Nicolette Fernandes says reuniting with fellow ex-pros Siyoli Waters and Samantha Teran at the WSF World Masters Championships in Amsterdam gave her “a bit of dread and fear” as well as tingles of excitement.

Fernandes, the former World No.19 from Guyana who retired from the PSA Squash Tour in 2016, is top seed in a high-calibre women’s 40+ draw at the Frans Otten Stadion.

The 41-year-old won her quarter-final 11-4, 11-3, 11-2 against Milja Dorenbos of the Netherlands on Monday and next faces South Africa’s Karen Blom, while the other semi-final is a blockbuster between South Africa’s former World No.28 Waters and Mexico’s ex-World No.11 Teran.

“I have to admit, when I saw the player list it did drive a little bit of dread and fear into me!” said Fernandes. “I was like, ‘Oh no, we’re gonna do this again!’ But they are two of the ladies I considered my friends when I was on tour, so to play them again is just a treat for me.”

Fernandes added she “had to have her arm twisted” to play at the 2022 World Masters in Wroclaw, but after winning the 35+ title there she “fell back in love” with squash after a period where she barely stepped on to a court following her retirement from the Tour and then the pandemic.

“I thought I wasn’t going to enjoy it, but I fell in love with the whole atmosphere, and here in Amsterdam it’s no different,” she said. “I played at this venue when I was growing up, so to come back and play with less pressure and more enjoyment, amongst friends that I haven’t seen in decades, has been a real treat. I’m just loving it.”

Another ex-pro showcasing their skills in Amsterdam is local favourite and former World No.9 Laurens-Jan Anjema. The men’s 40+ top seed beat Germany’s Heiko Schwarzer 11-5, 11-3, 7-11, 11-5 in round three today – and his father, Robert Jan, plays England’s Stuart Hardy in the 70+ quarter-finals tomorrow.

“It would be hilarious if we both win!” said Laurens-Jan. “But really it’s just about participating together as a family. My grandfather brought my dad to the squash court when he was five years old, then my dad brought me. Squash is in our DNA. Just doing this together, coaching each other but neither of us listening to each other, is great fun!”

Yet another former pro, Lizelle Muller, is top seed in the women’s 35+ and toppled Germany’s Sandra Zakowski 11-2, 11-1, 11-5 in the quarter-finals. “It would be wonderful to have the title of World Masters champion against my name – it would mean the world to me,” said the 2021 South African national champion. “This is my first World Masters, but I’m definitely going to do it every time now.”

Karen Meakins, top seed and defending champion in the women’s 50+, beat England’s Sarah Parr 11-6, 11-3, 11-6 in a repeat of their semi-final in Wroclaw. This is the Barbadian’s seventh successive World Masters, and she said: “My goal is to play in every single age group! I just love this tournament.”

Day five saw the first defeat for a top seed in the tournament as Canada’s Andrew Lynn [17/32] downed England’s Gavin Roger-Lund by a marathon 11-8, 12-14, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6 scoreline in the men’s 55+.

Elsewhere, Geoff Davenport of Australia beat South Africa’s Stan Voges 11-5, 11-2, 11-3 in the men’s 65+ quarter-finals to remain on course for a record seventh World Masters title. Fellow Aussie Brian Cook, who also has six titles, plays Scotland’s Alex Sinclair in the men’s 75+ quarters tomorrow – on what will be Cook’s 77th birthday.

England’s Ann Manley, meanwhile, beat Margaret Hunt-Kemp 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 in 75+ Group A. That victory means Manley remains on course for an all-time record sixth women’s World Masters trophy.

The 2024 WSF World Masters Championships resume with day six on Tuesday 20 August, with play beginning at 10:00 local time (CEST).

Head to WORLDSQUASH.TV to watch the action live and free.

Click here to view all the results from day five, click here to view the schedule for day six and here to check out all the draws.

The 2024 WSF World Masters Squash Championships are taking place at the Frans Otten Stadion from 15-22 August. Keep up with all the action at wsfworldmasters2024.nl

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