The concept of outdoor squash has a long, meandering and checkered history, its timeline studded with scepticism, setbacks and false dawns as well as success.
Whilst there’s common consensus about the potential benefits of the sport as an outdoor activity, one could argue that we haven’t quite seized that potential at scale just yet.
A quick recap of the problem: by its very nature, squash is hidden inside buildings away from public view, often in members-only clubs, universities, hotels, military bases or private homes. This leads to a lack of awareness and accessibility. If we want to turn Average Joes into squash players, they need to see it to be it!
The solution: open-air courts, placed in prominent locations with high footfall such as parks or urban areas, will make the game more visible and accessible.
These outdoor courts needn’t have the same dimensions or materials as a traditional squash court, as long as they provide a fun experience — after all, new players have nothing to compare it to!
A survey by the PSA Foundation’s Outdoor Squash Committee in 2022 showed that 83% of the 1,012 respondents thought opportunities to play squash outdoors in public settings would help grow membership at clubs. Outdoor squash introduces people to the concept of playing a fun rebound racket sport — and it might just be the gateway drug to playing ‘proper squash’ at a facility nearby.
Various innovators have ventured different outdoor squash solutions over the last couple of decades, with concepts springing up in communities across the world with varying degrees of impact and longevity.
The unique steel court in the yard of Mespeth Welding in Queens, New York City, has been a success story, with a passionate community forming around it and even pro competitions being held at the highly distinctive, inner-city venue.
On the back of its success, another outdoor steel court is being included as part of a new eight-court community squash club in Bridgeport, Connecticut, opening later this year.
However, other outdoor squash projects have perished, notably the glass court in New York’s Hamilton Fish Park, which fell victim to vandals and spiralling costs, and Squash Para Todos, the four concrete open-air courts built for underprivileged children in El Salvador.
Additionally, several outdoor court prototypes from the world’s main squash court companies, while well-intentioned and fit for purpose, have seen, at best, modest commercial success.
But now, a pioneering Dutch engineer, entrepreneur and squash fan named Rik Zwikker has produced what many are labelling a breakthrough concept which could propel outdoor squash into the mainstream.
All-glass, weatherproof, wind-resistant, soundproof and jaw-droppingly stylish, the court made its debut in March at RacquetX, the huge annual racket sports festival in Miami. It was showcased to 5,127 attendees, including investors and brands from over 25 countries. At the vast Miami Beach Convention Center, it placed squash alongside 11 padel, pickleball and tennis courts, on which there was over 280 hours of programming over three days.
Squash’s inclusion at LA 2028 offered the perfect impetus for US Squash and the PSA Foundation to use Zwikker’s prototype court at RacquetX for a series of activations, clinics, fun tournaments, exhibition matches and promotions.
The court is assembled by placing glass panes on to an outer steel structure with bespoke fixings that are hidden from external view. The panels are expertly adjusted to offer an entirely consistent, smooth surface and hugely reduced external noise. The court floor is made of rubber, providing extra cushioning for players and a true bounce.
“After a lot of hard work, I think I have a really interesting court which can be used almost anywhere,” said Zwikker. “We have a structure that can add to the appeal of a location and its surroundings.
“In the past, we’ve put glass courts up in really interesting locations for PSA tournaments, but they can only be used temporarily because they’re not built to last in outdoor environments. Indoors, they have the sound issue. We’ve solved the sound issue and the weather issue, so you can use the court itself as a beacon to attract people into squash.”
A strategy that has proved successful for padel in recent years is the erection of temporary padel courts in high-footfall locations such as shopping centres, parks, leisure centres and community hubs. These courts showcase padel to local communities, stimulate demand for permanent clubs and give confidence to investors.
Zwikker reckons his court can do the same for squash. “The potential is huge,” he says.
Zwikker has worked in real estate development for 20 years and, up until recently, squash court innovation had been a hobby for him. An early version of his outdoor court has stood in an Amsterdam park since 2022 and its success gave him the impetus to turn his pastime into a business. He now has a brand name, Access Courts, and a growing list of clients and other interested parties.
At the time of writing, one of Zwikker’s outdoor courts is being assembled in Chicago’s Union Park, where its official opening will coincide with the World Championships, which take place in the ‘windy city’ from 9-17 May. PSA players will be part of a launch event on 16 May with exhibitions and engagement with local schools and community groups.
The initiative, called Project Beacon, will see the exterior walls of Zwikker’s glass court covered with rotating art exhibits which organisers at the PSA Foundation say will “act as a magnet for community engagement.”
The court will sit alongside Union Park’s fieldhouse, gymnasium, fitness centre, tennis courts, baseball fields, swimming pool, playground, soccer pitch and basketball courts. In summer the 14-acre park hosts kids’ camps, concerts, movie screenings and a music festival. In short, it’s the ideal, high-footfall environment for an outdoor squash showcase.
“After I put up the court in Amsterdam, tested and upgraded it, then got to the point of scaling it up and going to market, PSA reached out to me about Chicago,” says Zwikker. “They had launched an outdoor squash project there but had difficulties getting the right court for Chicago’s heavy windloads.
“They asked me to send my design to their structural engineer and it passed the city’s building regulations. I produced a video about the court for the PSA and it got so much attention, which helped with fundraising. It was the push for me to go deeper in this project and it’s now a full-time job for me.”
Project Beacon’s success will be a crucial litmus test for Zwikker’s new product and for outdoor squash as a whole. With multi-rackets facilities that offer tennis, padel and pickleball springing up rapidly all over the world (as profiled in recent issues of this magazine), Zwikker feels his product will encourage club owners and investors to consider adding squash into their offering too.
“My mission was to get a court which is easy to produce, transport and assemble and is feasible for all kinds of facilities to use,” says Zwikker. “I’m pushing to get the price down so it can compete with all the other racket sports.
“If you want to get it into a multi-rackets facility, and the price is double that of a padel court, it will not work. If we can upscale production, we can get the price down. I need to sell dozens of courts to get a living out of it, but I’m confident that will not be a problem.”
Zwikker’s confidence is refreshing, because the mere mention of outdoor squash tends to provoke scepticism from the squash-playing public, who usually highlight rain and cold temperatures as barriers to success. But they miss the point.
These obstacles can be easily overcome by using different types of balls, rackets, flooring and durable materials.
The squash-playing public are also not the target market for outdoor squash.
It is an outlet for new players to experience the exhilaration, fitness and social benefits of a rebound racket sport, and whet their appetite to do it again. Let’s hope Zwikker’s dazzling court can achieve that at scale.
