Wick squash veteran (70) in the frame for Scottish cap
Far north squash player Willie Jappy is having a new lease of life in the sport at a time when many of his one-time opponents have long since given up the ghost.
The Wick Squash Club veteran has enjoyed no shortage of success during his 45-year career. But he has recently been enjoying a purple patch, with a new fitness regime having propelled him to the top end of the Scottish masters circuit.
The 70-year-old retired shift supervisor at Dounreay has just won back-to-back regional events, putting him in the frame for a Scottish cap in his age group.
Willie was in Glasgow at the weekend where he upset the rankings to win the West of Scotland Masters in the 70-plus category.
After defeating an Edinburgh opponent, he got home in a five-set marathon against the number four seed, Robert Thomson, of Pitlochry.
Willie, who was unseeded, went on to defeat number one seed Emilio Fazzi, from Glasgow, in straight sets.
He then came through a five-set thriller to beat Glasgow’s Dave Sturman, seeded three, 6-11, 13-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4, in the final.
Willie said: “It was very satisfying as the top three ranked players in Scotland were there, including Fazzi, who captained Scotland last year."
He had been beaten by Fazzi in the semi-finals of the Tayside and Fife Masters in Broughty Ferry in September, and won the Highlands and Islands Masters on his home court in October when he defeated Aberdeen’s Keith Hobson in a gruelling five-setter in the final.
The results leave Willie second in the aggregate scores that count towards qualification for the next Scotland team.
He said: “It helps now that I have turned 70 as I have gone into a new age group.”
The key to his form has been a new fitness regime which he has been working on with club secretary Steve Smith.
Willie, who has won the club championship several times, said: “I’ve been playing in the masters for about 20 years.
“I won the Highlands event in Wick for 65-70s a couple of years ago but have never really made much of it. This has been the first time I have worked hard on my fitness.
“I have had the shots but was giving too many lazy points away by not working hard enough. The regular training workouts with Steve have definitely paid off.”
Willie’s first experience of squash was playing at the one-time court at Wick airport, thought to have been established by servicemen at the wartime RAF base.
Within a year, the club had formed and he moved to play at the two courts built beside Harmsworth Park.
Steve said: “Willie seems to have been about forever at the club. He plays about five or six times a week and is a real stalwart.
“He is always about to do a bit of cleaning or maintenance on the court and to help out with juniors and newcomers to the game.”
As well as his training partner, Steve has a regular weekly match with Willie, who he says is a lot fitter than when he first played him six years ago.
Steve described Willie as a role model for the benefits squash can give to people of all ages.
