open U19 1989Winner
World Masters U23 Championship1990Winner

British National Championship Record (Post-Peak)

Peter Marshall's British National Championship Record (Post-Peak)
YearCategoryResultOpponentScore
2008Over-35Winner----
2016Over-40 MastersWinner--
2018Over-40 MastersWinner----
2024Over-40WinnerPhil Rushworth11/4, 11/7, 11/4

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Peter Marshall at Squash Info
  2. 1 2 "Peter Marshall - 2 handed squash legend" . Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Fletcher, Iain (12 October 1997). "Squash: Marshall's rebellion within" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  4. "Better Squash Angle Volleys - With Peter Marshall!" . Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  5. "European Team Squash Championships". InterSportStats. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  6. "Men's European Team Championship: Event History (53 events)". Squash Info. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  7. "PETER MARSHALL CROWNED OVER 40 NATIONAL CHAMPION". England Squash. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  8. Marshall, Peter (March 2001). Shattered: A Champion's Fight Against a Mystery Illness. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84018-395-5.