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SquashSquash is an indoor racquet sport that was formerly called "Squash rackets," a reference to the "squashable" soft ball used in the game (compared with the harder ball used in its parent game Rackets (or Racquets; see below). The game is played by two players (or four players for doubles) with 'standard' rackets in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball. History of the game 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 (such as the Royal Automobile Club in London) and with officers in the British armed forces. The United States of America became the first nation to form a dedicated association and codify its game in 1907 (see Hardball squash). In the same year, the (British) Tennis and Rackets Association formed a squash rackets sub-committee to administer the game, which became progressively codified during the 1920s. Subsequently, the (British) Squash Rackets Association was formed and took over administration of the game in 1928. The game is now administered by the WSF (World Squash Federation). The men's professional game is managed by the PSA (Professional Squash Association) and the women's by WISPA (Women's International Squash Players Association). Squash continued almost exclusively as the game of the upper-middle and upper classes until around the 1950s, when commercial operators began building public courts. The game boomed in popularity, with participation peaking around the early 1980s. Despite a downturn in player numbers, the game remains popular in many places, especially Australia, northwestern Europe, North America and Asia (primarily the south and southeastern regions thereof). At the elite level, the game was strictly divided between amateur players (usually 'gentlemen' and 'ladies') 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 following suit in 1980. The American style of doubles squash, which differs from the English style in its use of a hard ball and a slightly larger court, originated accidentally at a Philadelphia squash club in the 60s. The construction of a singles court facility at the club left an awkward space that was too small for 2 singles courts, and a local pro remarked that it would be the perfect size for a doubles court and created the rules of the new game on the spot. Since the invention of American doubles, the court-size has increased slightly, but the 'hard-ball' is still used even though is has almost completely disappeared from singles squash. The court The traditional 'American' court for the USA game, (now referred to as 'hardball' squash) is a similar size, but narrower at 18 feet 6 inches (5640 mm). The floor and wall markings differ slightly from the 'International' court and the tin is lower, at 15 inches high. A 'Converted Court' is the result of converting racquetball courts to squash. Racquetball courts are 20 feet wide and 40 feet in length, so it is relatively easy to install a back wall, producing a squash court of 20 feet wide by 32 feet in length. Playing equipment Squash balls are made with two pieces of rubber compound, glued together to form a hollow sphere and buffed to a matte finish. Different balls are provided for varying temperature and atmospheric conditions and standards of play: more experienced players use 'slow' balls that are smaller and have less bounce than those used by less experienced players (these 'slower' balls tend to 'die' in the corners of the court, rather than 'standing up' to allow easier shots). Depending on its specific rubber composition, a squash ball may have the property that it bounces more at higher temperatures. Players tend to warm up balls by bouncing them on the ground prior to play. As a rally progresses, play is complicated as the ball usually becomes hotter and speeds up. Small coloured dots on the ball indicate the level of bounciness and hence, the standard of play it is suited for. The recognised colours and 'speeds' (indicating the degree of bounciness) are:
Balls are manufactured to these standards by Dunlop, Prince, Pointfore, Wilson and others. The 'double-yellow dot ball', introduced in 2000, is currently the competition standard, replacing the earlier 'yellow-dot' which was long considered the competition standard. There is also a high-altitude "orange dot" ball, used in places like Mexico City, Denver and Johannesburg. In North America the Dunlop "green dot" ball is often used at high altitude. Other balls available are:
The play and scoring The players then take turns hitting the ball against the front wall (referred to as 'rallying'). The ball may be volleyed (hit whilst still in the air) or 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. A ball landing on either the out line or the line above the tin, contrary to tennis, is considered to be out. The ball may also be struck against any of the other three walls before 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 (e.g. hits the ball 'out', or hits it after its second bounce, or onto the floor, 'board' or 'tin'), or a 'let' or 'stroke' is awarded by the referee for interference (see below). In the 'traditional' British scoring system (as adopted in 1926), a point is scored only by the server (when the receiver is unable to return the ball to the front wall before it has bounced twice). When the receiver wins the rally, they are awarded only the right to serve. Games are usually played to 9 points (alternatively, the receiver may opt to call 'set two' and play to 10 when the score first reaches 8-8). Competition matches are usually played to 'best-of-five' (ie. first player to win 3 games wins the match). Alternatively, in the point-a-rally scoring system (often referred to as PARS or 'American' scoring), points are scored by the winner of each rally, whether or not they have served. Traditionally, PARS scoring was up to 15 points (or the receiver calls 15 or 17 when the game reaches 14 all). However, in 2004, the PARS scoring was reduced to 11 for the professional game (if the game reaches 10 all, a player must win by two clear points). PARS is now used on the men's Professional Tour. 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 (e.g. games played to 7 points, best-of-three games) or multiple players (e.g. a form of squash called three-quarter court, where one service box is blocked out and excess players wait in that area while two players play a single point in the remaining area of the court). The 'British' scoring is generally used for USSRA (United States Squash Racquets Association) matches. Strategy and tactics 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' (the junction between the side wall and floor) 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. A key strategy in squash is known as "dominating the T" (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). 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 fitter player has a major advantage. Almost all players (inexperienced or experienced) 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 instant 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, giving them a chance to react sooner. Such skill is usually acquired by a lot of practice and game experience. Interference and obstruction Cultural and social aspects 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 (unlike racquetball), the ball cannot be easily 'killed'. As a result, rallies tend to be longer than in racquetball. Squash games are most competitive and enjoyable when played between players of similar skill levels. Most squash players prefer partners who are compatible physically, mentally, and technically, as a small difference in ability may result in one player overwhelmingly dominating the match. Currently there is no international standard method (other than for professional players) for evaluating skill levels for players Squash provides an excellent cardiovascular workout. In one hour of squash, a player may expend approximately 700 to 1000 calories (3,000 to 4,000 kJ) which is significantly more than most other sports [1] and over 70% more than either general tennis or racquetball.[2] 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. Squash now has a universal appeal, as there are courts in 148 countries in the world from Argentina to Zambia. Players and records Since its inception, the men's British Open has been dominated by relatively few players: F.D. Amr Bey (Egypt) in the 1930s; Mahmoud Karim (Egypt) 1940s; brothers Hashim Khan and Azam Khan (Pakistan) 1950s and 1960s; Jonah Barrington (Great Britain and Ireland) and Geoff Hunt (Australia) 1960s and 1970s; Jahangir Khan (Pakistan) 1980s; Jansher Khan (Pakistan) 1990s. The women's championship started in 1921, and has similarly been dominated by relatively few players: Joyce Cave and Nancy Cave (England) in the 1920s; Margot Lumb (England) 1930s; Janet Morgan (England) 1950s; Heather McKay (Australia) 1960s and 1970s; Vicki Cardwell (Australia) and Susan Devoy (New Zealand) 1980s; Michelle Martin (Australia) 1990s; Sarah Fitz-Gerald (Australia) 1990s and 2000s. Heather McKay, with her lengthy and absolute dominance of the game (she remained undefeated in her 18 year career during the 1960s and 1970s), is undoubtedly the greatest woman player of all time. Amongst the men, most modern commentators consider Jahangir Khan (1980s) or (the distantly related) Jansher Khan (1990s) to be the greatest male players. Other worthy contenders are Jonah Barrington, Geoff Hunt and Hashim Khan. Because of its traditions, the British Open has been 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, probably 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, compared with the 2005 World Open's prize money, estimated to be about $270,000. The Pakistan Factor External links |