Ben Smith: 2022 Year In Review

As we come to the end of 2022, we have taken the time to speak to some of the Tour’s stars of the year. England’s Ben Smith is today’s focus.

The Englishman came into 2022 outside the world’s top 100 and still aiming for his maiden Tour title. That all changed over the last twelve months.

Smith was able to secure his maiden Tour title, winning the BRESS Breda Open, before then winning two Challenger 5 titles as well. He was victorious at the Swiss Open and Romanian Open.

The 20-year-old climbed up into the world’s top 100 thanks to those three victories, and currently sits at his career-high of World No.90.

Ben Smith

World Ranking – January: World No.143
World Ranking – December: World No.90 (career-high)
Titles Won: 3
– BRESS Breda Open (Challenger 3 level)
– Swiss Open (5)
– Romanian Open (5)

See Smith’s thoughts about a breakthrough year on Tour…

“Yeah, it’s been a good 2022. I’ve hit all the goals I was aiming to hit and won a few titles, which is always nice. So yeah, I just want to push on from here.

“It [winning his maiden title] was obviously a lot, a lot of enjoyment as well as just relief to get that first title because I’d been in a final before and lost it. So to finally get the win and go through was a big moment.

“I just felt like I was moving freely, playing good squash. And then the pieces just fell right on that weekend.

On winning the Swiss Open, his first Challenger 5 title…

“Yeah again, it’s just the same but just a bigger step up, which is always what I’m looking to do, go onto the next stage and hopefully aim to do that again next with a Challenger 10 event, hopefully.

“It’s always nice to play on a glass court. Makes you feel like you are moving up, going further into the PSA Tour. And yeah, the hospitality was unbelievable and it’s a lovely place.

On the Romanian Open win…

“It was sort of the first time I’ve been the top seed. So it was a different sort of mentality. Going in there thinking ‘You’re meant to win this’, but I just tried to put that to the back of my mind and ended up doing the job, which is always nice.

It felt like it gave me a mental edge [playing Marek Panacek in the final, who he had beaten three weeks earlier]. Whether he felt that or not, that’s a different thing. But yeah, I definitely felt more confident knowing that I’d beat him a few weeks prior.

On breaking into the world’s top 100 for the first time, and the future…

“Yeah, it was a huge moment. That was my goal for the end of the year and to reach it way before the end of the year was a great achievement. And hopefully I just keep pushing on from here.

“Definitely higher rankings, [that’s] the first priority, but titles usually follow with that. So hopefully both.”

Check out the full interview with Ben on our YouTube channel here ⬇️