Home

Squash sensation Erin Classen eyeing junior world championship berth in 2022

Headshot of Ben Smith
Ben SmithPerthNow - Stirling
17 year old Erin Classen poses for a photo and hopes to be selected for the world titles later this year on Jan 12, 2022. Matt Jelonek
Camera Icon17 year old Erin Classen poses for a photo and hopes to be selected for the world titles later this year on Jan 12, 2022. Matt Jelonek Credit: Matt Jelonek/The West Australian

The state’s top-ranked female squash player may still be in school, but she has Russia in her sights as she enters 2022.

SEDA College’s Erin Classen is just 17 years-old, but has shot up the squash rankings to take the mantle of the state’s number one female player after an impressive 2021 in which she won two major titles.

The Mirrabooka Squash Club star has her long-term sights set on the European tour, but in the meantime, is targeting one of the four spots on the Australian World Junior Championship team, to take place in St Petersburg later this year.

Classen said her squash journey began as a family affair when she was around nine years-old, and it did not take her long to make her mark in tournaments.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“My mum and dad played at Mullaloo Squash Centre. They were playing and then my brother was playing and I felt left out,” she said.

“This guy at the club was like, they (Classen and her brother) should play tournaments. I was about 10 and came second in an under-13 competition and I just kept going.”

The Game AFL 2024

Since those early days, Classen has gone from strength to strength, vaulting to the top of the state women’s rankings following a number of impressive performances over the past couple of years.

17 year old Erin Classen poses for a photo and hopes to be selected for the world titles later this year on Jan 12, 2022. Matt Jelonek
Camera Icon17 year old Erin Classen poses for a photo and hopes to be selected for the world titles later this year on Jan 12, 2022. Matt Jelonek Credit: Matt Jelonek/The West Australian

She won the 2019 WA Open Ladies title aged just 14 year-old, and proving it was no fluke, proceeded to do the same in 2021 as a 16 year-old when she overcame top seed Pascale Louka in a tense five-setter.

Classen said she had not been daunted by playing against adults and it often spurred her on rather than unsettle her.

“I guess it’s a good feeling because like you start as the underdog, you have nothing to lose,” she said.

“And then you feel like you’re really good enough to keep going, so it gives you motivation to keep training harder and play better.”

Better was to follow in April last year, as Classen travelled to Melbourne for the Australian Junior Open and accomplished a feat only two other Western Australian women had previously done.

Entering the tournament as the fourth-seed, Classen won all three games to claim the under-19 title, following in the footsteps of her coach Amanda Hopps and Lorraine Collins as WA girls to win the trophy.

“I just went out there just to play the best I could and try and believe in myself, be confident and it happened,” Classen said.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails