Left-hander Paul Johnson first appeared in the PSA world rankings at 213 in January 1990, aged 17. By September, the Londoner had broken into the top 100 at 94, then two years later, in September 1992, he crept into the top 50 at 36. His top 20 debut at 20 in March 94 was followed by an indifferent four-year period in which he wavered in and out of the lower reaches of the top twenty - until May 1998 when he broke into the top ten at nine before rising to his current career-high position of world No4 in December. 

After winning the European Junior title in 1990, Paul first tasted PSA Tour success in August 1992, winning the Rio Open in Brazil a week after reaching his first final in the Sao Paulo Open. The following August he was back in Brazil to pick up two further titles - the Curitiba Open and L'Acqua di Fiori Open, though his Brazilian bounty was not so rewarding in August 94 when London-based Greek Paul Gregory beat him in the finals of both the Curitiba and After Sport Opens. 

It was in the Tournament of Champions in New York in 1993 that he made his senior breakthrough - coming through as a qualifier to reach the quarter-finals, before falling to Jansher Khan. Beaten finalist in the Japan Open in May 1994, he went on to reach the last four of the US Open in November, losing to compatriot and fellow left-hander Chris Walker. 

The turning point in his career came when he took the decision to move to Harrogate in the north of England, to work with national coach David Pearson. "My game is getting better and better - the move is bringing its rewards," he said at the time. 

This new era began in 1996 - he reached the semi-finals of the Hartford Cup in the USA, then the quarter-finals of the British Open in April, after causing a major upset when he dismissed fourth seed Peter Nicol in the first round - the Scot's fourth consecutive unsuccessful attempt to win a match in this premier championship. 

Johnson's first title win for four years came in February 1997 when he won the Antwerp Open in Belgium. The following month he reached the last eight of the Hungarian Open - this time losing to Nicol. His appearance later in the 97 British Open will be remembered as one of the most remarkable matches in the event's history: Johnson, with match-ball in the third, seemed to be heading to a second successive first round win over Peter Nicol. The point was played, the the players shook hands and walked off court as the audience cheered a repeat win for the Englishman. The referee, however, called the pair back to replay the disputed point - which saw the game, and eventually the match, then go the Scot! Johnson later sited his biggest career disappointment as "falling victim to one of the worst refereeing decisions ever", referring to this incredible Nicol encounter. 

It was in 1998 that Johnson truly emerged as a major force in world squash - rocketing from 20 to 4 in the Dunlop PSA list between January and December. He began the year by winning the Marsh & McLennan Apawamis Open in New York, and later claimed the Hungarian Open title in Budapest, beating compatriot Del Harris 5/15 15/8 15/9 15/10 in the final. 

As a qualifier in March's Austrian Open, he beat 4th seed Simon Parke in the first round - reversing the result of their earlier encounter in the semi-finals of the British National Championships - then dismissed Australia's 8th seed Dan Jenson in the quarters before losing to Peter Nicol in the last four after holding a two-game lead over the top seed and fellow left-hander. 

After defeating Australia's 8th seed Anthony Hill in the British Open, the unseeded Johnson reached the quarter-finals where he lost to defending champion Jansher Khan. He was next in action in the Hong Kong Open, in which he was seeded for the first time. Again, in the last eight, he came up against Scotland's Peter Nicol, and again he lost in five - but this time had a 2-1 lead and six matchballs before falling to the No1 seed! 

In September, Johnson provided two of England's seven medals in the sport's triumphant debut in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia - beating world champion Rodney Eyles in the last eight to qualify for bronze in the men's singles (again losing to Nicol in the last four), and with Mark Chaloner winning a surprise gold in the men's doubles. After gaining revenge over Nicol (and Stuart Cowie) in the semi-finals, the pair emphatically defeated Australia's Eyles and Byron Davis 15/8 15/4 in the final. 

Johnson declared it the best day of his life: "There was no way I ever envisaged one day winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal for squash - and to make it even better the Duke of Edinburgh came and talked to us in the corner between games. I was tempted to tell him to come back later as we were taking some advice from our coaches, but in the end we let him stay!" Johnson recounted. 

Back on the PSA Tour later in the month, Johnson overcame Australia's Dan Jenson in the quarter-finals of the Al-Ahram International in Egypt, before losing in five to local hero and eventual winner Ahmed Barada in the semis. Jenson avenged this defeat in the US Open later in October, removing Johnson at the first round stage. 

Johnson claimed two more quarter-final berths before the year ended - in the Heliopolis Open in Egypt where he lost to Canada's Jonathon Power in straight games, and in the World Open in Qatar where he suffered his fourth defeat of the year to Peter Nicol, in four games, after overcoming compatriot Del Harris in the earlier round 

A further mark of the success Johnson achieved in 1998 was his elevation to England No1 for the first time. He powerfully justified this status in February 1999 when he won the British National title for the first time, beating defending champion and England No.2 Simon Parke 3-2 in the final. 

His PSA campaign in 1999 also began well: He reached the semi-finals of the Tournament of Champions in New York's Grand Central Station, where he lost 3-2 to Egypt's Ahmed Barada, and in February made the last four of the Flanders Esso Open in Belgium. 

In London in May, he made full use of 'home' advantage in his first appearance in the Super Series Finals, the event being staged on the Perspex court erected in a marquee at the Broadgate Arena in the City. He beat all his opposition in the pool matches, including Martin Heath, Stefan Casteleyn and top seed Jonathon Power, then lost to Ahmed Barada in the semi-finals. He then faced Power for the second time in two days in the play-off for third place - and again triumphed in an emotionally-charged setting, beating the new world No.1, 12/15 15/8 15/8. 

In June, Johnson survived an ill-tempered first round clash with Australia's Anthony Hill in the Libertel Open in Maastricht, then lost to compatriot Simon Parke in the quarter-finals in their first meeting since the National Championships' final in February. 

Seeded to reach the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open in August, Johnson beat compatriot Mark Cairns, then Scotland's John White, before coming unstuck against Canada's Graham Ryding in the quarter-finals in five games. 

A similar fate befell the left-hander in September's World Open in Egypt, when he defeated Cairns again, then Australia's Dan Jenson, as he headed for his anticipated semi-final slot. It was not to be, however, as Scotland's Martin Heath stopped him in the last eight. Johnson went on to lead defending champions England in the World Team Championships - where they reached the last four before losing for the first ever time in the competition to Wales. 

The son of a semi-professional footballer, Johnson turned down terms with leading London club Queens Park Rangers at 16 to pursue a career in squash. Ten years later, this decision is at last reaping its rewards.