Nickname(s) | The Boss | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Country | England Scotland (until March 2001) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence | New York, United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Inverurie, Scotland | 5 April 1973||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turned Pro | 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plays | Left handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coached by | Neil Harvey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Racquet used | Prince | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Men's singles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 1 (February 1998) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Title(s) | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tour final(s) | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Open | W (1999) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Last updated: 19 September 2010. |
Peter Nicol MBE (born 5 April 1973) is a former professional squash player from Scotland, who represented first Scotland and then England in international squash. In 1998, while still competing for Scotland, he became the first player from the UK to hold the World No. 1 ranking. During his career, he won one World Open title, two British Open titles, and four Commonwealth Games Gold Medals. He is widely considered to be one of the most outstanding international squash players of his time and was famous for his post match recovery BBQ meals. [1] He was born in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire.
During his career, Nicol was well known for his excellent retrieving game, as well as being an extremely tough competitor to break down. His rivalry with the Canadian player Jonathon Power was amongst the most famous and extended in the history of squash.
Nicol was ranked World No. 1 for a total of 60 months during his career, including a continuous 24-month stint in 2002–2003.
After finishing runner-up at the World Open in 1997 and 1998, Nicol won the title in 1999, beating Ahmed Barada of Egypt in the final 15–9, 15–13, 15–11. He continued to hold the title of "world champion" through to 2002 as the men's World Open was not held in 2000 or 2001 due to difficulties in securing sponsorship for the event.
After initially representing Scotland in international squash, Nicol switched his representation to England in 2001, claiming that he felt he was not receiving sufficient support from Scottish Squash, the national governing body. Some resented this switch, even going so far as calling it traitorous, suggesting it was rooted in financial gain. [2]
Nicol enjoyed considerable success at the Commonwealth Games, where squash became a medal sport in 1998. In 1998, representing Scotland, he won a men's singles Gold Medal (beating Jonathon Power in the final), and a men's doubles Bronze Medal. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games, representing England, Nicol won a men's singles Silver Medal (losing in the final to Power), and a men's doubles Gold Medal (partnering Lee Beachill). In 2006, again representing England, Nicol won another men's singles Gold Medal (beating Australia's David Palmer in the final), and another men's doubles Gold Medal (partnering Beachill again).
Other career highlights included winning three consecutive Super Series Finals titles (1999–2001), two PSA Masters titles (2000 & 2004), three Tournament of Champions titles (2001 & 2003-4), and two British National Championship titles (1996 & 2003).
In July 2006, Nicol announced that he would be retiring after the 2006 World Open in September. [3] Nicol's final match was a loss to Thierry Lincou in the quarter-finals. [4]
Nicol turned his focus to promoting the game, providing sponsorship, support and coaching through his company Peter Nicol Squash, and promoting events worldwide through Eventis Sports Marketing Ltd. Following a move to the United States, he set up the Nicol Champions Academy in New York and co-founded SquashSkills, an online coaching resource aimed at delivering squash coaching from many of the world's top players.
Wins (1) | ||
Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
1999 | Ahmed Barada | 15–9, 15–13, 15–11 |
Runners-up (2) | ||
Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
1997 | Rodney Eyles | 15–11, 15–12, 15–12 |
1998 | Jonathon Power | 15–17, 15–7, 15–9, 15–10 |
Wins (2) | ||
Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
1998 | Jansher Khan | 17–16, 15–4, 15–5 |
2002 | John White | 15–9, 15–8, 15–8 |
Runners-up (3) | ||
Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
1997 | Jansher Khan | 17–15, 9–15, 15–12, 8–15, 15–8 |
1999 | Jonathon Power | 15–17, 15–12 (retired) |
2003 | David Palmer | 15–13, 15–13, 15–8 |
Wins (2) | ||
Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
1998 | Jonathon Power | 3–9, 9–2, 9–1, 2–9, 9–2 |
2006 | David Palmer | 9–5, 10–8, 4–9, 9–2 |
Runners-up (1) | ||
Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
2002 | Jonathon Power | 9–4, 4–9, 9–3, 9–0 |
Nicol also won men's doubles Gold Medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and 2006 (partnering Lee Beachill on both occasions).
Thierry Lincou is a retired professional squash player from France. He reached the World No. 1 ranking in January 2004. That year, Lincou won the World Open title, the Hong Kong Open and the Super Series Finals. He has been known as one of the greatest lateral movers in the game, as well as being one of the fittest players in the history of squash. His nickname, "titi", was founded by a former competitor, Amr Shabana. He called Thierry "titi-tight," because of his precision and tight shots.
Jonathon Tyler Power is a retired professional squash player from Canada. In 1999, he became the first North American squash player to reach the World No. 1 ranking. He won 36 top-level squash events during his career, including the World Open in 1998, and the British Open in 1999.
Joshna Chinappa is an Indian professional squash player. She reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 10 in July 2016. She was the first Indian to win the British Junior Squash Championship title in 2005 in the under-19 category and was also the youngest Indian women's national champion. She is the current record-holder of most national championship wins, with 18 titles.
Datuk Nicol Ann David is a retired female Malaysian professional squash player. Beginning in August 2006, David was the world number one for a record-breaking 108 consecutive months, finally ceding the ranking in September 2015 to Raneem El Weleily. She has won the World Open title a record 8 times in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, as well as the British Open title in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2014. In July 2016, she reached her 151st successive month in the top 10, breaking the record in both men's and women's categories. She surpassed Peter Nicol's previous records of 150 months.
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Rachael Margaret Grinham is a professional squash player from Australia. She won the World Open in 2007, and the British Open in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2009. She reached the World No. 1 ranking in August 2004 and held it for 16 consecutive months.
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Anthony Ricketts is a former professional squash player from Australia.
James Willstrop is an English professional squash player from Yorkshire, England. He was born in North Walsham, Norfolk, United Kingdom. He reached No. 1 world ranking in January 2012.
Chris Walker is a male squash coach and former professional squash player from England.
Lee Beachill is a former World No. 1 squash player from England.
Ong Beng Hee was a professional squash player. Between 2000 and 2006, he won four consecutive Asian Championship titles. In 2002 and 2006 he won gold medals at the Asian Games. He won 11 Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour titles out of 19 final appearances, and earned a world ranking of No. 7, a career-best. This record of achievements has made him Malaysia's most successful male squash player in history.
England at the 2006 Commonwealth Games were represented by the Commonwealth Games Council for England (CGCE). The country went by the abbreviation ENG and used the St George's Cross as flag and Land of Hope and Glory as the national anthem.
Nicholas MatthewOBE is a former English professional squash player who has won the two most prestigious tournaments in the professional game, the British Open and the World Open, three times each. He reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 1 in June 2010. His home club is Hallamshire Tennis and Squash Club in Sheffield which has named 'The Nick Matthew Showcourt' after him.
Paul Johnson is a former professional squash player from England.
Craig Rowland is a squash coach and former professional squash player from Australia. As a player, he reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 7 in 1996. He won a gold medal in the mixed doubles at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, partnering Michelle Martin. Rowland was also runner-up in the men's doubles at the inaugural World Squash Federation World Doubles Squash Championships in 1997, partnering with Dan Jenson against winners Chris Walker-Mark Cairns of England. He is also a friend of cricketing legend Paul Hoffman.
Laura Jane Massaro is a retired professional squash player from England. She retired after the British Open, in May, 2019.
The Official Men's Squash World Ranking is the official world ranking for men's squash. The ranking is to rate the performance level of male professional squash player. It is also a merit-based method used for determining entry and seeding in men's squash tournaments. The rankings are produced monthly. The current world number one is Ali Farag of Egypt.
Dr Harry Leitch is a stem cell biologist and group leader at the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, and a Scottish international squash player.
The 2004 Men's World Open Squash Championship is the men's edition of the World Open, which serves as the individual world championship for squash players. The event took place in Doha in Qatar from 28 November to 3 December 2004. Thierry Lincou won his first World Open title, defeating Lee Beachill in the final.