Squash

Squash is a ball sport played by two (singles) or four players (doubles) in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball. The players must alternate in striking the ball with their racket and hit the ball onto the playable surfaces of the four walls of the court.

History

The game of squash was developed at Harrow School in England and is an evolution of the game of racquets. The game spread to other schools and eventually became a popular amateur sport.

Gameplay

The objective of the game is to make the ball hit the front wall above the tin and below the outline and before the ball bounces twice. The opponent has the right to play the ball after it has hit the front wall and before it has bounced twice. The player can hit the ball onto the side walls and the back wall but the ball must hit the front wall last before it comes to rest.

Scoring

Squash scoring systems have evolved over time. The traditional hand-in-hand-out scoring system was replaced by a point-a-rally system in the 1980s. In the point-a-rally system, points can be scored regardless of which player is serving.

Equipment

The standard squash rackets are governed by the rules of the game. Traditionally they were made of laminated timber. Now they are almost always made of composite materials or metals with synthetic strings. Squash balls are between 39.5 and 40.5 mm in diameter, and have a weight of 23 to 25 grams.

Variations

There are several variations of squash played across the world. These include hardball squash, softball squash, and doubles squash.

See also

• List of squash players
• World Squash Federation
• Professional Squash Association

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