Grégory Gaultier

Grégory Gaultier (born 23 December 1982, in Épinal, France) is a former professional squash player from France. He has won the 2015 World Open Squash Championship, the British Open three times, in 2007, 2014 and 2017, the Qatar Classic in 2011, the US Open twice, in 2006 and 2013, the Tournament of Champions in 2009, and the PSA World Series Finals thrice, in 2008, 2009 and 2016. He reached the final of the World Open in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013, and the World No. 1 ranking in 2009. Gaultier is affectionately known to his friends as The General.

Grégory Gaultier
Nickname(s)French General
Country France
ResidencePrague, Czech Republic
Born (1982-12-23) 23 December 1982
Épinal, France
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight75 kg (165 lb)
Turned Pro1999
Retired2021
PlaysRight handed
Coached byRenan Lavigne
Mathieu Benoît
Racquet usedDunlop Biomimetic Grégory Gaultier Elite GTS Limited Edition
Men's singles
Highest rankingNo. 1 (November, 2009)
Title(s)44
Tour final(s)83
World OpenW (2015)
Medal record
Men's squash
Representing  France
World Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 Cali Singles
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2006 Cairo Singles
Silver medal – second place 2007 Hamilton Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Kuwait Singles
Silver medal – second place 2011 Rotterdam Singles
Silver medal – second place 2013 Manchester Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Doha Singles
Gold medal – first place 2015 Bellevue Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Cairo Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Manchester Singles
World Team Championships
Silver medal – second place 2003 Vienna Team
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Islamabad Team
Silver medal – second place 2009 Odense Team
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Chennai Team
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Mulhouse Team
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Washington D.C. Team
Last updated: October 2021.

Career overview

Gaultier was the European junior squash champion in 2000 and 2001. He also won a British Junior Open title and finished as the runner-up at the World Junior Squash Championships.

In 2003, Gaultier was a member of the French team which finished runners-up to Australia at the World Team Squash Championships. In the semi-finals against England, Gaultier won the deciding match against Lee Beachill which took France through to the final.

At the 2006 World Open, Gaultier defeated World No. 1 and defending-champion Amr Shabana in the semi-finals, before losing in five games in the final to David Palmer 11–9, 11–9, 9–11, 10–11 (4–6), 2–11. In 2007, Gaultier again reached the World Open final, losing 7–11, 4–11, 6–11 to Shabana.

At the 2007 British Open, Gaultier defeated his fellow Frenchman Thierry Lincou in the final 11–4, 10–12, 11–6, 11–3. He became the first French winner of the British Open.

At the 2009 Tournament of Champions, Gaultier defeated the world No.1 Karim Darwish in the semifinal, and beat Nick Matthew in the final with a score 11–9, (2–11), 11–8, 11–4. He is the only Frenchman to have won the title.

Gaultier moved to the top of the world ranking in November 2009, a feat achieved after losing in the final of the Hong Kong Open a month earlier.[1] In 2009 he became the second French player to become world no 1.[2]

Gaultier has since won the Qatar Classic and reached the semi-finals of the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, and later won the Case Swedish Open after dispatching Karim Darwish in the finals.

In 2013 he was Gold medalist of the World Games in Cali against Simon Rösner in the final. He won the US Open against Nick Matthew 11–4, 11–5, 11–5. Two weeks later, he reached the World Championship final for the fourth time, losing again 11–9, 11–9, 11–13, 7-11, 11–2 to Nick Matthew.

In February 2014 he once again reached the top of the World Ranking, but again only for a month, as was the case in November 2009. One month later, in March, he won the Metro Squash Windy City Open, another PSA World Series tournament in the University Club of Chicago beating the apparently injured Ramy Ashour in the final 11–7, 11–3, 11–4. In April he reached World Number 1 ranking for the third time.
In May he won the British Open for the second time beating Nick Matthew in a very quick final 11–3, 11–6, 11–2.

In October 2021 Gaultier announced his retirement from the PSA World Tour.[3]

World Open final appearances

1 title & 4 runner-up

Outcome Year Location Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up2006Cairo, EgyptAustralia David Palmer9–11, 9–11, 11–9, 16–14, 11–2
Runner-up2007Hamilton, BermudaEgypt Amr Shabana11–7, 11–4, 11–6
Runner-up2011Rotterdam, NetherlandsEngland Nick Matthew6-11, 11–9, 11–6, 11-5
Runner-up2013Manchester, EnglandEngland Nick Matthew11–9, 11–9, 11–13, 7-11, 11-2
Winner2015Bellevue, United StatesEgypt Omar Mosaad11–6, 11–7, 12-10

Major World Series final appearances

British Open: 5 finals (3 titles, 2 runner-up)

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner2007France Thierry Lincou11–8, 5–11, 11–4, 9–11, 11–6
Runner-up2013Egypt Ramy Ashour7-11, 11–4, 11–7, 11-8
Winner2014England Nick Matthew11–3, 11–6, 11-2
Runner-up2015Egypt Mohamed El Shorbagy11–9, 6-11, 5-11, 11–8, 11-5
Winner2017England Nick Matthew8-11, 11–7, 11–3, 11-3

Tournament of Champions: 4 finals (1 title, 3 runner-up)

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner 2009 England Nick Matthew 11-9,2-11,11-8,11-4
Runner-up 2013 Egypt Ramy Ashour 7-11, 6-11, 12–10, 11–3, 11-1
Runner-up 2014 Egypt Amr Shabana 11-8,11-3, 11-4
Runner-up 2017 Egypt Karim Abdel Gawad 6-11,11-6, 12–10, 11-6

Hong Kong Open: 5 finals (0 title, 5 runner-up)

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up2007Egypt Amr Shabana11–13, 11–3, 11–6, 13-11
Runner-up2008Egypt Amr Shabana11–9, 13–15, 8-11, 11–2, 11-3
Runner-up2009Egypt Amr Shabana11–9, 9-11, 11–3, 5-2 (rtd)
Runner-up2010Egypt Ramy Ashour10–12, 11–9, 11–9, 9-11, 11-9
Runner-up2014Egypt Mohamed El Shorbagy11–9, 11–2, 4-11, 8-11, 11-4

Qatar Classic: 3 finals (1 title, 2 runner-up)

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up2007Egypt Amr Shabana11–4, 8-11, 11–6, 11-5
Winner2011England James Willstrop11–8, 11–7, 2-11, 11-8
Runner-up2015Egypt Mohamed El Shorbagy11–5, 11–7, 5-11, 12-10

US Open: 4 finals (3 titles, 1 runner-up)

Outcome Year Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner2006Egypt Amr Shabana11–5, 7-11, 11–4, 11-9
Runner-up2012Egypt Ramy Ashour11–4, 11–9, 11-9
Winner2013England Nick Matthew11–4, 11–5, 11-5
Winner2015Egypt Omar Mosaad11–6, 11–3, 11-5

See also

References

  1. Steve Cubbins, Framboise Gommendy (October 18, 2009). "Five and counting for Shabana and David in Hong Kong". Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  2. "Gregory Gaultier - Professional Squash Association". psaworldtour.com. Retrieved 2017-07-23.
  3. "Gregory Gaultier Announces Retirement". psaworldtour.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
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