Australian teams for World Squash Teams Championships

Four players will make their World Squash Teams Championships debuts when Australia heads to Korea, with a blend of emerging talent and international experience named to represent the nation.

Sophie Fadaely (QLD), Erin Classen (WA), Thomas Scott (NSW) and Oscar Curtis (WA) will all pull on the green and gold for the first time at the World Teams Championships.

They will be joined by a wealth of experience, led by Victorian Sarah Cardwell, who will make her sixth appearance at the Women’s World Teams Championships.

Cardwell’s latest appearance in Cheongju will see her join Rachael Grinham, Michelle Martin and Donna Lobban as Australia’s second-most capped female player at the event, behind only Australian squash great Sarah Fitz-Gerald.

Cardwell will line up alongside Classen, Fadaely and Queenslander Madison Lyon in the women’s team.

“I'm very excited, my favourite thing to do is play for Australia,” Cardwell said. 

“That's always a goal, and I've got a few more years in me still in my professional career, so that was definitely a big goal for this year, to play for Australia. I'm really excited.

“Sophie and Erin have both worked really hard and they've made some really big improvements in this last year. I'm sure they were gunning for this. I'm sure this was their major goal for the year as well.

“I know that they're going to enjoy it so much just because it's a good group of girls. We've got a lovely team together, and the coaches are really experienced and we'll have plenty of support around them.

“They'll be able to enjoy it, but also be competitive and hopefully just soak it all up.”

Debutant Sophie Fadealy narrowly missed selection two years ago and is excited to make her Australian debut. 

“Honestly, I’m over the moon,” Fadaely said. 

“I’ve never represented Australia as a senior, so getting my first senior cap is just such a nice end to the year. It’s definitely been a tough year injury-wise, so I’m excited to be back and hopefully performing at my best. I’m obviously going to give it my all for my country.

“I was pretty disappointed to miss out on making the team two years ago. I was probably really on the borderline, so I’m honestly so happy to make it this year. I got some good results to prove myself at the start of the year, which I needed to, and it’s always something that’s on my radar. For everyone in the team, it’s such an honour to represent Australia.

“Especially alongside such a good group of girls, I think it’ll be a great event. We’ll hopefully bring out the best in each other. It’s quite a young team, with both Erin and I in the team for the first time, and the boys’ team is quite young as well. It’s exciting for the future.

“Wearing the green and gold means more than just playing for yourself. It’s definitely a big honour for your family as well. I know my family are super proud of me and everyone back in Cairns will be feeling the same. Representing Australia is something else, and getting selected shows all the individual hard work and allows you to play in that really exciting team format.”

The men’s team will feature Victorian Dylan Molinaro, New South Welshman Thomas Scott, Western Australian Oscar Curtis and Northern Territory’s Joseph White.

White will spearhead the men’s team for his third World Teams appearance, bringing valuable international experience to a squad that also features two players making their debut at the championships.

Scott will be the youngest on the team, but has made giant strides in the last two years. 

“I’m very happy, I’ve improved quite a lot in the past couple of years,” Scott said. 

“I was definitely looking at it (making the team) as something unrealistic two years ago, but then I managed to catch up to everyone else a little bit. I’m just super happy.

“For the past year it’s been a big goal. Ever since I thought I was slightly in the mix, it’s been a motivating factor to try to train hard and do well in the events preceding it.

“It’s unreal, really. I’ve always loved playing in teams, and especially being able to play for the Australian senior team is pretty cool. I’m just super excited to be in there.”

The Australian teams will now turn their attention to Korea, with the World Squash Teams Championships providing a major international test against the world’s leading nations.

Australian World Squash Teams Championships teams:

Women
Sarah Cardwell (VIC)
Erin Classen (WA)
Sophie Fadaely (QLD)
Madison Lyon (QLD)

Men
Dylan Molinaro (VIC)
Thomas Scott (NSW)
Oscar Curtis (WA)
Joseph White (NT)