The World Squash Federation pays its respects to Lars Kvant and offers its sympathies to his loved ones and the Swedish squash community, following Lars’ passing at the age of 69 following a prolonged illness.

Lars’ contribution to the sport is remembered fondly in Sweden as part of the golden era of Squash Sweden, with the National Federation crediting Lars as a “significant inspiration to squash players in Sweden and beyond”.

Known for his commitment, generosity and positivity, multiple Swedish national champion Lars represented his country at five World Team Championships and helped Sweden to victory at the 1980 and 1983 European Team Championships, as well as reaching No.12 in the World Rankings.

Writing on behalf of Squash Sweden, Micke Hellström, friend, teammate and competitor to Lars during their professional careers, paid tribute to Lars:

Lars offered many unforgettable matches, moments, and experiences. The first time I encountered Lars on the squash court was in September 1974, during the regional final of the Scandinavian Touring Cup in Malmö, a national competition with over 1,000 participants (sic), including qualification rounds at club, regional, and national levels. I had recently become the top-ranked player in Sweden, and facing the almost-unknown Lars was quite the shock – a player who returned every shot and never gave away a single point unnecessarily. I lost 2-3. Although I managed to get my revenge in several matches during 1975-76, including the Swedish Championships in 1975, Lars became an increasingly tough opponent. Not only was he lightning-fast and incredibly fit, but he also absolutely refused to give up, even when the situation seemed hopeless. I believe Lars’ fearless confidence was one of the keys to his success. Another was the depth of talent in the Swedish squash elite during that time.

By the mid-70s, we had several fantastically talented and skilled young players alongside Lars, including Johan Stockenberg, Tarras Tovar, Leif Leiner, Bosse Boström, Peter Boström, Stefan Winström, and many others, along with upcoming juniors like Jan-Ulf Söderberg, Claes Ericsson, Anders Wahlstedt, Ulf Lagunoff, Jonas Gjörnerup, and Fredrik Johnsson. Many of them had brilliant technique and exceptional gameplay, and the competition among us pushed the level even higher. Lars might not have been the most technically gifted player, but he had an amazing ability to neutralize his opponent’s game by minimizing openings for attacks and delivering clever returns along the walls under pressure. Combine that with his determination and stamina, and you had a player competing at the very top of the world elite. Lars defeated Geoff Hunt in 1982 and was ranked 12th in the world that same year – an incredible achievement!

Lars had many tournament victories in his career and was also the cornerstone of our national team when we won the European Team Championships for the first time in 1980 and again (without me) in 1983. It was a fantastic period for Swedish squash.

I personally had to endure tough losses against Lars in three consecutive Swedish Championship finals (1977, 1978, 1979). Lars claimed the top spot in Sweden in 1977 and held onto it until 1984, when Jan-Ulf Söderberg took over.

Lars was a mischievous character both on and off the court. You never knew what he might do. During a major tournament in Australia, he decided the ball wasn’t bouncing properly. When the referee disagreed, Lars bit the ball in half – much to the audience’s amusement and the opponent’s (and referee’s) irritation. But a new ball was granted, and Lars went on to win both the match and the tournament!

Shortly afterward, the World Championships were held in Melbourne. Lars was one of the favorites and was seeded fifth, if I remember correctly. In the first round, he faced a young, unknown player from Pakistan – a warm-up match for Lars, who was in great form. True to expectations, Lars led 2-0 and 5-1 when suddenly things started to go wrong. The young Pakistani began scoring points, gained confidence, and took control of the game. Lars lost the third game, then the fourth… and ultimately the match 2-3. He was devastated.

It turned out the young opponent was Jahangir Khan. That match became Jahangir’s major international breakthrough. It speaks volumes about Lars’ status and greatness as a player – it wasn’t just anyone that Jahangir defeated. Jahangir, as we know, went on to win match after match, remaining unbeaten throughout the World Championships.

It was a memorable match for both Jahangir and Lars, who had a real chance to win the tournament had he managed to close it out. With hindsight, I think Lars eventually accepted the loss with grace – he had been so close to defeating a future legend. And Lars himself became a legend in Swedish squash.

There is so much more to say about Lars and our shared squash adventures around the world. It was fierce competition and tough battles on the court, but off it, Lars was a cheerful, optimistic, and mischievous character – it was never dull with Lars in the team. Lars, we will never forget you – and we miss you deeply!

Micke