Building the sport
Establishing pickleball in the Grüze, creating indoor courts and making Swiss Championships in Winterthur possible: helping the sport develop matters as much to me as playing it myself.
PICKLEBALL · WINTERTHUR
André Müller.
Passion for
pickleball.
Four-time Swiss champion. International medallist. Helping pickleball grow in Winterthur.
4×
Swiss champion
European bronze
2025
Gold · Estoril
2026
9Tournament medals
5Gold medals
2Silver medals
2Bronze medals
Swiss Championships,
European Championships & PTT
Medal record 2024–2026
01 / MY STORY
From the tennis court
to pickleball.
You play as Guest against André Müller. Move with your mouse, finger, arrow keys or W/A/S/D. In pickleball, you start behind the baseline. You may volley outside the light-blue kitchen. Inside the kitchen, let the ball bounce first; hitting it directly with a click, tap or the space bar is a fault. The pace increases after two complete exchanges.
A tip from the USA. A new sport. And the drive to build something.
In November 2022, a former schoolmate from the USA introduced me to pickleball. After many years in tennis, I discovered a sport that quickly brings people together: easy to get started, versatile to play and demanding in competition.
As managing director of Tennis- und Squash Grüze AG, I brought pickleball to Winterthur. In summer 2023, I marked out the first four pickleball courts on a tennis court. Indoor footage dated 23 July 2023 shows games on these temporary courts. In autumn 2023, I decided to create four permanent pickleball courts with their own surface; conversion of tennis court 1 began in October 2023. Jürg Stahl, then president of Swiss Olympic, and Mayor Michael Künzle attended the opening. The expansion to eight indoor courts opened on 4 June 2025, making the Tennis- und Squash Grüze Center Europe’s largest indoor pickleball hall. At the end of June 2024, I played my first official tournament. In October, I won my first Swiss Championship title in men’s doubles 50+ with Stefano Cucuzza.
Today, pickleball means much more to me than medals: playing together, sharing my experience and creating a place where this sport can grow.
Born1968HomeWinterthurFocus50+ & doubles
02 / TENNIS- UND SQUASH GRÜZE AG
A home
for pickleball.
From an idea to one of Europe’s major indoor pickleball venues. In the heart of Winterthur.
The hall in action
8+2
Courts at the 2025 expansion
up to ten for tournament use
2024–26
Host of the
Swiss Championships
365
days of sporting activities
at the center each year
03 / MORE THAN COMPETITION
Pickleball brings
people together.
Sharing experience
My tennis and pickleball experience informs my coaching. In singles, doubles and mixed doubles, the focus is on understanding the game, technique and the enjoyment of learning together.
Making participation possible
People with Parkinson’s, dementia or physical disabilities already play at the Grüze. We want to further develop this inclusive sporting opportunity.
OPENING 2023 · MEDIA REPORT & PHOTO
The first four indoor courts
The Winterthurer Zeitung reports on the conversion and the opening with Jürg Stahl and Michael Künzle. The photo shows Jürg Stahl, Heidi and André Müller.
Report and opening photo · 7 December 2023ON COURT IN WINTERTHUR
Tennis- und Squash Grüze AG
Im Hölderli 9
8405 Winterthur
About the expansion: Pickleball Corner, 3 June 2025. See online booking for the current court offer and availability.
PHOTOS & VIDEOS / BUILDING THE VENUE
Building the pickleball hall.
The very first pickleball shots
The very first pickleball shots in February 2023 on our badminton courts at Tennis- und Squash Grüze in Winterthur.
The first pickleball games
The first pickleball games in July 2023 on our temporary courts on the tennis surface.
Converting the court surface
The flooring conversion in October 2023: four pickleball courts with joint-friendly Pro-Flex Rebound flooring.
The first four completed pickleball courts
A view of the pickleball courts from the gallery.
A visit from Jürg Stahl
Jürg Stahl with Heidi and André Müller at the opening in the Grüze hall.
A visit from Michael Künzle
Michael Künzle with André Müller at the opening in the Grüze hall.
Jürg Stahl’s opening speech
A special moment at the opening celebration.
Creating the new courts
Another milestone: on 4 June 2025, the hall opened with Pro-Flex Rebound flooring (a resilient hard-court surface), providing up to ten pickleball courts. Many thanks to Schöpp-Sportboden (visit website).
The completed courts
The completed courts are ready for play.
Pickleball on the badminton courts
Temporary courts on the tennis court · Summer 2023
Marking the court lines
The hall in play · A new look
04 / TITLES & MEDALS
Every achievement
has a story.
All results documented so far
from 2024 to 2026.
No results have been recorded for this year.
The tournament medals include 4 Swiss Championship titles, 2 Swiss runner-up finishes, European Championship bronze, and gold and bronze at PTT tournaments in Estoril.
ON AND OFF COURT
Moments on and
off the court.
Championships, international tournaments and the people who make pickleball special.
PICKLEBALL ON SCREEN
The Dink
When tennis suddenly becomes pickleball.
For the full film: sign in to Apple TV with a valid subscription or free trial.
TOURNAMENT GALLERY / SWITZERLAND
Swiss Championships
& preliminary-round matches.
Medal moments, award ceremonies and encounters on the tournament court.
TOURNAMENT GALLERY / EUROPE
European Championships.
Southampton 2024 · England
Southampton Tennis Centre (David Lloyd) · View location
My first European Championships: 4th place in men’s doubles 50+ with Stefano Cucuzza. Memories of meeting the European pickleball community.
Travel & memories(15 photos)
Southampton 2024 · Quarter-final against France
A glimpse of the European Championships
Men’s doubles · Match scenes
Shot of the day · a special rally
Rome 2025 · Italy
Foro Italico, Rome · View location
Bronze in men’s doubles 50+ with Stefano Cucuzza. Memories with the Swiss team, impressions of the European Championships and our shared moment on the podium.
Travel & memories(4 photos)
European Championships Rome 2025 · Round of 16
European Championships Rome 2025 · Full matches
Mixed doubles: round of 32 with Jackie Fawer.
Watch video on YouTube
European Championships in Rome · Video
Doubles · Switzerland vs Belgium · Match scene 1
Doubles · Switzerland vs Belgium · Match scene 2
TOURNAMENT GALLERY / PORTUGAL PICKLEBALL TOUR
International tournaments.
Estoril 2026 · Portugal
Gold in men’s singles 50+ and bronze in men’s doubles 18+ at the Portugal Pickleball Tour. Match scenes from the outdoor courts and memories of the trip.
Travel & memories(11 photos)
Notable guests
Click a name to see photos and more information.
- Alex KernFootball and fitness coach · UEFA Pro Licence
- Alexander RitschardSwiss professional tennis player · ATP Tour
- Andreas (Andy) MörgeliActing president of the Seen neighbourhood association
- Dieter KindlmannTennis coach · former ATP professional
Former coach of Angelique Kerber and Aryna Sabalenka - Elia SchmidSwiss table tennis champion in singles 2014 and 2018 · Coach
A guest and professionally active at Grüze: coach of the Winterthur PingPongParkinson group. - Gary MarksAmerican singer-songwriter, musician and author · Folk, jazz and rock
- Ivan MacasPickleball · Swiss men’s doubles bronze medallist 2026
- Jackie FawerSwiss pickleball champion
- Jagrit BajwaCanadian pickleball player · entrepreneur and musician
- Jérôme FreiSwiss pickleball champion
- Juan José Gómez DelgadoProfessor · tennis, padel and pickleball player
- Jürg StahlFormer president of Swiss Olympic
- Kang Jae-wonHandball · 1989 World Player of the Year
- Lina PadegimaiteLithuanian professional pickleball player (PPA/MLP) · MLP team titles in 2024 and 2025 · former Fed Cup player
DUPR: world No. 35 in women’s singles (21 Sep 2026) · Europe: No. 6 in singles and No. 16 in doubles (18 Sep 2026) - Loïc LüthiProfessional footballer · centre-back at FC Luzern · formerly FC Winterthur
- Hannah GiananThree-time Swiss pickleball champion 2026 · Triple Crown
Singles · Doubles with Maya Müller · Mixed doubles with Michael Guardia - Marco SchmidSwiss pickleball champion
- Marco StrellerEight-time Swiss champion with FC Basel · German champion with VfB Stuttgart
- Markus MüllerAXA · client advisor and SME specialist, Reto Salzgeber principal agency in Seuzach
- Maya MüllerSwiss pickleball champion
- Michael GuardiaSwiss pickleball champion
- Michael KünzleFormer mayor of Winterthur
- Nasri Ben FrejCo-founder and managing partner of TTBC. International technical textiles expert with experience in tensile membrane roofing.
- Philipp PurkertSports physiotherapist · conditioning and rehabilitation
- Philipp StockmeyerPadel player and coach
- Roman BuessSwiss striker · FC Winterthur’s number 9
- Roman VögeliTennis coach · former professional player
- Sherif ZaherAfrican pickleball champion in singles and mixed doubles (according to his event biography) · sports and clinical psychologist
- Stefano CucuzzaSwiss pickleball champion
- Stephanie VogtFormer professional tennis player · Olympian
- Tobias SchättinSwiss left-back · formerly FC Winterthur and FC Zürich · now playing in Cyprus
- Tuula PuputtiFormer ice hockey goaltender · 1998 Olympic bronze medallist
PHOTO GALLERY / ENCOUNTERS
Well-known pickleball players and special guests
visiting the Grüze.
Games together, special encounters and memories with the pickleball community.
Show all guest photos
Alexa Gubler, Manuel Gubler, André Müller and Pavel Bosin (from left).
Tobias Schättin (left), André Müller (centre), Roman Buess (right).
With André Müller and Swiss pickleball champions Jérôme Frei and Michael Guardia.
Marco Streller – article in the Winterthurer Zeitung
Nasri Ben Frej
TTBC LinkedIn Tensaflex
Instagram Swiss Pickleball Association
Media · Wintibrief
Heidelberg, Germany
Professional player on the PPA Tour and in Major League Pickleball. MLP team titles: 2024 with the Brooklyn Aces and the 2025 Challenger Cup Dallas with the California Bears. Women’s pro singles silver at the 2025 PPA Charleston Challenger. Previously represented Lithuania in the Fed Cup (2011) and played college tennis at the University of Texas: Big 12 Freshman of the Year and two conference team titles. Doctor of Physical Therapy (Texas State University, 2018).
DUPR rankings: world No. 35 in women’s singles; outside the published top 50 in women’s doubles (as of 21 September 2026). In Europe: No. 6 in women’s singles and No. 16 in women’s doubles (as of 18 September 2026). DUPR world rankings · DUPR Europe rankings
Pickleball on the tennis surface
A game scene from the early days.
Together on court
Pickleball brings people together.
PICKLEBALL CONNECTS
With pickleball friends around the world
A paddle, a ball and new friendships everywhere. Memories of games and good times along the way.
«The First Pickleball in France»Inscription on the plaque · January 17, 2023
Heidelberg
NullNullZwei (002) – Urban Pickleball Club · Germany · 3 photos
Lennard Tebbing
View locationPHOTO & VIDEO GALLERY
Companies & Schools
Group visits, school outings and shared pickleball experiences in the Grüze.
Beauty Space ↗A private celebration with family and friends · Party theme: “Unleash your inner Jane Fonda!”
PHOTO GALLERY
Tournaments
Match action, awards ceremonies and tournament memories from the Grüze.
TV / PICKLEBALL AT THE GRÜZE
The Grüze on ZüriNews.
A clip from the TeleZüri feature with match scenes and an award ceremony in our hall.
The Grüze in the TELE TOP news.
A clip from the TELE TOP feature with match scenes and an introduction to pickleball.
05 / THE JOURNEY SO FAR
The first four courts
A former schoolmate from the USA provides the inspiration. In summer, I mark out four pickleball courts on a tennis court. In October, conversion begins to create four permanent courts with their own surface. Jürg Stahl and Michael Künzle attend the opening; the Winterthurer Zeitung reports on it on 7 December 2023.
The first title
My first official tournament in June, Swiss doubles gold in October and 4th place at the European Championships in Southampton.
The sport and venue grow
On 4 June, the expansion to eight indoor courts opens, with up to ten when needed. The hall with Pro-Flex Rebound flooring is presented as Europe’s largest indoor pickleball facility. On court, two Swiss titles and European Championship bronze in Rome follow.
Singles gold & Portugal
Swiss Champion in singles, two Swiss silver medals, plus PTT gold and PTT bronze in Estoril.
LET’S PLAY
Your next step
onto the court.
Coaching with André
Enquire about coaching in singles, doubles or mixed.
Enquire about coachingCompanies & schools
Plan a shared pickleball experience for your team, class or group.
Enquire about a group eventBook a court
Find available courts and current prices in the Grüze booking system.
Book a courtAndré Müller · Tennis- und Squash Grüze AG · Im Hölderli 9 · 8405 Winterthur
info@tenniscenter-grueze.ch