This article was first published by europeansquash.com
Laurens-Jan Anjema says competing alongside his father in the WSF World Masters Championship in their hometown of Amsterdam will be a “special” experience for them both.
Laurens-Jan (LJ), who retired from the PSA World Tour in 2016, is top seed in the men’s O40 draw for the event at the Frans Otto Stadion (15-22 August). His father, Robert Jan, is 5/8 seed in the men’s O70 category.
Robert-Jan and Laurens-Jan both played in the 2018 WSF World Masters in Virginia, where Laurens-Jan won the O35 title. But to compete in the same event in Amsterdam, cycling distance from Laurens-Jan’s home, will be especially memorable.
The former World No.9 commented: “When I talk about my family the main story will always be squash. It’s in our DNA. My grandfather took my dad to the court when he was little and in the 70s and early 80s he became 12-time national champion. My dad introduced the game to me when I was five years old and later I became 10-time national champion.
“The achievements aside, the main thing has always been to practise and improve, something my dad still does at 73 years of age in various sports. Us both winning? Ha ha! Let’s see if we can move around the court and enjoy the whole thing first. Saying that, I think my dad really wants to win!”
Since leaving the PSA World Tour, Laurens-Jan has founded his own squash academy where he coaches some of the Netherlands’ best junior players as well as current World No.2 Paul Coll.
As well as that, he attended courses at the Schrijversacademie (writers’ academy) in Amsterdam. In 2019, he began writing a novel and it is now nearly finished.
“Writing has always been one of my favourite things to do,” he says. “They say you can’t be a good writer unless you read a lot so I made a real point of reading [since retiring as a pro]. For a good few years I must have read for four or five hours a day – novels mostly, written by great American and Russian writers, but also Dutch literature.
“I guess after a sports career in which physicality played such a big role I felt an insatiable urge to use my brain!”
He will be engaging body as well as brain in the WSF World Masters, but admits his physical preparation for the tournament “is nothing compared to the intensity of those million hours I put into the pro tour.”
He adds: “These days I go to the gym for longevity benefits and out of vanity, I guess. I play squash because I still enjoy the game, and in a weird way it feels good when my heart rate reaches 180.
“The World Masters is actually a very big family reunion, including awkward uncles and aunties you’re not sure you’ve ever met!”
This year’s WSF World Masters is being organised by the European Squash Federation.
Follow updates including seedings, draws, latest scores and live streaming at wsfworldmasters2024.nl
For the latest WSF news, follow the World Squash Federation on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X (formerly Twitter) or subscribe to the WSF Newsletter.
Watch free squash action, interviews and features at WORLDSQUASH.TV
