Racquet Sports

The clubhouse is home to all levels of racquet enthusiasts, and within its historic walls are one court tennis court, six international squash courts, the country’s first doubles squash court, and a racquets court.

The club has hosted several major national and international tournaments. The Racquets Singles World Championship, the Court Tennis US Open, qualifying matches for The Squash US Open, The Tompkins Cup (an SDA Pro Tour event), and the Intercollegiate Squash Doubles National Championship. The U.S. Squash Hall of Fame was briefly located at the Club until moving to Yale University.

Read more about the racquet sports we offer below:

The Racquet Club is home to six international squash courts and one doubles squash court. The club was the site of the invention of squash doubles in 1907 by Frederich C. Tompkins, a former court tennis and racquets professional. The Club’s athletic professionals are committed to educating new players about the game and can set up matches with other members for those that have advanced skills. The Pro Shop schedules frequent clinics, club tournaments, intra-club matches, and has developed a strong junior squash program for players of all levels.

The club is home to one of only 11 court tennis courts in the country, and was recently renovated. Dating back to the 12th Century, the game of court tennis was widely recognized as the “sport of kings” thanks in part to Henry VIII’s fondness of the game. Not to be confused with lawn tennis, court tennis spawned the game played at Wimbledon. The club’s athletic director, Rob Whitehouse, is a United States Court Tennis Hall of Fame inductee and is eager to teach new members the ins and outs of the game.

For a brief guide on the great and historic game of Court Tennis, click here.

Clinics are scheduled throughout the year and cater to all ability levels. If you have played lawn tennis or squash before, this sport will surely capture your interest.

Renovation Project

In 2014, The Club worked in conjunction with The United States Court Tennis Preservation Foundation (USCTPF) in an effort to raise funds to improve the existing condition of the court, which is one of only 11 in The United States. As a result, the court underwent a substantial renovation project that included new and improved light fixtures, new paint, and new netting. Through this collaborative effort the USCTPF and The Racquet Club aspire to increase awareness of the grand old game of court tennis on both a national and local platform. To achieve this goal, The Racquet Club now extends use of the court tennis court to non-members of the club, subject to availability, and under the following terms and conditions:

  1. The non-member makes a reservation at least one week in advance of the reservation date with the Pro-Shop.
  2. The non-member agrees to pay, in advance, a $50 court fee. Reciprocal members pay a $30 court fee.
  3. The non-member agrees to abide by all of The Club’s rules and regulations, including but not limited to dress code and cell phone usage.
  4. The non-member agrees that his or her access to The Club is limited to the fourth floor and does not include use of any other areas of The Club with the exception of the locker rooms.
  5. With the exception of tournaments, non-members are limited to no more than three (3) or fewer Tennis Court reservations per year and no more than one hour of court time per day during non-peak hours.

The terms and conditions listed above can be amended by The Racquet Club at any time, including but not limited to the court fees and the permitted number of court uses per year.

If you are a non-member and have an interest in booking the Court Tennis Court, please contact the Pro-Shop at 215-772-1544 or by email at courts@rcop.com

Home to one of only seven racquets courts in the country, members at the club have an unrivaled passion for this unique game. Originating in English prisons and initially played with rocks against the prison wall, racquets has developed into the fastest racquet sport in the world. During events and tournaments, you will find a raucous Racquet Club crowd cheering on the brave players who dare to engage in the sport.

We encourage players of all levels to take up the game. Our court is known to be the fastest in the world; so if you can learn here, you can play anywhere. Individual lessons are encouraged for new players as the speed of the game, and spin of the ball, takes practice to master. All of our athletic professionals are eager to showcase this unique sport and build its player base at the club.