Racketlon fans can now enjoy listening to a very experienced voice in racket sports as SQUASHTV commentator John Williams is now in the commentary booth detailing the drama at the World Championships.
The Australian had a great squash career, peaking at World Number 15 and winning eight PSA Tour titles as well as the World Team Championships for Australia in 2021.
Coming from the “poly-sportive” nation Down Under, however, he has always had a big interest in sports across the board – and that is what appeals with racketlon.
“Growing up with sport just thrown at you in high dosage, you know, in the 80s, it was just sport on tap,” he explains. “We have that tradition of having, you know, 80,000 or 90,000 people at the MCG [Melbourne Cricket Ground].”
“What I miss besides family, what I missed the most about Australia, is that atmosphere of sport. Growing up in Australia, you tended to be quite poly-sportive; you were naturally trying tennis, trying badminton, doing it at the beach.”
So when I initially saw [racketlon] back in ’08/’09/2010 what really raised my eyebrows is like, ‘okay, how good can these players be at each individual sport?'”
He notes that he followed the progression of Jesper Ratzer (“legend”) and was really impressed how he started squash at 26 basically and then managed to play for the Danish National Team (John has coached the Swiss National Team for many years so has seen Jesper play national squash in this capacity).
“I know [top racketlon players] are putting a lot of work in, a lot of hours,” he says. “I tip my hat to to the the fact they try to push the boundaries in in their four sports to see how good they can get and just become a better version of themselves.”
Since he finished playing, he has amassed vast experience in coaching squash (kids, amateurs, and pros); in broadcasting with SQUASHTV; and in sports in general as part of the team at VITIS SportCenter Schlieren.
John notes that VITIS was one of the first centres to host racketlon events, in 2008. Since, it has hosted the Racketlon World Championships, the Swiss Open, and more, including, recently for example, a racketlon juniors day.
It is through VITIS that John has developed his interest in racketlon, so he brings not only the in-depth knowledge of squash from his playing days, but excellent insight into the unique mentality required for racketlon and racketlon personalities, past and present.
He tries to convey these personalities now by bringing the squash world’s tendency for nicknames to racketlon, for example ‘Kresten the Crusader’ and Joerg ‘the Cannon’ Kanonenberg.
“I’m really your general commentator,” he explains. “Having had the experience of being on SQUASHTV for the last eight years now. SQUASHTV has grown into a much more professional, branded streaming service.”
“So I’ve got a good background in knowing how how that kind of production is done. Squash, I can I can jump in and and give a bit more detailed views, but I’m really sitting there sort of trying to look at the macro picture of of what’s going on and in particular the mental side as well.”
Alas, the chances of John joining us on court are not so strong, due to his hips and his attitude, typical of a former pro, that he could not do it half-hearted. It would have to be all or nothing.
But he does have a familiarity with playing the other three sports. When he first came to Basel, Switzerland, he would play other squash players regularly and his level was “okay but nothing to speak of in terms of playing the A section of a World Racketlon Championship or anything like that”, as well as a ‘little bit’ of tennis, and some table tennis but not properly.
Looking ahead to the action, he prediced excitement in the Elite draws, especially the Men’s Elite, where he says there’s very strong players like Henrik Mustonen who “are sort of floating about down in the rankings who are capable of causing an upset. It’ll certainly make the draw much more interesting. Jesper [Ratzer] is obviously at the top of that list.”
Follow the action on our Facebook Page, Instagram page, and Tournament Software, and listen to John Williams in the commentary box on select games on Streamster TV.
