Frenchman Edwin Clain was one of 12 players who grabbed a ticket for the 2023 PSA World Squash Championships. The biggest achievement of his career, he also broke into the top 100. We caught up with the 23-year old, who lived in Victor Crouin’s shadow in his junior years but is now making a name for himself.

The strength in-depth is so good in men’s squash at the moment that it’s becoming increasingly harder to back up, even more so when you survive the World Championship qualifying tournament.

Emotionally and physically drained after booking his ticket for the biggest event on the calendar, Edwin Clain exited early at the recent Batch Open against Macéo Lévy following a match that was nothing short of drama: his fellow Frenchman converted his fifth match ball but agreed to replay the point because Clain swore his pick-up was good.

Lévy then had to save one match ball himself, before edging 17-15 in the fifth game … “I was exhausted but still gave it my all,” said Clain a few minutes later, in the lounge of the iconic Parisian club of Jeu de Paume. “All credit to Macéo who played very well. On top of that, agreeing to replay the point while he had won the match was simply amazing, I don’t think another player on the tour would have done the same thing.”

Clain quickly put this loss behind him, with Chicago and the World Championship on the horizon for the first time in his career. “I am still on cloud nine,” said the 23-year old. “In December, we were told that this qualifying event would take place, I circled it in my calendar and prepared specifically for it. I still played a few league matches to stay sharp, and when the draw came out I knew I had a real shot.”

He made the most of it in Birmingham, beating three higher-ranked opponents – Ben Smith, Asim Khan and Tom Walsh in the decisive match. “It was a dream week really. Edgbaston Priory is a fantastic club and the conditions were perfect for the players. It was also great that it was held alongside the British Open, I was able to go and watch some matches at the theatre with Victor [Crouin] in the VIP area.

“Having national coach Renan Lavigne by my side was a bonus, and I’d like to mention our physio Florent Ehrstein. We worked on my recovery after every match and it was a real game changer, especially because I had two tough first rounds. Tom was also tired after beating Ibrahim Elkabbani in five games, so it made a big difference.”

The draw came out a few days later, and the Frenchman will be up against Scotland’s Rory Stewart in the first round in Chicago. “It was the best possible draw, because among the other potential opponents there were guys like Youssef Ibrahim, Patrick Rooney or Eain Yow Ng. Having said that, Rory is a very good player and he beat me comprehensively at the beginning of the season. I will have nothing to lose and cannot wait to be there.”

Clain killed one bird with two stones in the West Midlands, since the ranking points propelled him into the world top 100. “I’d been close for a few months, it’s kind of a relief because it was a major goal for me in 2022/23. I know the season has been long and for some players it feels like the end is close but not for me and there are still opportunities to keep moving up the rankings.

“After the World Champs, I have two 10k tournaments in South America – in Argentina and Paraguay – then an exhibition tournament in Tahiti and the French league playoffs in mid-June. My club Valenciennes are a great support and it’s an important one for the team.”

Having spent all his life in Créteil, Clain moved to Aix-en-Provence last September – where most French elite players train at the National Centre – and the transition wasn’t easy for him. “There were a few issues at first but it’s in the past now. As far as I am concerned, I am the leader of a group that includes players who are younger than me, such as Macéo Levy. What’s interesting is that they are all strong physically but with different styles. I believe we can be optimistic for the future of men’s French squash.”

When asked about the main reason behind his recent improvements, Clain says it’s not necessarily linked to the fact that he is in a new setting. He adds: “I think it’s rather down to the work I’ve put in, during the summer at Créteil and now here in Aix with our fitness coach. Also, I’ve gained some confidence thanks to my results and it’s no secret that it’s a major factor in professional sport. I no longer look at my opponent’s ranking before a match, which is the best way because the tour is so strong at the moment.”

The world No.95 took up squash when he was five at Créteil. “I was waiting next to the courts, while my sister was having a session with the youth academy. One day the coach Mehdi Renai told me to come and give it a try, and I liked it straight away. I also did swimming until I was 10, but came a time when I had to choose and I did not want to spend my entire life counting the tiles,” he smiles.

Clain’s profile is rather unique in French squash: while most if not all player’s parents are deeply involved in the sport – whether they are club owners, coaches or at least amateur players – we never see his around a court.

“They did come a couple of times but it’s been a while, and I had to explain the rules to them,” he laughs. “There are pros and cons, it’s good to have people supporting you but you often see parents putting too much pressure on their kids.

“The most important thing is that mine always supported me in my project – especially financially – as long as school was going well. I have a bachelor’s degree in sports, as well as a few coaching diplomas. I am taking another one called DEJEPS at the moment, which involves a substantial amount of work. It’s not easy to manage besides my squash professional career, but it’s important to have as many options as possible for the future and coaching is one of them. As a matter of fact, I often advise my fellow French players between games when we are together in a tournament!”

Clain already has some experience in this field, since he was a part-time coach in a Parisian club during the 2021/2022 season. “It allowed me to save money, and more importantly it was very gratifying. I learned a lot of things and it made me grow as a person. Coaching kids is not easy at first, and I got a lot of help from my former coaches – Medhi Renai as well as Malcolm Tullis. On top of that, having to teach to a wide range of people made me reassess the way I approached squash for myself.”

Clain was born a few months after Crouin, which means he had to wait for a long time before clinching his first U19 national title, when the current World No.8 had gone over the age limit. “I was always in the top 4, but at first I was a little bit frustrated not to be able to win,” he admits.

“However, looking back it’s been a big chance to share a court with Victor, he raised the bar so high that we basically had to no choice but to keep improving. Also, I quickly realized that piling up titles in juniors did not matter that much – fortunately because I didn’t win many! I was rather focused on working on my game with the long-term future in mind.”

A few years later and the pair are still very close friends. “I went to Toulon to train with him and his dad recently, and they’ve been great to me. Victor watches most of my matches, and as soon as they are over he sends me an in-depth analysis on Whatsapp! What he’s achieved in the last few months is amazing, and he sets a great example for all the French players.”

When asked what he makes of the heated exchanges the French No.1 had with Mostafa Asal on social media, Clain delivers a measured answer. “My opinion is that this is purely part of the show. When you reach such a level in a sport, you have to use anything to have an edge over your rivals and that includes mind games. Could I do that? I don’t think so, and anyway for the moment nobody is interested in hearing what I have to say.”