If you’re new to squash, it can be hard to know where to start. Never fear, this article will cover what you need to know about the sport of squash for those of you who are new. While this short article doesn’t cover every single aspect of squash, the information contained here should serve as a good starting point for those who have never played before.
The general overview
If you’ve ever considered playing squash, but haven’t yet taken the plunge, there are a couple of things you need to know. Squash is one of the most common racquet sports and is played by over 50 million people worldwide, so there’s a good chance that you’re not alone in your interest. It’s also worth noting that squash is a very high-level fitness activity and can be very physically demanding – it gets your heart pumping and burns lots of calories. Still, if you’re an avid fan of team sports or solo sports where you have clear objectives, like football or running, you’ll probably enjoy squash as well. Squashing is a great sport for both men and women alike – and if you have kids who are at least 7 years old and have no existing health conditions that preclude them from playing squash, then it’s an excellent option for them too!
The history
Squash is an indoor sport that was invented in England in the 1830s. The sport was invented by British officers who had been stationed in India, where they played a game called “rackets” with a ball and two rackets. They brought this back to England when they returned home, but the ball was too small for the English’s liking. So they made it larger, and thus squash was born! The sport of squash is a relatively new one, and it was not until the 19th century that it gained popularity in England. While the game has been played in Egypt for centuries, it was not until the 1820s that it became a popular sport among upper-class Englishmen.
In 1884, the first “English” championship match took place between James Erskine and G.H. Spencer. Erskine won in straight sets, but Spencer would later become one of the first champions, winning multiple titles throughout his career.
The first international championship occurred in 1899 when Harry S. Barlow defeated William Renshaw in five sets at Wimbledon’s Queens Club. In 1903, Barlow won his second consecutive title against George Beare at London’s St. George’s Club by a score of 6-3-6-2-6-4.
The rules
The game starts with a serve—the server must bounce their racket on the floor before hitting the ball overhand across their opponent’s back line (this is called a “bounce”). If they miss this shot or hit it into their own half of the court, they’ve lost an opportunity to score points and have to serve again from where they were standing when they missed that last shot (they can’t just start serving from anywhere else).
The point of squash is for each player to get as many points as possible by hitting the ball over the net and onto their opponent’s side of the court. Each time a player hits the ball out, they lose one point. There are no timeouts or breaks during a match; once play starts, it continues until one side reaches 11 points.
