Table of Contents
What Is Squash?
Squash is a racket sport played by two players (singles) or four (doubles) inside a four-walled court, using a small hollow rubber ball. Both players share the same court, taking turns to hit the ball against the front wall. The ball can hit any wall but must strike the front wall on every shot. The game rewards deception, endurance, and court positioning more than raw power.
Squash will join the Olympic programme for the first time at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, ending decades of lobbying by the sport’s governing body. It’s one of the most significant moments in squash’s history.
How to Play Squash: The Rules
A squash match is typically best of five games. Each game is first to 11 points with rally scoring, meaning every rally decides a point regardless of who served. At 10-10, you need a 2-point lead to win the game. At 29-29, the next point wins.
Serving
The server stands in one of the two service boxes and must hit the front wall above the service line, with the ball landing in the opposite back quarter of the court. Players only get one serve in squash. A fault means the point goes to the opponent immediately.
Rally Play
After the serve, both players take turns hitting the ball against the front wall. You cannot let the ball bounce twice before striking it. The ball can hit any wall on its way to or from the front wall, including the back wall and side walls. Shots that hit below the “tin” (the metal strip at the bottom of the front wall, 48cm high) or above the “out line” at the top are out.
Lets and Strokes
Because both players share the same court, physical contact is a regular issue. A let is called when a player is obstructed but would not clearly have hit a winner. The rally replays. A stroke (point awarded) is called when a player is obstructed while going for a clear winner, or when a player makes no effort to avoid interfering with the opponent.
Squash Court Dimensions
A standard squash singles court measures 9.75 metres long and 6.4 metres wide. The court is enclosed by four walls: the front wall (with the tin at the bottom and the out line at the top), two side walls, and the back wall with glass panels for spectator viewing. The doubles court is larger: 13.72 metres x 7.62 metres.
The walls must be constructed from specific approved materials to ensure consistent ball bounce. Most professional venues now use all-glass courts, which allow spectators to watch from all four sides and look visually dramatic under broadcast lighting.
The Squash Ball: Four Different Speeds
Unlike tennis, where every match uses the same ball, squash has four different ball speeds. The colour of the dot on the ball indicates its speed and bounce level:
- Yellow dot (double yellow): The slowest ball with the least bounce, used in professional play. Requires significant power to keep warm and bouncy during a rally.
- Red dot: Medium pace, recommended for recreational and intermediate players
- Blue dot: Fast and high bounce, suitable for beginners and juniors
- Orange dot: The fastest and bounciest, designed for young children learning the game
The double yellow dot ball used in professional squash is notoriously difficult to keep warm. Players rally specifically to heat the ball before a match, and cold balls barely bounce at all. This is why professionals hit extensive warm-up shots before competitive play.
History of Squash
Squash originated in 19th century London prisons, where inmates in Fleet Prison and other debtors’ prisons played a game by hitting balls against the prison walls. The sport evolved when students at Harrow School in London began playing a version of rackets using a softer, punctured ball that “squashed” when it hit the wall, giving the sport its name.
Harrow students formalised the game around 1830. The first squash courts built to a standard specification appeared at Harrow in the 1860s. The game spread to North America, and the first squash club in the USA, St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire, opened in 1884.
The Squash Rackets Association (now England Squash) was formed in 1928 to standardise the rules internationally. The World Squash Federation was founded in 1967. Today, around 20 million people play squash in over 185 countries.
Squash vs Racquetball: Key Differences
Squash and racquetball are both four-walled racket sports but they’re very different games. The main distinctions:
- Court size: A squash court (9.75m x 6.4m) is larger than a racquetball court (12.2m x 6.1m in the USA standard, but only one-storey high)
- Ball: A squash ball is small and hollow with minimal bounce. A racquetball ball is larger, pressurised, and much bouncier.
- Ceiling: In squash, hitting the ceiling is out. In racquetball, the ceiling is a legal playing surface.
- Scoring: Squash uses rally point scoring to 11. Racquetball also uses rally scoring but to 15 points in most formats.
- Serve: In squash the serve must hit the front wall above the service line. In racquetball, the ball must hit the front wall and bounce past the short line.
Squash at the 2028 Olympics
Squash will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, having been included in the programme after years of lobbying by the World Squash Federation. The sport had previously been rejected for the 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics. The 2028 inclusion is the sport’s most significant milestone since the professional era began.
Egypt, England, France, Colombia, and Malaysia are the current powerhouses of professional squash. World number one rankings have been dominated by Egyptian players in recent years, with Ali Farag and Nour El Sherbini among the world’s elite.
Frequently Asked Questions About Squash
What are the basic rules of squash?
Squash is played in a four-walled court. Players take turns hitting the ball against the front wall, above the tin (48cm metal strip at the bottom) and below the out line at the top. The ball cannot bounce twice before being struck. Matches are best of five games, each to 11 points with rally scoring. Players get one serve only, and a fault gives the point directly to the opponent.
How is squash different from racquetball?
Squash uses a small hollow ball with minimal bounce; racquetball uses a larger pressurised bouncy ball. In squash, the ceiling is out of play; in racquetball the ceiling is a legal surface. Squash courts are wider and use a higher net area on the front wall. The squash ball varies in speed (four dot colours) while racquetball uses a standard ball.
Is squash in the Olympics?
Yes, from 2028. Squash will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, having been rejected for the 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics. The sport’s governing body campaigned for decades for inclusion, and 2028 marks the sport’s first appearance on the Olympic programme.
Where did squash originate?
Squash originated in 19th century London, where inmates in debtors’ prisons played games against prison walls. Students at Harrow School formalised the game around 1830, using a soft rubber ball that “squashed” when it hit the wall. The Squash Rackets Association was formed in 1928 to standardise the sport internationally.
What is the tin in squash?
The tin is the metal strip at the bottom of the front wall in a squash court, standing 48 centimetres high. Any ball that hits the tin is out, equivalent to hitting the net in tennis. The tin produces a distinctive metallic sound when struck, making it immediately obvious to players that a shot has failed.
