Coming on the heels of an impressive rise in the squash world, Belgium’s No.2 player Tinne Gilis is set to add another formidable layer to her game as she partners with Jesse Engelbrecht at SportMind.io.
Gilis has become a permanent fixture among the world’s top 25 in recent years and has set her sights on disrupting the Egyptian stranglehold on squash’s top rankings. Since turning professional in 2014, she has shown her mettle, consistently performing well in various tournaments and breaking into the World’s top 30 for the first time in 2019. Her trajectory saw her breaking into the top 20 during the 2019-2020 campaign, reaching the last 16 of the PSA Women’s World Championship, and consistently making strong appearances in major tournaments.
“Tinne is a very exciting prospect,” said Engelbrecht.
“By helping her work on her psychological skills, I have no doubt she will break into the top 10 soon. Her technical and physical capabilities are world-class, and now with some mental fine-tuning, she can surpass her previous highest ranking.”
Engelbrecht goes on to say, “She’s among a select group of players who can disrupt the Egyptian status quo at the top of the game.”
Despite experiencing injury setbacks at the peak of her career, Gilis’s incredible attitude and work ethic remain undeterred. She continued to surge, making semi-final appearances at the Cleveland Classic and the Bronze level DAC Pro Squash Classic in 2022, among others.
Gilis’s rise to the top has been consistent, showcasing her world-class physical and technical abilities. Notably, 2022 saw Gilis reach her first Platinum level quarter final at the Allam British Open. Furthermore, she triumphed in two Challenger 30 level events in three weeks, winning the Annecy Rose Open and the Cannon Kirk Irish Squash Open to ascend to World No.13. She then made the last eight of the El Gouna International and finished runner-up at the RMCLUB Women’s Open in Mauritius.
Now, under the tutelage of renowned coach “The French General” Greg Gaultier in Prague, and with strong support from her manager Phil Wilkins in the States, Gilis is primed for further successes in the forthcoming season, aided by the additional focus on mental coaching from Engelbrecht.
Gilis says,
“I have never worked with a mental coach before. I always thought it wasn’t something for me, but throughout my career and the very ups and down I experienced how crucial the mental factors are as a professional athlete. It is definitely something I want to improve and I have no doubt with Jesse in my corner it will help me think about certain things in a different and better way.
Having a team around you who are truly passionate about what you do and believe in you no matter what feels amazing. That’s why I’m so happy about teaming up with Jesse from SportMind, the connection and trust was there from the very beginning. I’m excited to see and experience the differences we can add to my game and achieve our goals together!”
With her physical and technical skills bolstered by the mental coaching from SportMind.io, the upcoming season holds immense promise for Tinne Gilis as she continues to rise in the ranks of global squash.
For additional details and updates on Tinne Gilis’s journey and victories this season ahead, visit and follow her on Instagram.
ABOUT SPORTMIND.IO
SportMind.io is a leading platform for mental coaching in sports, committed to equipping athletes with psychological skills to excel in their respective fields. By providing tailored strategies and tools, SportMind.io empowers athletes to reach their full potential and achieve their career goals.
STAYING IN TOUCH
Whenever you’re ready, here are 4 more ways you can consume SportMind content to help you train your mind:
- Check out the SportMind podcast. And this is my FAVOURITE episode to date
- Get your coach in your pocket by downloading the SportMind App on Apple or Android
- Ever wanted the tools to Unlock Flow? I have a workshop just for this
- Become a SportMind member and gain full access to mental training. Learn more here
