The Rules of Squash – Sport Launches

To excel at playing squash, you need to have a solid understanding of the game’s basic rules, which include scoring, serving, and the rules of play.

That’s why I created this simple guide for you, which contains the basic rules of squash so that you can understand the game better.

Rules of Singles Squash

Squash Game

Singles squash must be played between two players.
Each player must have a racket to hit the ball.
The ball used can be a double yellow dot with a size diameter of 1.57 inches and a weight of 0.84 ounces, or a single yellow dot with the same diameter and weight as the double dot one.
Each rally starts with a serve.

Squash Scoring

When a player wins the rally, the player receives 1 point and serves for the next rally.
The game is played until 11 points, but if the score becomes tied at 10-all, the game continues until one player leads by 2 points.
The squash match must be played until one of the players wins the best of 3 or 5 games.

Officials

Each match should have a marker or referee.
The marker and referee are responsible to keep the score and to supervise the game.
The officials should be positioned at the back of the court as close as possible to the wall.
The marker is responsible for announcing the match and results of each game and match.
The marker must call a fault, down, out, not up, and stop.
The marker must make calls only when he/she is sure.
The marker must repeat to the players the Referee’s decision.
The marker must announce the “Game Ball” when one of the players has a score of 10 points.
The referee can suspend the match.
The referee may declare the player who does not appear on the court within the limit as forfeited. The opponent is declared the winner.
The referee must correct the score if the one announced by the marker is not correct.
The referee must apply all the rules.
The referee must announce all decisions with a loud voice.

The Warm-up

Before the start of the game, players have a warm-up period of 4 minutes.

Squash Serve Rules

The player who wins the racket spin serves first.
The server has the option to choose the side of the court from where he/she wants to serve.
If the server wins the rally, he/she serves from the other side of the court.
If the server loses the rally, the player stays in the same place, and the other player becomes the server.
The marker is responsible for informing the players if they serve from the wrong service box.
To have a valid serve, the server must have at least one foot in the service box and hit the ball directly to the front wall between the service line and outline.
If the server doesn’t hit the ball with the racket, it is considered a fault.
If the server serves from the wrong service box and wins the rally, he/she earns a point. For the next serve, the server must switch the service box.

The Squash Play Rules

The rally continues as long as the serves and returns are good.
A return is considered good if the ball is hit before it bounces twice on the floor, does not hit any player, and does not go out.

Interference

Each player must give freedom and space to the other player to swing at the ball.
Each player has the responsibility of ensuring that he/she does not block the other player’s direct access to the ball.
If a player believes that an interference occurred, the player is allowed to ask for a let.
If the striker hits the ball and the opponent calls for a let, but the ball subsequently goes down or out, the opponent is awarded the rally.
Let’s are not allowed when there is no interference.
If interference occurs and the striker would not have been able to make a successful return, a let is not permitted.
If interference occurs but the striker’s ability to see and hit the ball is not affected then no let is allowed.
If the opponent makes to effort to avoid interference, the striker receives a stroke.
If interference occurs and the striker would have made a winning return, the striker receives a stroke.

Fair View

Fair view refers to the period of time that a striker has to see the ball.
If the striker requests a let because of a lack of fair view of the ball, they are awarded a stroke.

Direct Access

No let is allowed when one of the strikers makes a let call but none of the strikers made an effort to get the ball.
No let is allowed when the striker had access to the ball but chooses another indirect route to it.
A let is allowed when the striker was wrong-footed but made the right efforts to hit a good return.

Squash Racket Swing Rules

A good racket swing includes a backswing, a strike at the ball, and a follow-through.
The backswing and follow-through must be reasonable.
A let is permitted when the opponent is making every reasonable effort to avoid interference and there is slight contact with the striker’s swing. However, if the striker could have hit a winning return, a stroke is awarded to the striker.
A stroke is awarded to the striker if the swing is interrupted by contact with the opponent.

Excessive Swing

No let is permitted when the striker produces interference due to his/her excessive swing.
A let is allowed when there was interference but only because the striker used an excessive swing to earn a stroke. The opponent may ask for a let if the striker’s swing becomes too excessive and interferes with their ability to play the ball.

Striking the ball on any part of the wall

When the striker is unable to hit the ball due to interference from the front wall, they have the option to request a let.
A stroke is given to the striker if interference occurs and the ball would have directly hit the non-striker on its path to the front wall, except when the striker was making an additional effort, in which case a let is allowed.
A let is permitted when the ball would have hit the non-striker and then a side wall before hitting the front wall, except when the return would have been a winning return, in which case the striker is given a stroke. The same rule applies if the ball would have hit the side wall first and then the non-striker.

Squash Turning Rules

Turning refers to the movement of the player that prepares to strike by changing the direction of the body to the left and right to reach the ball.
If the player has interference while turning but the non-striker had no time to reach and avoid the interference, a let is allowed.
If the player has interference while turning and the swing is affected, even though the opponent tried to avoid the interference, the striker gets a stroke.
Every time a striker turns, the referee must analyze if the move was correct and according to the rules.

Ball Hitting A Player

When the ball hits the non-striker or their equipment while traveling to the front wall, the following rules apply:

If the return would have been unsuccessful, the non-striker wins a point.
If the striker had already attempted to hit the ball without turning, they get a stroke.
If the ball makes contact with any wall other than the front wall before reaching it and the striker has not turned to face the ball, a let is permitted, except in cases where the return would have resulted in a winning point, in which case a stroke is awarded to the striker.
If the striker was attempting to turn, a let is permitted.
If the striker has turned and the non-striker was not making any deliberate moves to catch the ball, the non-striker gets a stroke. However, if the non-striker deliberately moves to catch the ball, the striker gets a stroke.
Whenever a striker hits a non-striker with the ball, the Referee must assess whether the action was unsafe and decide on the appropriate course of action.

The Squash Ball Rules

A let is allowed if the ball breaks during the game.
If a player stops the game due to a broken ball that is actually not broken, the player will still lose the rally.
If a player makes an appeal that the ball is broken and the ball is indeed broken, the referee will allow a let before the start of the new rally.
If both players and the referee agree that the ball needs to be changed, then the ball will be replaced.
When the ball is replaced, players are allowed to warm it up before resuming the match.
The ball should not be removed from the court; it must stay in the court at all times.
A let is allowed when the ball becomes wedged in the court.

Appeals

During the rally, any player has the right to halt play and make an appeal against a missed call by the Marker by using the phrase “Appeal, please”.
The player who loses a rally is allowed to contest any call or lack of a call by the Marker by using the phrase “Appeal, please.”
If there is a need to appeal the final rally of a game, the appeal must be made immediately after the game ends.
Appeals regarding anything that happened before the serve are not permitted after the ball has been served, except for a broken ball.
In all cases, the decision made by the Referee is absolute and cannot be disputed.

Rules of Doubles Squash

Game

Double squash must be played between two teams, each having two persons.

Scoring

When a team wins a rally, they receive 1 point.
If the serving team wins the rally, they continue to serve for the next rally.
If the receiving team wins the rally, they become the new serving team for the next rally.
Each doubles squash game is played until 11 points, even if the score reaches 10-all.
When one of the teams wins the best of 3 or 5 games, they win the squash match.

Officials

Same as in singles squash

The Warm-up

Before the start of the game, each team has a warm-up period of 2 minutes.

Squash Serve Rules

The team who wins the racket spin serves first.
Each team must declare its order of serving. The order cannot be changed during the match.
The first server of the serving team serves until commits a fault. The first server serves from alternate service courts.
When the first server loses the rally, the second server of the team serves.

The Play Rules

Same as in singles squash

Direct Access

A let is allowed when the previous striker’s partner made a considerable effort to avoid interference.
If either player does not attempt to avoid interference, the striker’s team is awarded a stroke.

Squash Racket Swing Rules

A reasonable swing is defined the same as in singles squash.
The striker’s team may receive a stroke if the ball is positioned so close to the previous striker’s body that they cannot hit the ball.
A let is allowed when the previous striker’s partner had no time to avoid interference but was making a considerable effort to do so.

Excessive Swing

Same as in singles squash

Striking the ball on any part of the wall

A striker can request a let if the front wall interferes with their ability to strike the ball, and they refrain from hitting it.
A let is allowed when the previous striker tried to avoid the interference.
A stroke is awarded to the striker when the previous striker did not try to avoid the interference.
A let is allowed when the previous striker’s partner did not have time to avoid interference but tried to do so.
No let is applied when the referee considers that the striker could have hit the ball to the front wall.
A let is allowed when the ball would have hit first a side wall and then a non-striker before reaching the front wall.

Squash Turning Rules

Same as in singles squash

Ball Hitting A Player

When the ball strikes a non-striker, their racket, or clothing while traveling towards the front wall, play must stop. The following rules apply:

In case of an unsuccessful return, the non-striker’s team wins the rally.
If the return would have been successful, a let is awarded in all cases, regardless of turning, further attempts, or balls hitting or coming from the side wall or back wall.
If the ball hits the striker’s partner on its way to the front wall, no let is permitted, and the opposing team wins the rally.

When the ball strikes a player before bouncing twice on the floor after returning from the front wall, play must come to a halt. Depending on the situation, the following rules apply:

If the ball hits the non-striker or their racket before the striker attempts to strike the ball, and no interference has occurred, the striker wins the rally, unless the non-striker was hit because of the striker’s position, in which case a let is allowed.
If the ball hits the non-striker or their racket after the striker has made one or more attempts to strike the ball, a let is allowed as long as the striker could have made a good return. Otherwise, the non-striker wins the rally.
If the ball hits the striker without interference, the non-striker wins the rally. If there was interference, Rule 8 (Interference) applies.

The Ball

Same as in singles squash

Ball Hitting A Player

Same as in singles squash

Appeals

Same as in singles squash

If you have any questions regarding the rules of squash, please don’t hesitate to ask me using the contact form below.