Leading squash court manufacturer ASB is
anticipating record orders over the coming year
following the universally-acclaimed success of its
courts at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland this
summer.
In addition to installing six singles courts -
convertible to four doubles courts - at the Scotstoun
Sports Campus in Glasgow, the pioneering German brand
provided a new state-of-the-art all-glass showcourt in a
specially-constructed 2,400-seater venue.
After staging five days of exhilarating singles action,
the ASB ShowGlassCourt was converted overnight to
the latest WSF-approved International Competition Width
Doubles Court, the width of which is 8,420mm - more than
six and a half foot wider than a singles court.
"The more intricate part is laying the additional
flooring and extending the court lines - but the whole
transformation is still completed within four hours."
Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 Sports Equipment Manager
Mark Honeybunn was taken aback at the ease of the
conversion: "I managed to be present at the time the
transition took place, as I was very curious how the
moveable wall of the glass court will work.
"I was astonished how safe, smooth and quick the
glasswalls were moved. It's a great piece of
technology."
The Commonwealth Games squash action attracted an
unprecedented crowd of around 35,000, providing an
atmosphere in the glass court arena for the entire 11
days which overwhelmed athletes, officials and squash
enthusiasts alike.
"It was just so good to come out to such an amazing
response - it's more like a finals crowd than a first
round," said England's singles gold medallist Nick
Matthew after his opening match. "I've had a long career
and played in some amazing venues, but never experienced
a first round crowd like that."
Silver medallist James Willstrop added: "The
atmosphere here was unbelievable. It doesn't come any
better than this!"
But Doubles was the arguably the biggest revelation:
Presented for the first time on a wider court and
introducing a lower tin of 13 inches, the format
sparkled - from both players' and spectators' points of
view.
"I have been surprised at how exciting the Doubles
has been," said BBC TV commentator Sue Wright, winner of
one of England's first Commonwealth Games squash gold
medals in 1998. "The lower tin and extra court width has
helped turn it into an integral part of the squash
format."
Australia's former world champion and world number one
Rachael Grinham, gold medallist in the Mixed
Doubles, said: "Doubles? I'm really loving it!"
The World Squash Federation has led considerable
research into the refinement of the doubles squash
format since the game was first presented at the
Commonwealth Games in 1998.
"The WSF intention was to make changes so that
Doubles would be short, sharp, vibrant entertainment,
and all the positive response to the doubles events at
the Commonwealth Games indicate that we succeeded in
that," said WSF President N Ramachandran. "We
hope that this will lead to a stimulus for more pairs
events to be held around the world in the future."
It was in 1980 that ASB introduced the first squash
court with moveable walls - a concept which uniquely
allows for adaptability, either via the conversion of
singles courts to a doubles courts, or by converting a
row of courts into a single large all-purpose sports
hall.
ASB moveable court walls are now sited in 37 countries
in six continents - and the company now estimates major
expansion of the concept over the next two years.
"Our main goal is to provide the maximum technical
features to our courts to give the best possibilities of
promoting squash," said ASB CEO Christof Babinsky.
"Moveable walls provide absolute flexibility for court
owners - and will become even more invaluable in the
event of an increasing worldwide interest in doubles
squash.
"We are in permanent interchange of ideas with
federations, media, promoters, and squash fans, alike."