Common Questions in Squash
Squash basics questions
What are the basic rules of squash?
The basic principle of squash is to keep hitting the ball against the front wall until your opponent cannot successfully return it. This can happen either by the ball bouncing twice or them hitting the ball out of play. To get more familiar with the basic concept of squash, read our guide to the rules of squash.
How to score in squash?
Squash is scored with a point-a-rally scoring to 11 points, over best of 3 or 5 games. The permitted time is 2 minutes in-between games. To get more familiar with the basic concept of squash, read our guide to the rules of squash.
What do the lines on a squash court mean?
There are several lines on a squash court that you need to be aware of. The line in the middle of the front wall is called the service line. When serving, the ball must go above this line on all serves.
The small squares on either side of the court are called service boxes. One foot must be in the box when serving.
The out-of-court lines run across the top of the court and any ball hit outside of the lines are out.
The line at the bottom of the front wall is called ‘the Tin’ and any ball that hits this or under is called ‘down’ and the point is lost.
How many bounces are allowed?
One. In squash, the ball can bounce once on the floor but can hit any of the four walls as long as the ball reaches the front wall without touching the floor.
How long does a game of squash take?
Standard squash court bookings are between 40 minutes to an hour.
A game of squash at a beginner level can take between 15-30 minutes.
More advanced players can play for anywhere between 20-60 minutes, and sometimes more.
What’s the longest squash match?
The longest official PSA match was between Leo Au (HKG) bt Shawn Delliere (CAN) 3-2 (170 mins) at the Gas City Pro Am 2015 in Medicine Hat, Canada.
The longest match recorded on SQUASHTV was between Nick Matthew (ENG) bt James Willstrop (ENG) 3-1 (127 mins) at the Canary Wharf Classic 2010. You can watch the full match on PSA SQUASHTV YouTube channel.
What are the differences between singles and doubles squash?
There are a few differences between singles and doubles squash. The main difference is the size of the court. A doubles court is a normal squash court + another half.
There are more ‘Yes Let’s’ called in doubles due to the close proximity of the players and the players must wear protective eyewear.
What ball should I use?
There are a couple of different choices of squash balls to use depending on your level. Beginners should use a blue squash ball with a higher bounce, giving players more time to strike the ball.
More advanced players should use a single yellow dot ball and elite players should play with a double yellow dot ball, which has the lowest bounce.
If you need help picking out the perfect squash ball for you, take a look at our squash balls explained article.
Can you hit the sidewall first?
Yes, the ball can hit any wall first as long as it hits the front wall as well without the ball hitting the floor.
Can you hit the back wall?
Yes, you can hit the back wall in squash. As long as it goes on to hit the front wall as well without the ball touching the floor.
Can you volley the return of serve in squash?
Yes, you can volley the return of serve in squash. This is usually the recommended approach as the ball is difficult to retrieve in the back corners.
Do you get a second serve in squash?
There are no second serves in squash. The serve must reach the opposite back quarter of the court and hit the front wall above the service line to be accepted.
Video reviews and refereeing
What is the video review process in squash?
At PSA Squash Tour events with SQUASHTV coverage, players are entitled to one successful review per game. If they are unsuccessful in their review, the review is lost.
However, if a game reaches a tiebreak (10-10), any reviews that have been lost are regained.
What does ‘handout’ mean?
In squash, ‘Handout’ is called by the referee when there is a change in the server.
What’s the difference between ‘Down’ and ‘Not Up’ in squash?
‘Down’ is called when the ball hits the tin or does not reach the front wall.
‘Not Up’ is called when the ball bounces twice before a player hits the ball.
What happens if you hit someone with the ball?
If you hit your opponent with the ball and it’s heading directly towards the front wall, the point is awarded to the striker.
If the ball is going towards the sidewall, the point is played again as a ‘Yes Let’ will be called by the referee.
Why do squash players wipe their hands on the wall?
Squash players wipe their hands on the wall to get rid of any sweat that has gathered on their hands.
Watching and playing squash
Where can I find my nearest court?
To find your nearest squash court, head to the website of your national body which should have information on the squash courts in your area.
Or take a look at this article about the Squash Players App to find your nearest court, wherever you may be.
What shoes do you need to use?
You need to use shoes with non-marking soles. Any indoor court shoes will suffice.
What racket should I use?
For adults, any squash racket will be good to play with. Kids should consider a smaller racket, which is easier to hold.
It might be worth using a cheaper racket if you are a beginner due to potentially frequent contacts with the wall.
Why is the court made of glass?
All glasscourts were introduced to improve the viewing angle of squash. This enabled spectators to view the match from the side wall and front wall angles.
It also helps for digital viewing as the white ball against darker backgrounds stands out better.
Where can I watch live squash?
You can watch live squash on SQUASHTV. Simply head to SQUASHTV to find out when the next live squash event is taking place.
If you’re interested in learning more about squash, head to our introduction to squash page where you can find more articles covering different topics in squash.
