Doubles courts herald new opportunity to advance Guyana’s squash

National player Alex Arjoon is beaming with optimism over squash’s advancement in Guyana after announcing that the construction of international standard Doubles Courts at the National Racquet Centre is near completion.

Arjoon, who holds the position of Athletes Representative on the Guyana Squash Association, says that when the courts officially open, it will significantly impact the future of the sport not just locally but regionally.

“The courts are amazing; they are three courts that open up into two Doubles courts, which means for the first time, the Caribbean has Doubles courts,” Arjoon stated after the recently concluded Bounty Farms Handicap tournament at the Georgetown Club Courts.

He said the new Courts will place Guyana on a pedestal to lead the region in the sport.

“It means we can play a number of competitions, and it is setting the stage [for us] to be one of the best squash countries in the region, and I must thank the Ministry for doing this [and] I can’t wait to see where squash goes in the coming years.”

Doubles courts are larger than a standard squash court, and the new facility was funded by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport at approximately G$65 million. Construction commenced in January 2023.

The new courts will aid the development of young Academy players and position Guyana to host international tournaments.

Doubles is now part of both junior and senior Caribbean tournaments. Still, many Caribbean territories need a specific court and often resort to playing the format on the singles court.