Joe Lee feels 16 again after overcoming multiple injuries

By RJ Mitchell

Joe Lee says that his recent run to the second round of the Optasia Championships made him feel 16 again.

The 32-year-old has endured a torrid time with injuries in recent years, but a first-round victory over Mexico’s World No.51 Cesar Salazar in Wimbledon and an impressive showing against World No.6 Diego Elias in a battling second-round defeat has put the spring firmly back in Lee’s step.

Seeded no.8 for tomorrow’s PSA $6k Challenger at Liverpool Cricket Club, Lee is adamant that he still has time on his side to make an impact on the upper echelons of the game.

The Englishman, who won three PSA Challenger Tour titles in 2021, said: “It’s almost like I feel 16 again as it’s like: ‘This is completely new.’ Obviously the back injury wasn’t a pleasant experience but it has given me the opportunity to start afresh and I am really up for that and determined to see how far I can take my game.

“Basically I had a lower back injury which ended up requiring surgery and that all started in 2017 with the operation coming the following year but I still feel like my body is continuing to improve.

“It’s almost like each month I am opening new doors to what my body can tolerate and even although I am 32 my movement is continuing to improve which is very encouraging.

“The operation only took place a year after looking for other solutions and then I did play a couple of tournaments prior to the pandemic but to be honest I was nowhere near the level I am now. But having that time off, where it was a bit more relaxed and there wasn’t pressure to play events, allowed me to concentrate on my body and gaining an understanding of it really helped.

“Probably it’s been a bit of a blessing to me as I could have got sucked into the rat race of chasing the ranking points maybe earlier than would have been ideal so I have been quite lucky.”

“The way I look at it physically and mentally I am in a good place to observe and I saw at the Optasia there were a few players pulling up with injuries as we get towards the end of the season and I have the luxury of just dipping in.

“Now I’m playing a couple of 5ks starting at the Liverpool Cricket Club this week and then one in Birmingham in April so those are the next two and then as the ranking rises I might try and play in a few bigger tournaments.

“I would say that there are really two challenges in this respect, firstly it’s one thing going and having a nice performance against the World No.6 but you have also got to earn your right to be there by beating the guys ranked lower than that.”

Reflecting on that meeting with Elias, Lee admitted it was an invaluable experience in terms of measuring his game up against the very best, while also assessing where he will need to make adjustments and improvements if he is to climb the rankings from his current World No.89 ranking.

The Londoner said: “Going in, I knew that I was going to play okay against him as he is an accurate player but I knew he wouldn’t blow me away with tempo and I felt like I could deal with him fairly well. Where he had a bit of an edge was on those key points at 9-9, 8-8 and he probably had an extra gear and was just that bit more ruthless.

“He was also very good round the middle and made the most of his chances and half chances. That is something I will be working on but also sharing a court with him under the lights in a proper match, well you feel like when you're playing against a player of that quality, their class can rub off on you a little bit.

“So, just his timing of the ball has given me a lot to take away really. Obviously my ranking will get a little boost out of it and that will provide further opportunities tournament-wise which will allow me to broaden my horizons a bit.

“But I was pleased with how I performed and I took a lot of encouragement and motivation with how I played as I know that I’m still capable of more as well.

“So it’s about getting more of these experiences, keep working on my game and I’m excited to see where I can go.

“But I’m more about the performances and I have suffered in the past with getting a little to obsessed with my ranking and chasing ranking points but there will be some luck involved with how quickly I can move up the rankings so it’s about improving my level and hopefully the results will then follow.”

Lee has also been working with respected English coach Danny Massaro in a partnership he believes is increasingly starting to bear fruit: “I’m working with Danny Massaro and he’s obviously five hours away from me so I get in the car quite regularly to go up and see him and Laura and I also work remotely a lot with him over the phone.

“Danny has been a great help and I feel my game is really starting to benefit from all of that. So all in all I feel like I am in a good place to kick on.”