Peter proves he is not over the Hill with second world Masters squash title

SINGAPORE – Over two decades after he became the first Singaporean to win a World Masters squash title, Peter Hill rolled back the years when he was crowned a senior world champion again on Aug 22.

At the Frans Otten Stadium in Amsterdam, the 61-year-old beat Ireland’s four-time World Masters winner Willie Hosey 12-10, 11-4, 8-11, 11-1 to win the men’s +60 category, adding to the +40 title he won in 2003.

Remarkably, Hill has made the podium every time he has played at the biennial event – he was second in the +35 in 2001, and third in the +50 in 2014.

This time, he came through a stacked field of 126 players with seven straight victories, dropping just the one game in the final, and delighting the crowd with some exquisite and entertaining shots.

Hill told The Straits Times: “It’s part of my style. I use flicks and disguise when I see fit to wrong-foot my opponents... I can also compete in power and speed.

“Winning the title was within my sights and I knew that my skills will carry some weight in doing well. But the deciding factor will be speed and fitness with flexibility.”

Hill, a former national player and touring professional ranked as high as 26th, is now based in Hong Kong, where he is the head pro at the Ladies Recreation Club. As its director of squash, he conducts private lessons for individuals and teams, and grooms young talent.

To prepare for the tournament, he flew back to Singapore to train with the national team – in addition to sparring with the top over-35 players in Hong Kong.

Hill said: “My training involved arranging five to seven hard matches with younger players in a row. I also have to be consistent and have steady nerves in the world’s biggest Masters event. Each time I played my (sparring) matches, I would analyse my fitness and work on it.

“Singapore national coach Jamie Hickox was kind enough to let me attend and spar with the boys. I also went down for a 3½-hour physical session with the young athletes. My body kept up well, so that gave me confidence.”

Hill was not the only Singaporean to earn honours at the event in the Netherlands. Former national player Joannah Yue claimed silver in the women’s +45 category after losing 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 to England’s Lauren Kinsey-Briggs in the final, while local legend Zainal Abidin bagged a bronze in the men’s +65.

Like Hill, Yue last played at the World Masters in 2014 when she was eliminated in the +35 quarter-finals by eventual champion Natalie Grainger.

After conceiving her son Harrison naturally in 2019 – the 47-year-old and her husband Glenn Hitch tried to have a baby through in-vitro fertilisation and failed thrice – the family relocated to Australia just before the Covid-19 pandemic.

She played in the British Open Masters in June but did not plan on competing at the World Masters, until Hitch persuaded her to. She stayed on in Britain and homeschooled their son during that period.

Yue said: “My husband is also a squash player and we believe in active ageing. He told me not to wait for another two years because we never know how long our body can continue to take such a strenuous push and we should compete and play as long as we can.

“As a full-time mum, I have a lot of support to do what I love, which is to continue to play squash. I love the adrenaline and the journey of trying to achieve my goals, and I’m blessed to have met great mentors in Singapore and Australia.”

Similarly, the sport is also a big part of Zainal’s life, as the 66-year-old took inspiration from the 25 octogenarians who were still competing in the men’s +80 category – a record 1,070 players took part across 19 age categories in this edition.

A former national player, he led Singapore to sixth place at the 1985 world team championships and also has World Masters bronzes from 2012 (+50), 2012 and 2014 (+55).

He claimed a bronze in the +65 category on Aug 22 after losing 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 to South Africa’s Pierr Roodt in the semi-finals.

“I play more jumbo doubles now but I do prepare for singles events with my trainees. I coach elite trainees, hence playing competitively also helps me keep up with the intense training,” he said.

“I was shocked by those over-80s but I’m very encouraged to see them continue playing squash, which shows how it is such a great sport and a good form of exercise.”