Nottingham-born Declan James has made great strides up the World Rankings in recent years and lifted his first PSA World Tour title in his home-town despite being unseeded for the event.

He would go on to retain the title the following year and, after securing his 5th PSA World Tour title at the Christchurch International Open, he moved into the world's top 60 players for the first time in the July 2015 World Rankings.

James was named as the PSA Men's June Player of the Month to cap a superb season. Wins at the Fiberglass Open, Nash Cup and Steel City Open made it four successive PSA World Tour titles for James who moved into the world’s top 50 players for the first time in October 2015. His 17-match unbeaten streak was eventually ended by Clinton Leeuw in the quarter-final of the Minneapolis Open a month later.

England’s James went onto make back-to-back final appearances in 2016 in the Gillenmarkets Irish Squash Open IG Open De Paris, where he fell short of the main prize in both. However, title victory came in the Nash Cup in September 2016 when he saw off competition from Diego Elias to lift the trophy and successfully defend his title.

James saw more success in 2017, as he won the Irish Squash Open and the Arnold Tring Homes Open in successive weeks. He also finished runner-up in the DPD Open, before securing a third title of the calendar year, by overcoming Tom Richards in the final of the London Open. The Englishman claimed the 13th title of his career at the Open International de Squash de Nantes in 2018, where he beat compatriot James Willstrop in the final.

The Englishman then consistently made the last 16 of Platinum series events, including the U.S. Open, Qatar Classic and Hong Kong Open. The latter part of the campaign saw James reach the quarter finals of the Canada Cup, Canary Wharf Classic and DPD Open, as well as hitting a career-high of World No.15 in the rankings.

The Englishman was unable to maintain that good form, but he did make the last 32 of every tournament he played in during the campaign, with plenty of last 16 appearances in that run, including at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions and the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family.

In December 2019, James was a key part of the England side that finished as runners-up at the WSF Men’s World Team Squash Championships, with the Englishman defeating Mathieu Castagnet in a crunch tie in the semi-finals, as England overcame France to reach the final of the event in Washington, D.C.

James then made the last 16 of both the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family and the St. James’s Place Canary Wharf Classic prior to the Tour’s suspension for the COVID-19 pandemic. After it returned, the Englishman continued to reach the second round of all the majors, including the Qatar Classic that year.

In 2021, James’ best finish came at the Canary Wharf Classic, where he made the last 16, while he also reached the second round of the CIB PSA Black Ball Squash Open and the Qatar QTerminals Classic. In 2022, the Englishman made the quarter finals of the Cannon Kirk Irish Squash Open and the Open de France de Squash, along with a semi-final appearance at the Open PSA Lagord Tennis Squash.