Alasdair Prott feels this week’s Springfield Scottish Squash Open will be his latest milestone in his transition into the senior game.
Inverness-born Prott has made the step up in recent months, after the final stages of his junior career were halted sooner than expected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prott, who is based in Edinburgh and studies biological sciences with human health at Heriot-Watt University, feels he has had to come of age quickly but the nine-times Scottish junior champion is enjoying his early experience of the adult game.
The 20-year-old said: “Missing my last year of the juniors, with European Championships in the last few months, was hard to take at the time.
“Looking back on it, it gave me a really good year and a half to get myself in shape for the adult game.
Final preperations take place at Inverness Tennis & Squash Club as top squash heads to Inverness.
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“It’s so different travelling to these tournaments. It has been mostly UK events for me since Covid, but the game totally changes. It’s a lot more physical.
“I’ve been putting a lot of work in with the coaches to get me to that stage where I can compete on the adult pro tour as well as I did previously in the juniors.
“You definitely don’t have to be a great junior to be a good senior, but it certainly helps getting that headstart.
“Just technically and tactically, I’ve got a lot of experience of going away and competing.
“Starting out on the PSA Tour wasn’t such a shock to me after having that experience as a junior, which definitely helps.”
Prott is relishing the chance to showcase his progress in his hometown, having moved to Edinburgh in 2019.
Having been drawn to face Englishman Connor Sheen in today’s first round, Prott hopes to advance further in the competition.
Prott said: “Inverness is a great club. They have supported me through all the years I have been playing.
“It will be good to come back from university and see a few familiar faces, and hopefully impress them with how much I have come on since moving away.
“Even when I was up north I was coming down to Heriot-Watt and Oriam once a month for training.
“It’s great to be down and part of the centralised Scottish Squash programme.
“Being part of that with the other professional athletes has definitely helped bring on my game a lot, thanks to the players and coaches.
“Getting to this level as a wildcard, and with the event being so strong, no matter who I got in the draw I knew it was going to be a tough game.
“Going into it, I’m really just looking to play the best I can. If I can do that I will hope to get into any match and give it a good go.
“I’m not so much targeting results, I just want to perform in the first round and who knows where that will take me.”
Prott says the success of fellow Highlanders Greg Lobban and Alan Clyne on the PSA Tour has given him plenty of inspiration for his own career, adding: “Greg and Alan have been big for me, with them having grown up in the same spot.
“It gives you that boost and hope as a youngster that they can do it from the same circumstances, growing up in the same place.
“They are playing at a really high level, even now. It’s great to see they can keep their level that high for that long.
“Coming from Inverness, it’s a good boost for me and to hopefully emulate even some of their success would be a great feat.”