Squash (sport)

Squash, sometimes called squash rackets, is a racket sport played by two players in singles or four players in doubles. It is played inside a special four-walled court using a small, hollow rubber ball. Players take turns hitting the ball against the walls with their rackets, trying to make it so the other person cannot return it properly.

Many people play squash. It is played in over 185 countries. The sport is overseen by World Squash, which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Squash will become an official sport in the Olympic Games starting with the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Professional Squash Association organizes competitions for professional players.

History

Squash began from an older game called rackets, played in prisons in London in the 1800s. Students at Harrow School noticed that using a punctured ball, which "squashed" when it hit a wall, made the game more interesting. They built the first courts there. In the 1900s, squash became popular in schools and clubs. The first squash court in North America was built at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, in 1884. In 1904, the United States Squash Racquets Association, now called U.S. Squash, was formed. By 1912, rules for squash were published. In 1928, England Squash was formed to set rules for the game. Today, squash has many versions, with the international style being the most common. Other types include hardball squash, doubles squash, squash tennis, and Squash 57.

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Equipment

Racket

Squash rackets can be up to 686 mm (27.0 in) long and 215 mm (8.5 in) wide. They usually weigh between 90 and 150 grams (3–5.3 oz.). The strings are often tightened to 25–30 pounds.

Ball

Squash balls are about 39.5 to 40.5 mm wide and weigh 23 to 25 grams. They are made from two pieces of rubber plastic stuck together to form a hollow ball. Different balls are used for different temperatures and skill levels. More experienced players use slower balls that bounce less. Balls need to be hit many times to warm up before a game because cold balls don’t bounce well. Colored dots on the ball show how bouncy it is. The “double-yellow dot” ball is used in competitions.

Court

The squash court has four walls. It has a front line that separates the front and back of the court and a half court line that divides the left and right sides of the back part. The court’s four walls include a front wall, two side walls, and a back wall. There is an “out line” along the top of the front wall and a “tin” area at the bottom of the front wall.

North American hardball doubles courts are bigger than international singles courts because they use a faster ball and have two players on each side. Doubles courts are 7.62 metres (25 ft) wide and 13.72 metres (45 ft) long, with a ceiling at least 7.32 metres (24 ft) high.

Manner of play

The players spin a racket to decide who serves first. This player starts by choosing to serve from either the left or right service box. To serve right, one foot must be in the service box, not touching the lines, as the player hits the ball. The ball must hit the front wall above the service line and below the out line and land in the opposite back corner. The other player can hit the ball right after it hits the wall or let it bounce. If the server wins the point, the players switch sides. If the server loses, the other player serves next.

After the serve, players take turns hitting the ball against the front wall, above the tin and below the out line. The ball may hit the side or back walls as long as it stays below the out line. It must not hit the floor after the racket and before the front wall. A ball on the out line or the top of the tin is out. After hitting the front wall, the ball can bounce once on the floor and many times on the side or back walls before the next player hits it. Players can move around the court, but blocking the other player is not allowed. Players usually return to the centre of the court after each shot. This spot is called “the T” because of the shape of the lines.

A key idea in squash is to stay near the “T.” Good players return a shot and then move back to the “T” before the next shot. From here, they can reach any part of the court quickly.

A common way to play is to hit the ball straight up the side walls to the back corners. After this shot, the player moves to the centre near the “T.” Hitting soft shots to the front corners, called “drop shots,” makes the opponent cover more court. Angle shots hit one side wall before the front wall to trick the opponent. Rear wall shots float to the front, pulling the opponent forward. A player tries to move the opponent to the corners to make them tired. If the opponent is stretched, the player can use most of the court. When the ball hits the corner where the floor meets a side wall, it is called a nick.

Rallies between good players can have 30 or more shots, so fitness is very important. At higher levels, the fitter player often wins.

Changing the ball’s direction at the last moment can upset the opponent. Expert players can guess the opponent’s shot a little early, giving them more time to react.

Depending on style, squash players are called different things:

• Power players: hit strong shots to take time from the opponent. For example, John White, Omar Mosaad, Mohamed El Shorbagy, Nouran Gohar
• Shotmakers: hit accurate shots to take time from the opponent. For example, Jonathon Power, Ramy Ashour, Amr Shabana, James Willstrop
• Retrievers: are very good at returning shots quickly. For example, Peter Nicol, Grégory Gaultier, Nicol David, Ng Eain Yow
• Attritional players: play a fast game to tire the opponent. For example, David Palmer, Nick Matthew, Jansher Khan, Jahangir Khan

The referee, usually certified by the club or league, deals with any problems or rules. The referee can take away points for bad behavior, like swearing or throwing equipment. The referee also keeps the score. In professional tournaments, three referees are used. The central referee calls the score and works with two side referees.

Scoring system

Games in squash are usually played using a scoring method called point-a-rally to 11 points. This is how top players and professional tournaments play. In this system, the player who wins each round gets a point, no matter if they served or not. The first player to reach 11 points, and win by at least two points, wins the game. Matches are often played as "best-of-five" games, meaning the first to win three games wins the match.

There are other ways to score, like playing to 15 points. But the point-a-rally to 11 system is now the most common because it makes matches shorter and more exciting to watch.

Contribution to health

Squash is a great way to keep your heart healthy. Playing squash helps burn energy, with players using about 600 to 1,000 calories each hour. The sport works out both the top and bottom of your body, using your legs to move and your arms to swing the racket.

In 2003, a magazine called Forbes said squash was one of the best sports for staying healthy. However, some experts have said that older people with heart problems should be careful when playing squash.

Around the world

As of November 2019, players from eighteen countries were in the top fifty of the men's world rankings. Egypt had the most players, with fifteen in the top fifty. In the women's world rankings, players from sixteen countries competed, with Egypt again leading.

The men's and women's Professional Squash Association tour, men's rankings, and women's rankings are managed by the Professional Squash Association. The Professional Squash Tour is based in the United States.

Squash has been a regular part of big sports events like the World Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games since 1998. It has also been played at the Pan American Games since 1995. Players and groups have worked for many years to get squash into the Olympic Games. It almost made it for the 2012 London Games and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games but was not chosen—golf and rugby sevens were added instead. Squash was also not chosen for the 2020 Olympic Games. At the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, the IOC chose Wrestling instead of Squash or Baseball/Softball.

Squash was a demonstration sport at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics. The World Squash Federation hoped this would help it get into the 2024 Summer Olympics. Although it was not included in the 2024 Summer Olympics, squash was approved by the International Olympic Committee to be part of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles on 16 October 2023.

Major tournaments

Squash has many exciting competitions around the world. Some of the biggest tournaments include the World Open Championship, World Tour Finals, and the Summer Olympics. Players also compete in events like the British Open, US Open, and the Commonwealth Games. These tournaments bring together top players to test their skills.

Players, records and rankings

The England Squash group held its first British Open tournament for men in December 1930. Charles Read was the champion that year, but Don Butcher won in 1931. The tournament still happens today and uses a "knockout" style since 1947.

The women's tournament began in 1921 and has been won by a few players over the years: Joyce Cave, Nancy Cave, Cecily Fenwick in the 1920s; Margot Lumb and Susan Noel in the 1930s; Janet Morgan in the 1950s; Heather McKay in the 1960s and 1970s; Vicki Cardwell and Susan Devoy in the 1980s; Michelle Martin and Sarah Fitz-Gerald in the 1990s; and Nicol David in the 2000s.

Many great players have also won the Men's British Open: F. D. Amr Bey in the 1930s; Mahmoud Karim in the 1940s; brothers Hashim Khan and Azam Khan in the 1950s and 1960s; Jonah Barrington and Geoff Hunt in the 1960s and 1970s; Jahangir Khan in the 1980s; Jansher Khan in the 1990s; and more recently, David Palmer and Nick Matthew.

The World Open tournament began in 1976 and is now the biggest competition. Jansher Khan has won eight times, followed by Jahangir Khan with six wins. On the women's side, Nicol David holds the record with eight wins.

Heather McKay was unbeatable for 19 years, from 1962 to 1981, winning sixteen British Open titles in a row.

Current rankings

The Professional Squash Association updates rankings for players every month:

Men's

Main article: Official Men's Squash World Ranking

Women's

Main article: Official Women's Squash World Ranking

Current champions