Encyclopedia
Squash is an indoor racquet sport which was, formerly, called "
Squash Rackets", a reference to the 'squashable' soft ball used in the game .
The game is played by two players with 'standard' rackets in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball.
Squash historians assert that the game originated in the 19th century at
Harrow School, in
London,
England, as a derivative of the game of Racquets. The first recorded construction of purpose-built squash courts was at Harrow in the 1860s. It is possible that earlier squash courts were created at Harrow by sub-dividing a racquets court, which is almost exactly the size of three Squash courts .
The game generally remained the preserve of the schools and universities until the early part of the
20th century, by which time it was becoming popular in the private clubs and with officers in the British armed forces.
The U.S. became the first nation to form a dedicated association and codify its game in 1907. In the same year, the Tennis and Rackets Association formed a squash rackets sub-committee to administer the game, which became progressively codified during the 1920s. Subsequently, the Squash Rackets Association was formed and took over administration of the game in 1928. The game is now administered by the WSF . The men's professional game is managed by the PSA and the women's by WISPA .
Squash continued almost exclusively as the game of the upper-middle and/or upper class until around the 1950s, when commercial operators began building public courts. The game boomed in popularity, with participation peaking around the early 1980's. Despite a downturn in player numbers, the game remains popular in many places, especially Australia, northwestern Europe, North America and Asia .
At the elite level, the game was strictly divided between amateur players and professional players, who were often coaches employed by the exclusive clubs. This division started to break down with the growth of the commercial side of the game in the 1960s, with the women's game becoming 'open' in 1973 and the men's game in 1980.
Playing equipment
'Standard' rackets are governed by the rules of the game. Traditionally they were made of laminated timber, with a small strung area using natural 'gut' strings. After a rule change in the mid-1980's, they are now almost always made of composite materials or metals with synthetic strings. Modern rackets are 70 cm long, with a maximum strung area of 500 square centimetres and a weight between 110 and 200 grams .
The balls are made from two pieces of highly durable rubber compound glued together and buffed to a matte finish. Different balls are provided for the varying conditions and standards of play: more experienced players are able to use balls that are smaller and have less bounce than those used by less experienced players. Small coloured dots on the ball indicate the level of bounciness and hence, the standard of play it is suited for. A bouncier ball is said to be "fast" whereas a less bouncy ball is said to be "slow".
The recognised colours are:
- Double Yellow - Extra Super Slow
- Yellow - Super Slow
- Green or White - Slow
- Red - Medium
- Blue - Fast
The 'double-yellow dot ball', introduced in 2000, is currently the competition standard. Prior to this the yellow-dot was long considered standard. There is also a high-altitude ball, used in places like
Mexico City and
Denver.
Other balls available are:
- Dunlop max which is 12 percent larger and has 40 percent longer 'hang time' than a Double yellow dot ball and has 'instant bounce'
- Dunlop Max progress which is 6 percent larger with a 20 percent longer hang-time than a Double yellow dot ball and has instant bounce
Because of the vigorous nature of the game, players need to wear comfortable sports clothing and robust indoor sports shoes. In competition, men usually wear shorts and t-shirt or polo shirt. Women normally wear a skirt and t-shirt or tank top, or a sports dress. Towelling wrist and head bands may also be required in humid climates. Eye protection with polycarbonate lenses is also recommended, as players may be struck by a fast-swinging racket or the ball, which can typically reach speeds of up to 200 km/h - in the 2004 Canary Wharf Squash Classic, John White was recorded driving balls at speeds over 270 km/h . Many squash venues require the use of eye protection. The rules state that all juniors and doubles players must wear eye protection.
The play and scoring
For a rally to be started the correct player serves from the correct service box. At least part of one foot must be in that box and after being struck by the racquet- the ball has to go above the service line but below the out line of the front wall and land in the alternate service quarter, unless volleyed by the returner.
The players take turns hitting the ball against the front wall . The ball may be volleyed or hit after its first bounce and before the second. To be considered 'good', the ball must reach the front wall below the 'out' line and above the 'board' or 'tin', before touching the floor. The ball may also be struck against any of the other three walls before and/or after reaching the front wall. Shots that are first played off the side or back walls are referred to as 'boasts' or 'angles'.
The rally continues until a player is unable to return his or her opponent's shot or makes a mistake , or a 'let' or 'stroke' is awarded by the referee for interference .
In the 'traditional' British scoring system , a point is scored only by the server . When the receiver wins the rally, they are awarded only the right to serve.
Games are usually played to 9 points . Competition matches are usually played to 'best-of-five' .
Alternatively, in the point-a-rally scoring system , points are scored by the winner of each rally, whether or not they have served. Traditionally, PARS scoring was up to 15 points . However, in 2004, the PARS scoring was reduced to 11 for the professional game .
In the 'international' game, club, doubles and recreational matches are usually played using the traditional 'British' scoring system. Scoring systems and rules can be adapted subtly to accommodate shorter game time or multiple players .
Strategy and tactics
The fundamental strategy of the game is to hit the ball straight up the side walls to the back corners referred to as a straight drive or "length", then move to the centre of the court near the "T" to be well placed to retrieve the opponent's return. Attacking with soft or "short" shots to the front corners causes the opponent to cover more of the court and may result in an outright winner. 'Angle' shots are used for deception and again to cause the opponent to cover more of the court.
Highly-skilled players often attempt to finish rallies by hitting the ball at an angle onto the front wall and into an area known as the 'nick' which if done properly will cause the ball to roll out along the floor and be unreturnable. If the shot misses the nick, however, the ball may bounce out from the side wall and allow the opponent an easy attacking shot. Hitting opposing players with the ball if they obstruct results in extra points through a stroke.
Perhaps the one key strategy in squash is known as "dominating the T". The T is the intersection of the red lines near the centre of the court where the player is in the best position to retrieve the opponent's next shot. Really skilled players will return a shot, and then move back toward the T before playing the next shot. From this position, the player can quickly access any part of the court to retrieve the opponent's next shot with a minimum of movement.
Rallies between experienced players may involve 30 or more shots and therefore there is a very high premium on fitness, both aerobic and anaerobic. As players become more skilled and, in particular, better able to retrieve shots, points often become a war of attrition. At higher levels of the game, the fittest player has a major advantage.
Almost all players will fall into the following categories of style of play:
- "Retriever"- Usually a very fit player, plays patiently, can retrieve most shots hit by an opponent, but doesn't have a particularly strong attacking game.
- "Shooter", or "attacking player"- May be a patient player as well, but is more comfortable trying to hit winning shots or going for "nicks". Generally has very good shot accuracy and deception skills.
- "Power Player"- Tries to overpower their opponent by hitting the ball with extreme pace. Not known for their fitness, or patience.
- "All-Around Player"- Is comfortable playing all different styles and places, comfortable in all areas of the court.
Ability to change the direction of ball "at the last" instance is also important to off-balance the opponent. "Expert players" can anticipate the opponent's shot a few tenths of a second before compared to the "average player," and this gives them a chance to react sooner. Such skill is usually acquired by a lot of practice and game experience.
Interference and obstruction
Interference and obstruction are an inevitable aspect of this highly athletic sport, where two players are confined within a shared space. Generally, the rules entitle players to reasonable access to the ball, a reasonable swing and an unobstructed shot to any part of the front wall. When interference occurs, a player may appeal for a 'let' and the referee then interprets the extent of the interference. The referee may elect to allow a 'let' and the players then replay the point, or award a 'stroke' to the appealing player, depending on the degree of interference and whether the player interfered with was likely to have hit a winning shot had the interference not occurred.
When it is deemed that there has been little or no interference, the rules decree that no let is to be allowed, in the interests of continuity of play and the discouraging of spurious appeals for lets. Because of the subjectivity in interpreting the nature and magnitude of interference, the awarding of lets and strokes is often controversial.
If the ball was travelling towards the side wall and hits the opponent, it is usually a let. However, it is a stroke if the ball is travelling straight to the front wall and the ball hits the opponent.
Cultural and social aspects of squash
The relatively small court and low-bouncing ball makes scoring points harder than in its
American cousin
racquetball, as the ball may be played to all four corners of the court. Since every ball must strike the front wall above the tin , the ball cannot be easily killed. As a result, rallies tend to be longer than in racquetball.
Squash provides an excellent cardiovascular workout. In one hour of squash, a player may expend approximately 700 to 1000
calories which is significantly more than most other sports and over 70% more than either general tennis or racquetball. The sport also provides a good upper and lower body workout by utilising both the legs to run around the court and the arms/torso to swing the racquet.
There are several variations of squash played across the world. In the U.S. 'hardball' singles and doubles are played with a much harder ball and different size courts . Whilst 'hardball' singles has lost much of its popularity in North America , the hardball doubles game is still active. There is also a doubles version of squash played with the standard ball, sometimes on a wider court, and a more tennis-like variation known as
squash tennis.
Squash games are most competitive and enjoyable when played between players of similar skill levels. However there is no international standard method for evaluating the players' skill levels. This creates a rather interesting phenomenon within the squash community: many squash players are constantly on the look-out for potential partners who are compatible physically, mentally, and technically.
Squash now has a universal appeal, as there are courts in 148 countries in the world from
Argentina to
Zambia.
Three novel programs in Boston and New York City, SquashBusters, CitySquash and StreetSquash, which may become models for similar programs in other cities, use squash as an academic and development catalyst after school and during the summer.
Players and records
The Squash Rackets Association conducted its first British Open championship for men in 1930, using a 'challenge' system: Charles Read was designated champion, but was beaten in home and away matches by Don Butcher. This championship continues to this day, but now using a knockout format since 1947.
Since its inception, the men's British Open has been dominated by relatively few players: F.D. Amr Bey in the 1930s; Mahmoud Karim 1940s; brothers Hashim Khan and Azam Khan 1950s and 1960s; Jonah Barrington and Geoff Hunt 1960s and 1970s;
Jahangir Khan 1980s; Jansher Khan 1990s. Recent championships have been shared by players from England, Scotland, Wales, Australia and Canada.
The women's championship started in 1921, and has similarly been dominated by relatively few players: Joyce Cave and Nancy Cave in the 1920s; Margot Lumb 1930s; Janet Morgan 1950s; Heather McKay 1960s and 1970s; Susan Devoy 1980s; Michelle Martin 1990s.
Because of its traditions, the British Open is considered by many to be more prestigious than the World Open, which began in the mid-1970s. However, some have shown concern about the ability of the former to sustain its prominence citing its failure in 2005 to attract top players including World No. 1 Amr Shabana and some of the other top players due in part to the disparity in prize money. In 2005 the combined men's and women's prize money for the British Open came to $71,000. The 2006 World Open's prize money is estimated to be about $2 million. Even Sakhi Kahn, while maintaining the great importance the British Open, the oldest of squash events, has always held for his family, concedes that now "many have replaced the World Open as the event to win."
Heather McKay, with her lengthy and absolute dominance of the game during the 1960s and 1970s, is undoubtedly the greatest woman player of all time. Amongst the men, most modern commentators consider Hashim Khan or Jahangir Khan to be the greatest male players . Other worthy contenders are Jonah Barrington, Geoff Hunt and Jansher Khan.
In , 23 year old Vicky Botwright posed for a photoshoot on court in a sports bra and thong claiming that she was hoping to bring more attention to the often overlooked sport. However, the Women's International Squash Players' Association counter-claimed that the rules of the sport require female players to wear either a skirt or dress and Botwright would not be allowed to play in such attire in official matches. the pictures were revealed to have been a publicity stunt that Botwright regretted.
See also
- List of squash players
- World Open
- British Open Squash Championships
- Women's International Squash Players Association
- Hardball squash
- Racquets
- Bermuda PSA Masters
References
Notes
External links
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