By James Green
Masters sports are increasing exponentially around the world. We are all getting fitter, living longer and expecting our bodies to do things later in life that were unthinkable even a decade or two ago. And squash is leading the way.
The World Masters Games, the masters version of the Olympics, is the largest multisport event in the world. Twenty-five thousand participants showed up at the last two events, in Taiwan earlier this year and New Zealand before that. Of the 35 sports, squash ranks somewhere between fifth and seventh in participation. That is remarkable for a sport that will be in the Olympics for the first time in 2028.
Then there is the World Squash Masters. This biennial event breaks participation records almost every time it is held. When it was hosted in the United States just before the pandemic, it attracted nearly 800 players. When it was in Amsterdam last year, it drew 1,227.
Which brings us to the U.S. Squash Masters Nationals, which will be held in New York for the first time in April 2026—and it is a big moment for the sport.
New York has the largest squash-playing community in the country. It is also the future face of American squash. The city’s players are a melting pot of ages and backgrounds who are literally conditioned to go all out in close quarters every time they meet. Compare this to Philadelphia, the sport’s traditional heartland, where the tournament has been held for the past several years. New York does not have a Specter Center with 20 courts under one roof, but it has newer facilities like Open Squash with 13 courts and Nicol Squash with four, along with dozens of older institutions that together serve thousands of passionate players.
I am one of the founders of Open Squash, so I am not neutral on the impact we have had on participation and community. We’ve gathered 800 people who play squash at our locations, and we’re less than five years old. We are proud to be a host location for the U.S. Masters, and I hope we are seen as a flagship for what community-centered squash can look like. We are a 501(c)(3) that puts accessibility first. We have the largest women’s squash community in New York, and I hope that helps expand the women’s draws at this event. Making this tournament available to everyone is part of our mission.
And then there are the rivalries. I recently watched Richard Chin and John Musto compete on the steel court in Maspeth, Queens. You can be sure both will be playing in this Masters Nationals. They have been meeting at competitive tournaments since they were young. John won that match in Queens this summer and most recently clinched the U.S. Masters title in the 55+ division in 2024. One of his proudest achievements was winning the 50+ division at the British Open.
My call is that Richard Chin is the one to meet him in the finals in 2026. Richard moved from Guyana when he was young, played college squash, and was named First Team All-American in the early 1990s. He is now the pro at the Harvard Club. He lost that match on a sunny day in Queens, but won the 55+ draw at the Masters this year. He is the reigning champion. It should be a great showdown in 2026.
A few years ago, I asked John what the point was of me entering these tournaments. I told him I was just a middle-aged, mediocre man with a 4.2 rating. He gave me a full-throated response about how, without players like me, there would be no rivalries like his and Richard’s. And he is right. We make up the bulk of the draw. We are the most enthusiastic fans.
As I play more of these events, I am developing my own rivalries. I am now competing at a higher level than ever before. I am getting deeper into draws, and in my last two non-national masters events I reached a final and won a consolation bracket. There is room for everyone. This is not kindergarten and not everyone wins, but if I am going to be taken down, it might as well be by a legend in the sport. That is a treat, a learning experience, and a gift all wrapped into one white-walled box.
My hope is that New York is a treat for visitors as much as it is for locals. Come for the squash and stay for the city. New York has world-class food, shows and museums. And in my opinion, it has the best squash community (again: I’m biased). The city brings a sense of destination to go along with the countless things you can do between matches. Come one. Come all. From New York to the United States to the rest of the world.
The Masters coming to New York is not a coincidence. It is a recognition of where the sport is growing. It brings together the tradition of the Masters with the energy and diversity of the city. It honors champions, welcomes late starters like me, and celebrates every kind of player in the middle. It signals that squash is thriving across generations.
At the Masters, everyone has a place. And in a city like New York, everyone has a story.
Register for the 2026 U.S. Squash Masters Championships
The 2026 U.S. Squash Masters Championships will take place April 10–12, 2026, in New York City, with competition across multiple venues.
