Hudson and Groenewald lead South Africa’s charge in South Korea
South Africa’s squash young guns are packing more than rackets for their trip to South Korea.
They are taking ambition, attitude and a point to prove.
The World Squash Federation World Team Championships in Cheongju from December 14 to 19 will throw South Africa’s men’s and women’s teams into the deep end against the planet’s squash powerhouses, with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games looming on the horizon.
For 22-year-old Damian Groenewald, this is familiar territory with an unfamiliar challenge.
The Northerns star, 2026 Growthpoint SA Nationals champion, will make his third World Team Championships appearance after previously competing in New Zealand and Hong Kong.
And he knows international team squash can chew up the unprepared.
“It’s quite a young team and it’s difficult at events like that because the pressure is quite high to perform for your country,” Groenewald said.
The men’s team includes his brother Luhann, close friend Dewald van Niekerk and Joburg Squash’s John Anderson.
That chemistry could prove priceless when the pressure cooker starts whistling.
South Africa could face six demanding matches during the tournament, testing legs, lungs and concentration. Groenewald says the squad has been hardened by team competition at home.
“Even though it’s one match a day, by day five or six it is hard. But we have prepared for that.”
The women’s team carries its own spark.
With SA No 1 and national champion Hayley Ward unavailable for personal reasons, Northerns’ Helena Hudson steps into the spotlight alongside Western Province’s Kim McDonald and Keschia Schlebusch of SA Country Districts.
Hudson, competing at her second world championships after Hong Kong in 2024, believes her improved game could turn the underdog tag into ammunition.
“I enjoy playing against players who I’ve never played before and who are ranked higher than me, because then you have the underdog advantage and can play without pressure and fight for the win.”
That is the kind of fighting talk that gives a small squash court a very large echo.
Squash South Africa president Blaar Coetzee says the mission stretches beyond Cheongju. The organisation wants greater international competitiveness and a pathway towards Olympic success.
“With commitment and hard work, our players can not only compete with but eventually beat the best in the world,” Coetzee said.
Ultimately, the Korean campaign is about exposure, experience and laying foundations.
The scoreboard will tell one story.
The bigger story could be whether these young South Africans return with the belief that the world’s giants can be challenged, one brutal rally at a time.
