Another chance for a national medal of honor for the ambitious but relaxed Tessa ter Sluis from Sint Willebrord: “Who wouldn’t want to win an NK? † Regional Sports

Ter Sluis was once the best in every age category in the Netherlands. The youth league titles at 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 are in the trophy cabinet. Although she is only 27, she has been at the top of the Netherlands for quite some time. She already made her debut in the Dutch Eredivisie at the age of eleven, for Rotterdam Victoria. She won matches at the World Cup and took this year bronze at the European Championships in Eindhoven with the Netherlands†

Winner of the Dutch national championships, she succeeded in 2017. It was perhaps her best moment on the squash court. Unexpectedly, she beat the Veldhovense Milou van der Heijden. ,,It was my first Dutch Championship final, in fact there was no expectation”, recalls Ter Sluis. ,,I had not won a match against Milou at the time. And then you win suddenly, completely unexpected… Of course, it was bronze in the last European Championship with the equally brilliant Netherlands, but you managed to win a Dutch Championship on your own.

The list of NK titles could have been much longer for Ter Sluis, if Van der Heijden has proven to be an obstacle in the final battle in recent years. Ter Sluis has lost three Dutch national championship finals to his colleague from Brabant. This weekend, Willebrord’s Ter Sluis – second behind Van der Heijden – will get another chance.

The Dutch national championships are important, especially for a relatively small sport like squash. ,,This is the biggest tournament in the Netherlands. There aren’t as many big games anymore. Moreover, it is important for the national team. You must play the Dutch national championships to enter the selection. To add after a short silence: ,,And who doesn’t want to be the best in the Netherlands? It is something very beautiful.

The mission in Amsterdam, where she will play the quarter-finals for the first time on Friday, is clear. Ter Sluis wants to fight for his second national title: ,,I don’t come to the Dutch national championships to lose the final. Winning is my goal. But I try not to put too much pressure on myself. Once I didn’t reach the final, I found it very difficult. I’m a little more relaxed about it now. If you’re going to punish yourself if something goes wrong, then you won’t play better squash.”

Ter Sluis, who practices his sport full time, has never hidden his ambitions. She wants to reach the top twenty in the world rankings within five years. This year, she has already played tournaments in the United States, Canada, France and England. “When you’re in sports full time, you give up everything to play in a tournament. Take the tournament in America, for example, I only heard two days in advance that I was allowed to participate. And even if you’re not at your best, you still go for it. The PSA World Tour expects the same from you if you are on the reserve list.

In this respect, an NK is much more practical: “I take the car from The Hague (where she lives, editor’s note) and I am in Amsterdam in forty minutes.” And who knows, maybe a new national title will leave in the trunk on Sunday.