All you need to know about the squash sport

• Squash is a racket and ball sport that either two or four players play on a four-walled court.
• It has its origins in the older game of rackets which was played in the 19th century in London’s prisons. 
• Squash has health benefits such as increasing flexibility, developing strength and power as well as improving hand-eye coordination. 

Squash is one of the most challenging and exciting sports in the world. Squash sport requires strategy, talent as well as physical and mental health. 

World Squash Federation is the governing body of the sport, which has over 25 million players worldwide. International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes squash, but it is yet to be made part of the Olympic Games.

Squash sport. Photo/ World Squash Federation.

Apart from being a fun game, squash is one of the healthiest sports in the world. Forbes Magazine has ranked squash as the number one healthiest sport for several years in a row. 

Some of the health benefits of squash include increasing flexibility, developing strength and power as well as improving hand-eye coordination. 

Origin of Squash Sport 

According to Wikipedia, squash has its origins in the older game of rackets which was played in the 19th century in London’s prisons. 

Squash was first played in the 1860s by boys at the Harrow School in England after realizing that a punctured ball ‘squashed’ on impact with the wall. 

Harrow School was the first to build squash courts before the game spread to other schools. The students used rackets to hit the ball made from natural rubber off the courtyards. 

Squash, which was typically played by underclassmen who lacked the seniority to play Racquets, spread to the US in 1884. 

St. Paul’s, a private boarding school in New Hampshire, built four open-air squash courts before the game took hold at Harvard. 

Squash sport then gradually spread to private men’s clubs in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. By the 1950s, squash had already spread in most parts of the world. 

Customization of rackets has grown over the years in terms of weight, balance and even shape. 

As of now, there are several variations of squash. However, the international variation of the sport is the most dominant worldwide. 

How To Play Squash Sport 

Squash is a racket and ball sport that is played by either two or four players on a four-walled court. One player serves the ball while the other(s) takes turns in hitting it against the front wall, above the tin and below the outline.

The objective of the game is to hit the ball in a way that the opponent finds it difficult to play a valid return. The ball can strike the back or side walls as long as it hits above the tin and outline. 

A match is the best of three or five games, and each game is played to 11 points. The first player to score 11 points is the winner of the game. 

If the score reaches 10-all, the game has to continue until one player leads the opponent by two points. 

The server, on winning a rally, scores a point and retains the service, while the receiver, on winning a rally, scores a point and becomes the server. 

The players are free to move anywhere around the court, but the ball should only bounce once on the floor. 

A player should not interfere at all when it’s the opponent’s turn to play the game. If he/she interferes, the opponent can continue to play or stop if there is a possibility of colliding.

How to play squash. Photo/ Britannica.

Is Squash A Hard Sport? 

When you watch a squash game, it might seem to try. However, squash is the toughest racket sport and one of the most difficult sports in the world. 

Are Racquetball And Squash The Same Thing? 

The most important difference between squash and racquetball is that the ceiling is out of bounds in squash but not in racquetball. 

What Is The Basic Rule Of Squash? 

The basic principle of the squash game is to keep hitting the ball against the front of the wall until the opponent fails to get it back. 

The opponent loses if the ball bounces twice or they hit it out of play. 

What Is Squash Sport Good For? 

Squash increases the fitness and strength of the players. It also helps them maintain a healthy weight as they become more flexible.