France to Host Major PSA World Tour Event for First Time since 1994

27 April 2023

France will host a major PSA World Tour event for the first time since 1994 when the Paris Squash Alpine, PSA World Tour Platinum event takes place in Paris between August 27 – September 2.

Held outside on the grounds of the Palais de Tokyo – one of Europe’s largest contemporary art centers – the Paris Squash Alpine will see 96 of the world’s greatest male and female squash players battle for silverware in the shadow of the iconic Eiffel Tower.

The Paris Squash Alpine is the first major PSA World Tour event to be held in France since the 1994 French Open. French No.1s Victor Crouin and Melissa Alves will be the star attractions, while World No.1s Diego Elias and Nouran Gohar are expected to be amongst the leading contenders for the trophy.

“We are delighted to bring a major PSA World Tour event back to France for the first time in almost three decades,” said PSA Chief Executive Alex Gough.

“France has a rich history in squash, with multiple World No.1s, World Champions and major title winners – such as Gregory Gaultier, Thierry Lincou and Camille Serme – hailing from the country.

“To bring the world’s best players to Paris – one of the world’s leading cities for art, culture and sport – is incredibly exciting and we’re looking forward to kicking off the 2023-24 PSA World Tour season with a bang.”

Tournament Promoter Éric Nizard said: “Organising the Paris Squash Alpine is an incredible challenge and a fantastic human adventure. Thanks to all squash lovers for their strong support for the event.

“The Paris Squash Alpine will be a great show in an amazing and world-renowned place where we will welcome an international audience, which will drive visibility to the sport.”

Camille Serme – a former World No.2, a 15-time PSA title winner and the most successful female French player of all time – is part of the organising committee and said: “It was a dream for me to see a major squash tournament in Paris. It won’t be as a player, but being a part of this amazing organising committee is as incredible as it would be to play in the tournament.

“We want to highlight and generate awareness around squash in France, we want to see it on TV, we want more kids to play, and we want the general public to see how amazing this sport is. Thank you to all the institutions, sponsors, and to squash fans for believing in this great adventure. It’s only the beginning.”

As well as the Palais de Tokyo, matches from the early rounds will also be split across the Jeu de Paume club, Squash Club Montmartre and the Complexe Omnisports club.

Tickets for the Paris Squash Alpine will go on sale on at the beginning of May.

The Paris Squash Alpine will be broadcast live on SQUASHTV, while the semi-finals and finals will also be shown live on the channels of PSA’s broadcast partners. The quarter-finals onwards will also be broadcast by L’Equipe.

An artist’s impression of what the court will look like.

For more information on the Paris Squash Alpine, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. The official event website can be found here, while further updates on the tournament are also available on the Paris Squash Alpine Facebook and Instagram pages.