| Fullname | Vanessa Louise Atkinson |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 10 March 1976 (age 50) |
| Birth place | Newcastle, England |
| Turnedpro | 1995 |
| Retired | 2011 |
| Plays | Right Handed |
| Racquet | Karakal |
| Event | Women's singles |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 |
| Date of highest ranking | December, 2005 |
| Titles | 25 |
| Finals | 42 |
| Worldopenresult | W (2004) |
| Updated | 3 December 2019 |
Vanessa Louise Atkinson (born 10 March 1976 in Newcastle, England) is a former professional squash player from the Netherlands, who won the World Open in 2004 and reached the World No. 1 ranking in December 2005.
Atkinson was born in England, but her family moved to the Netherlands when she was still a child. She began playing squash as a youngster in Dordrecht. She now resides in Harrogate, Yorkshire, with her partner James Willstrop, himself a professional squash player and a former World No. 1.[1][2]
Atkinson's biggest win came in 2004 when she won the World Open title in Kuala Lumpur by defeating fellow compatriote Natalie Grinham (at that time still representing Australia) with a score of 9–1, 9–1, 9–5 in the final.[3] Atkinson also has won major tournaments in Qatar, New York, Monte Carlo, Malaysia and Ireland.
Atkinson retired from professional play in May 2011.
World Open
Finals: 1 (1 title, 0 runner-up)
| Outcome | Year | Location | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2004 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Natalie Grinham | 9–1, 9–1, 9–5 |
Major World Series final appearances
Qatar Classic: 2 finals (2 titles, 0 runner-up)
| Outcome | Year | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2004 | Rachael Grinham | 9-4, 9-7, 9-6 |
| Winner | 2005 | Vicky Botwright | 9-7, 9-4, 9-2 |
Malaysian Open: 2 finals (1 title, 1 runner-up)
| Outcome | Year | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2004 | Nicol David | 9-2, 9-4, 9-0 |
| Runner-up | 2005 | Nicol David | 3-9, 9-3, 1-9, 9-1, 9-4 |
See also
References
- ^ "Ashour & Matthew on course to meet". BBC Sport
- ^ "James Willstrop profile". Squash Info. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "Atkinson crowned World Champion". Squashsite.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2009-05-14.