Racketlon 2024 End of Year Roundup & Awards – Part 1

Racketlon World Championships 2024. Photo credit: Gerhard Nel.

Racketlon has had another great year in 2024, with 23 different international tournaments and very exciting developments for the sport. Let’s take a look back over the year and who and what you, the players, have voted for as the year’s best. 

Best Match

The winner, hands down, of best match was the World Championship semi-final between Luke Griffiths and Jesper Ratzer. It’s no surprise, as the consensus from the audience was that it was not just the best game of the year, but the best of all time. The two had only played once before in singles, in the semis of the 2021 World Championships, when Luke had just turned 18. Luke was very much an elite player at the time (he was in the semis of the World Champs, after all), but clearly not quite the player he is today, and Jesper won 21-14, 21-14, 21-8. So this match, in Rotterdam, had an incredible billing: the best of all time vs the world’s current best, like if Messi and Ronaldo had played in different eras but had just one match against each other at their respective peaks. 

It did not disappoint – a game of incredible quality and drama (article link). With Luke taking the table tennis 21-18 and then a fantastic 21-12 win in badminton, before Jesper triumphed 21 9 in squash, it was all even for the tennis, in front of a jam-packed stand. As you would expect, absolutely no signs of ‘racketlon tennis’ here – the two players trading serious blows from the baseline. It was dead even at 18-18, before Luke won the last three points to seal the win. There were great scenes of both smiling, chatting, and embracing at the end, greatness recognising greatness. What we can confirm is that Jesper is now back in training and playing regularly in Denmark. The fresh new challenge has provided all the motivation needed for Jesper to come back to Rotterdam in 2025. Get your popcorn ready! 

The match in full.

In any other year, the final that followed, Luke against Sylvain Ternon, would probably have been a clear winner of best match – an epic and gruelling battle that Luke won 19-21, 14-21, 21-9, 19-15 (full match here). And, while there were no votes for it, worthy of a mention is the final of the Nations Cup between USA and Germany 2, which went right down to the wire. Steffen Neumann of Germany sealed the win with some classy, nerveless tennis against Alex Porush.

Best tournament

Arguably the biggest, most successful World Championships ever, with around 450 players and the most international teams ever – it may be no surprise, but the World Championships Teams and Singles wins this category. There is always something special about representing your country, with good friends…and people who become good friends in doing so. But it is more than that. The venue has probably the most capacity, in terms of both courts and spectators (for example this article’s cover photo), of any venue for racketlon, as well as having a great restaurant and bar area, very helpful staff, and a location right in the middle of all major racketlon nations. (Plus, it was a great party on Saturday night!) 

Also with several votes is the SWT Willingdon Indian Racketlon Open, ⁠a huge tournament with 133 players with and some glitz and glamour: more than 3000 Euros prize money, free accommodation, food, ground transport and all hospitality for five days/nights for up to 16 elite players (men and women); national media coverage; fantastic facilities in the heart of Mumbai; and a swanky Saturday night player’s party in the club’s gardens by the pool with live band. 

IWT Club La Santa Open 2024 was also a popular choice. Held in the resort that’s a haven for us sports fanatics, with most players staying in the resort and winter sun, it’s a tournament ⁠with a real holiday feel that brings our great community together

Heart of a lion 

This award goes, again, to Luke Griffiths! So established at the top of racketlon is Luke, it’s easy to forget how he is still just 21 (20 at the World Championships) and that surely plays a part in this award. Also that the gruelling encounters described above happened in the same day, that he also won the Juniors u21, and that he had to fight through some serious cramp to win the decisive tennis set against Sylvain 19 15. Such is his level he may have chosen to just compete in the Elite category, but, tragically, his father Andy, a dedicated player and organiser from racketlon’s early days, passed away earlier this year, after a brave battle, and so the Junior u21 category now involves playing for the Andy Griffiths Trophy (named after Luke’s father). So for Luke, despite the physical demands, there was no question of playing it. That he not only did but won both makes this award absolutely justified. 

Luke after beating Sylvain in the final. Photo credit: Gerhard Nel.

In joint second place are Brits Matilda Parslow and Kieran Shelley. Tilda has, since starting international racketlon in 2019, grown from a player on the fringes of B and Elite, to a certified Elite player, finishing joint fifth at the World Championships, as well as finishing impressively dead even with World Champion Stine Jacobsen in the GB v Denmark team match. She is only ranked 22, but she has played only half the top 10’s average number of international tournaments in the ranking cycle (two years). Being a significantly stronger player after halfway during matches, she can often be seen grinding hard on the tennis court, with a patient but amazingly solid and consistent style. For example, her 5th/8th match in Rotterdam against GB1 teammate Holly Ranson, which she won on a gummi, 6-21, 10-21, 21-5, 22-11!

Matilda after defeating Holly Ranson on a gummi arm.

Kieran Shelley would be a decent shout for this award in general, but it is safe to say his nominations here are largely because of his heroics in the final tennis set of his GB5’s World Championships Challenge Cup quarter-final against France 4. Down 6-3 at the turn with his (evenly matched) opponent only needing eight to win, Kieran then pulled off an incredible eight straight points to seal GB’s place in the semis! Spectators, hearing the two teams competing to out-chant each other, gradually congregated to watch the drama – and then spread the story around the venue after (I was on the team and some people I did not have to tell about it as they had already heard it). One poll respondent wrote, “Last game and dive and remontada [reassembled/got up] from an English player (sorry, I forgot the names of the players). It was crazy!” Another writes of Kieran, “Epic comeback in teams and always diving.”

Luke Griffiths praised the “magnificent dive lob”. This was on the penultimate point. The French player, Sebastien Guicherd, had approached the net on a shot wide to Kieran’s backhand, then as Kieran hit it and recovered to the centre, Sebastien hit a good volley behind Kieran. Then Kieran, without the time to stop, turn, and run, dived full length, like squash player Miguel Angel Rodriguez, and played a superb lob while fully airborne, then got up and won the point! After the match, he said it was the “best moment of his life” (video) . There were also some votes for this as best match of the year (it is the greatest match I have played in).

Kieran Shelley embraced by teammates Joel Durston and James Pope after sealing the win, with Jordan Marcus running to do the same.

Most enjoyable player to watch

Luke here too! For all of the above, as well as the great spirit with which he plays – a good number of shouts and fist bumps of celebration without any gamesmanship. But, as we have covered Luke extensively above, a worthy mention of John Paul (‘JP’) Champa, who, despite being very new to the racketlon scene, got a number of votes. The World Championships was his first international tournament – and his exuberant style has already won him fans. He is the type of player coaches (and teammates) tear their hair out watching, while he and all other spectators, even often his opponents, grin and laugh. He also staged one of the most incredible half-time racketlon comebacks, in the C grade second round against Swiss player Patrick Bürgi, triumphing 4-21, 3-21, 21-3, 21-3! One who voted for him says, “JP once hit four tweeners in an 11-point tennis set. Also he hits behind-the-back defense and backhand smash in badminton. Many other cool shots that won’t fit in this text box.” Racketlon played with a smile on the face; what we love to see. 

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