Two-handed squash player Groenewald on why his style works

Squash is usually a sport played with a racket held in one hand. But for South Africa’s top junior boy Luhann Groenewald, he has his own style of squash. The young South African is one of few squash players that is two-handed.

Groenewald is set to play his final World Juniors event in Cairo this year. The 18-year-old ages out of the event after the conclusion of the boys’ singles. That won’t stop him from setting his sights on aiming for a medal.

In previous World Juniors events, Groenewald helped South Africa come 8^th in the team event in 2024. He is looking to go further this year by grabbing a medal in the boys’ singles event to make his family and country proud.

“I think this is going to be special for me, because I want to walk away with a medal,” Groenewald said.

“I can only play the individual event so it’s the only thing I have to focus on.”

After his time concludes at the World Juniors in Cairo, Groenewald will fly back home to qualify for the South African men’s national team.

Unlike most squash players who play with a traditional one hand style, Groenewald has adopted his own approach by playing with both hands.

“I don’t really know why I started playing with two hands,” he said. “My dad said it’s because the racket was too heavy for me when I was younger.

“I didn’t play anything like tennis before squash, so I think I just started playing like that.”

“A lot of coaches told me to switch over to one hand, but I didn’t really like it. I just kept playing and evolving my game with two hands, and it’s worked.

“My racket is Technofibre, the 125 Nour El Sherbini version. I love the racket. I switched to the 125 after the World Juniors last year, and it’s been working for me. It’s a bit head heavy and I think that helps with my double hand style.”

With his ambitions set on securing a medal at World Juniors 2025, Groenewald has been preparing accordingly for what will be a competitive draw. Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Groenewald works with South African squash legend Jean-Pierre (JP) Brits who coaches in Mossel Bay.

A 12-hour drive stands between Mossel Bay and Johannesburg, but Groenewald makes the journeys to the south coast of his country to work closely with Brits.

Playing PSA Squash Tour Satellite tournaments have also increased Groenewald’s exposure to senior squash in preparation for his final World Juniors.

And his commitment to the sport and the upcoming competition does not stop there.

“I’m flying to the Netherlands in June to play the Dutch Junior Open to prepare for World Juniors,” he said. “I think that it will help me with my match practice before the tournament.”

Groenewald’s long-term vision for his squash career begins in the autumn where he will join Drexel University in Philadelphia, USA. He commented that one of the many attractive aspects about Drexel is the university’s proximity to The Arlen Specter US Squash Center which is the home of squash in the United States.

“I spoke to Nick Taylor, the Head Coach at US Squash, when I was at World Teams. He said that I can train with the squad anytime.

“The exposure to train with those players and the big complex being available to me is one of my big reasons why I’m going to Drexel. I’m really excited to start.”

A four-year academic course in Business Management is on the cards for Groenewald. Though, he’s made is clear about his ambitions to turn professional after playing in the US college squash system.

“The big reason for going to college is to improve my squash. I want to go pro after the four years of studying and to go as high in the rankings as possible.

“There are a lot of players that have just come out of college that I follow: Victor Crouin, Aly Abou Eleinen. They’ve only been out of college for a few years and they’re already top 20 in the world. If I can do that, that would be amazing.”

The young South African has clear ambitions and plans for his squash career. But in the short-term, his eyes are set firmly on getting on the podium at the World Juniors in Cairo.

“I’m not sure about the history of a male South African player at World Juniors, but for me to walk away with a medal would make me, my family, and South Africa proud. I can’t wait to deliver in Egypt.”

For more information about World Juniors 2025, click here.

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