Squash: what is this game and what are the rules?

Squash, along with tennis and badminton, is considered a popular game sport in Europe, South Asia and the United States. He requires athletes maximum endurance and excellent reaction, however, it can be an ideal hobby for both children and adults. Let's consider in the article what squash is, we will get acquainted with its features, the history of its origin and the basic rules of this sport.

Squash (squash eng.) - one of the indoor game sports using two rackets and a rubber hollow ball. According to some sports experts, squash is a mini version of tennis or badminton. In addition to similar equipment, from 2 (1 on 1) to 4 (2 on 2) players can also take part in squash.

According to the VFS (World Squash Federation), today the number of states with equipped courts for this sport is close to two hundred. At the moment, squash is a full-fledged part of the programs of many sports, including the All-African, Asian and even World Games.

The country where squash first appeared is considered to be England. As for the date of the founding of this sport, the researchers do not have reliable documents confirming any specific year of its origin. The very first document that officially proves the existence of squash is considered to be a book published in 1807. This work described in brief detail the course of life of Londoners, as well as their hobbies, including squash. Drawings of the courtyard of an English prison were used as an illustrative base in the book. In the images, prisoners, competing with each other using simulated rackets, bounced small balls off the prison wall.

Under its modern name "squash" (or "squeeze" in translation from English) first appears only in the 90s of the XIX century in one of the English editions. The book indicates that the first original squash court was installed at the British Harrow School (currently one of the oldest private boys' schools in Britain). Other documents from the Encyclopedia Britannica claim that the pupils of the Harrow School already in 1820 played full-fledged squash.

Before getting the name by which this sport is known today, squash was called the primitive word "rekets" and only outwardly resembled modern squash. Later, additional conditions began to be added to the rules of the squash game - for example, by the 20s of the 18th century, not only the main front wall, but also side fences took part in the game. A little later, the idea came to create a special court, which would be fenced with walls from all sides (apart from the top).

Approximately 70 years after the world recognition of squash, that is, in the 60s of the XX century, this sport became widespread in only 7 countries of the world. According to the archives of the International Squash Federation (International Squash Federation), by 1967 the number of courts professionally equipped for playing squash was no more than 5 thousand.

The first world-class squash competitions were held back in 1967. It is noteworthy that the British, or the officially recognized creators of squash, did not become absolute champions in their debut championship in this sport. Until 1973, the first places in international and world squash competitions were held by a team from Australia, and then the laurels of the absolute world winners went to the teams from Pakistan, which held their status for almost 15 years.

The heyday of squash as a sport fell on the 70s of the XX century. A little later, experts dubbed this period of time the "squash boom" - all because of the sudden interest in this sport in Asia, in the Middle East, even in South America. By the end of the 20th century, according to the IFS, the number of countries where squash was practiced at a professional level had grown to 100. Squash was most widely developed in Britain, Germany and Australia, where one country could have several thousand equipped squash courts. Already at that moment around the world there were more than 35 thousand courts for a full-fledged squash game. By the beginning of the XXI century, there were already more than 140 countries around the world in the MFS, and the number of equipped courts for this sport had grown to 50 thousand.

Several large sports organizations are currently involved in organizing events and squash competitions.... First of all, this is the WFS or World Squash Federation - the World Sports Federation, as well as two international squash associations for men (PSA) and women (WISPA).

The game of squash, like all modern sports, takes place according to an official set of certain rules. The main ones will be briefly described below. Remember, they are for athletes who plan to learn how to play squash like a pro.

The main task of the opponents of this sport is to deliver the ball with the racket against the front wall and prevent the opponent from hitting back.

• Before the start of the workout itself, a special warm-up should be carried out, which can last from 5 to 7 minutes.During the warm-up, the athlete must hit the ball continuously to make it harder. Usually, warm-up serves are carried out for this without taking into account points. Warming up also allows you to identify possible defects in the elasticity and strength of the ball or racquet.
• After the warm-up, the opponents draw a toss, which determines which of the opponents will serve the first serve. The lot is usually a spinning racket.
• The ball is struck alternately, while the ball itself can be hit both during flight, even before the collision with the surface of the court, and after the collision. If, after a collision with the walls of the court, the ball touches the floor of the court more than once and was not hit by the opponent attacking at that time, a mistake is awarded to him, and a point is awarded to the opponent.
• Simply bouncing the ball is not enough - it must hit the wall above the acoustic panel and below the out level.
• Points are awarded to one of the opponents if the other made some mistake. The most common mistake is usually skipping a retaliatory strike or getting into the out zone.
• The match usually lasts from 3 to 5 sets. The winner is the one who scores all 9 points earlier. If the score is 9: 9, the game continues until two wins (in professional sports - up to 5) and a one-point lead.

The correct serving in squash has its own characteristics.

• During the first service, the athlete must keep one foot completely in the service square. If this condition is not met, the service will be lost and passed to the opponent. This error has the characteristic name of Foot Fault. The player can independently choose from which square he will serve.
• While the first serve lasts, the ball must hit the wall above the service line but below the red line, and on a rebound from the end wall into the other player’s service territory.
• The first serve assumes that the ball will be hit against the front wall and should not be hit against any other wall at this time. After the first serve, the service lines are erased and rebounds can go from any 4 walls, respecting the out line.

The opponent's return kick is considered legal only when the ball, before the second rebound from the floor, was bounced into the front wall above the soundbar, did not touch the space above the top out, and provided that the floor was not touched. At the moment of the return serve to the front wall, the opponent is already unlimited in the choice of starting walls for sending the ball. In squash, the practice of repetitions is actively used, where a certain point can be replayed if certain conditions of serving are violated.

A point can be replayed if:

• at the time of the serve, the opponent was not prepared for the retaliatory strike and did not attempt to make it;
• the athlete did not perform the rebound due to the fear of injuring the opponent;
• at the time of the serve, one of the opponents was distracted by an event on or off the court;
• if at the time of service the player intentionally or accidentally touches a foreign object on the surface of the court;
• if the ball breaks or the racket breaks during the match.

This fact may sound surprising, but the standard for squash court sizes was set back in 1920 and has not changed until now. According to the international standard, the length of the squash court should not exceed 9.75 m, and the width should not exceed 6.4 m.

In addition to the length and width parameters described for this sport, standards have been set for the lines denoting the service zones and out zones:

• the line indicating the border of the upper out must be at a height of 4.57 m;
• the line of the lower out - at a height of 43 cm;
• the front wall supply line should be 1.83 m above the floor;
• the bottom edge of the back wall out line must be at a height of 2.13 m;
• the width of the lines themselves should be 50 mm;
• the minimum height for free court space is 5.64 m;
• the pitch square should be 1.6 meters long and wide.

For recreational sports like squash, a racket, a rubber ball, and light, loose clothing are all you need. If we are talking about professional squash, then here you will need special rackets, balls, certain clothes, as well as glasses.

Below you can find recommendations for choosing equipment for beginners in a sport such as squash.

Some coaches are convinced that absolutely any ball is suitable for beginners to play squash, which is fundamentally a mistake. The main difference between squash balls is in the presence of certain colored dots on the ball. These dots are used to represent the speed, resilience and rebound force of the ball.

Depending on the color of the point, all squash ball models can be classified according to the following classification:

• 1 blue - high speed / elasticity;
• 1 red - medium speed / high elasticity;
• 1 green or white - reduced speed / medium elasticity;
• 1 yellow - low speed / elasticity;
• 2 yellow - the lowest speed / elasticity.

It is recommended that athletes who squash at an amateur level buy the balls with the highest speed and resilience (that is, with one blue or red dot). These balls will help develop quick reactions. Any balls lose their abilities over time and need to be replaced.

In squash, the racket is the main component of the game. When choosing and purchasing it, the athlete must pay attention to each of its parameters and characteristics. When choosing a squash racket, professional athletes pay attention to parameters such as weight, balance, material of manufacture, head shape, string tension pattern, and rim thickness.

• The weight. The rules of the game of squash allow the use of rackets of different weights, but the principle works here that the heavier your racket is, the harder you will hit the ball. Weight also affects the maneuverability and balance of the racket itself - the athlete spends more effort controlling a heavy racket when it is necessary to make quick maneuvers than when controlling a light one. For those who have just started learning the basics of squash, it is recommended to use the lightest racket options.
• The form. If we talk about the characteristics of squash rackets, then they can be either round (or oval) or drop-shaped. The first shape assumes a closed racket throat, the second - an open one. It is believed that drop-type racquets allow for more efficient ball acceleration, but control of such racquets is more difficult due to the increased contact time of the ball with the racquet tension net.
• Balance... This parameter is responsible for how the weight of the racket is distributed along its entire length. This allows you to understand how a particular model of racket will behave with different balls, and how it will generally be held in the hand. Today there are rackets with a balance of three types: 1) heavy head; 2) evenly balanced; 3) head light. The balance metrics have the most impact on the control of the racket. For example, models with the balance shifted towards the racquet handle allow for better ball control and maneuvering when the force of the blow is reduced.
• Manufacturing material. When compared to a tennis racquet, you find that squash rackets are much lighter - thanks to the use of composite or aluminum in the construction of these racquets.
• String tension diagram. It is generally known that there are only 2 types of string tension for squash rackets: standard and fan-shaped. Rackets with a standard tension pattern are represented by strictly vertical (or main) and horizontal (auxiliary) lines.In fan-shaped rackets, the main vertical strings are stretched in a kind of fan - most often this pattern is used in models of a drop-shaped open shape.
• Racket head area. An important factor of choice for beginners. Models with an increased head area will allow you to avoid missing the ball, however, the control of such models is worse.
• Rim thickness. Like all other parameters, the rim is responsible for the agility, strength and control of the racket. Models with a stiffer, thicker rim are needed for strong, precise strikes and total concentration.

Below you can see the technical characteristics of the squash racket:

• the maximum length of the racket with the handle is 68.6 cm;
• the width of the head part should not exceed 21.5 cm;
• the surface area of ​​the strings is up to 500 sq. cm;
• the width of the gap between the strings is not less than 7 mm.

Athletes who are professionally involved in racket sports understand that squash clothing and equipment must have strictly defined parameters and characteristics.

Comfortable shoes are another important factor in successful squash training. It must have characteristics suitable for prolonged play with constant movement. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing your squash shoe.

• Squash sneakers should be as comfortable and lightweight as possible. Convenience, flexibility and the ability to quickly change the position of the foot are the main success of the squash game.
• Deserves special attention sole Squash sneaker - it should be of a material that will not leave behind black or white stripes on the court. In addition, the shoes should not slip on the court, for which sneakers with rubber soles are most suitable.
• Squash requires a quick response from joints and muscles, therefore, there is always the possibility of injury. Most often, it is the legs and feet that are injured by athletes. It is important to ensure that the shoe has sufficient cushioning to relieve stress in the joints and muscles of the leg.
• Sneaker socks must be strong at the same time to protect the shoe during long workouts, but also breathable to avoid overheating of the foot.
• Side inserts sneakers perform a protective function of the joints of the legs, and therefore must be made of plastic rubber.
• Backdrop sneakers perform a fixing function and save the ankle from injuries and sprains, and therefore should be as rigid as possible.

Fortunately, there are no restrictions on the quality or type of workout clothing in squash, so almost your entire wardrobe can fit here. The main condition here is only that the clothes are as comfortable as possible for you and do not hinder your movement. Usually the same clothes are chosen for squash as for tennis: for men it is an ordinary T-shirt and shorts, for women - a T-shirt and sweatpants (or shorts).

This accessory is not considered a must when playing squash, but it can be very useful for beginners. In such a dynamic game like squash, where all the action takes place indoors, there is a great chance of getting an eye injury from a ball flying at you. Glasses are designed to protect the athlete's eyes, but should not obstruct his view or fly off the head.

Modern experts and researchers prove that squash is a kind of hybrid of badminton, tennis and ping-pong. Below is a comparison of the main features of squash and tennis, thanks to which it will be easiest to determine the similarities and differences of this game sport from others.

• Similar rules of the game... Just like in tennis, the main task of squash is to hit the ball into the opponent's territory in such a way that he would not have the opportunity to reflect the ball back. Both sports involve dividing the court into several sections, and the ball can only hit one of them. In squash and tennis, there are boundaries, when the ball goes out of which an out is declared. As for the differences, in tennis, opponents must be separated by a special net, while in squash they are located next to each other, which makes it difficult for them to move around the playing area and complicates the game itself.
• Territory. Despite the fact that both sports involve a special court for the game, tennis is most often held in an open area on the street, while squash involves a special indoor court closed on 4 sides.
• Rivalry. Just like tennis, squash requires 2 or 4 players (1 on 1 or 2 on 2). However, in tennis, any training or game requires the presence of an opponent, while in squash, due to the presence of a wall, it is possible to train alone. This is especially useful for professional and regular sports, where the daily search for a partner of the same level of racquet and ball control will be difficult.
• Inventory (racket and ball). As already mentioned, squash and tennis require a racket and a ball. But despite the external similarity, there are rackets and balls specifically for tennis and for squash. In squash rackets, much attention is paid to this indicator. as a balance that is responsible for the center of gravity of the racket. In addition, squash rackets are much lighter than tennis rackets: the former can weigh from 110 to 179 grams, and the latter - from 270 grams or more. Squash balls are usually smaller and softer than tennis balls and differ in appearance. Squash balls have a diameter of 40 mm and tennis balls have an average diameter of 67 mm. The surface of squash balls is matte, dark and polished, inside such balls are hollow, and the surface of tennis balls is rough, such balls are covered with felt and have a special wavy line.
• Inventory (clothing)... When it comes to clothing for sports, then all squash equipment is much lighter than tennis. Squash requires the athlete to maximize mobility and endurance, which can only be achieved through quality, lightweight and breathable clothing. The same rule applies to squash shoes - they should be lighter than tennis shoes and should not leave any streaks on the court.
• Loads. Both squash and tennis put a huge strain on the athlete's body. These sports require constant dynamics, muscle work in the arms and legs, and complete concentration. Despite this, the game of squash is considered more difficult than tennis or badminton. This is due to the more dynamic gameplay with shorter pauses between sword feeds, limited space and the need for constant maneuvers due to the proximity of the opponent. Also, if we talk about loads, then before playing squash, a mandatory warm-up is assumed.

For information on how to play squash, see the next video.