Squash
A squash ball has to warm up before it plays properly — start a match with a cold ball and it barely bounces at all.
By Greg Goodwin · Published September 9, 2026 · Updated October 24, 2026
Cheat Sheet
- Squash is a racket sport played by two players in an enclosed four-walled court, where players take turns hitting a small rubber ball against the front wall.
- Unlike tennis, squash has no net — players must hit the ball above a marked "tin" line near the bottom of the front wall, and it can legally strike any combination of walls before or after hitting the front wall.
- A point in squash is won when an opponent fails to return the ball before it bounces twice, hits it out of bounds, or hits it below the tin line.
- Squash is widely regarded as one of the most physically demanding sports, combining constant sprinting, sudden direction changes, and extended rallies in a confined space.
- Despite repeated bids, squash has never been included in the Olympic Games, a point of long-running frustration within the squash community given the sport's global popularity.
- Modern squash balls are made of rubber and require warming up through play before reaching their intended bounce characteristics, since a cold ball barely bounces at all.
The 60-Second Version
Squash is a racket sport played by two players in an enclosed four-walled court, where players take turns hitting a small rubber ball against the front wall. Unlike tennis, squash has no net — players must hit the ball above a marked "tin" line near the bottom of the front wall, and it can legally strike any combination of walls before or after hitting the front wall. A point in squash is won when an opponent fails to return the ball before it bounces twice, hits it out of bounds, or hits it below the tin line. Squash is widely regarded as one of the most physically demanding sports, combining constant sprinting, sudden direction changes, and extended rallies in a confined space. Despite repeated bids, squash has never been included in the Olympic Games, a point of long-running frustration within the squash community given the sport's global popularity. Modern squash balls are made of rubber and require warming up through play before reaching their intended bounce characteristics, since a cold ball barely bounces at all.
The Long Version
A Different Kind of Racket Sport
Squash is a racket sport played by two players in an enclosed four-walled court, where players take turns hitting a small rubber ball against the front wall. Unlike tennis or badminton, squash has no net separating the players — both compete within the same confined space, taking turns striking the ball in rapid succession, which gives the sport its distinctly close-quarters, fast-paced character.
How Points Are Won
Players must hit the ball above a marked "tin" line near the bottom of the front wall, and unlike most racket sports, the ball can legally strike any combination of side and back walls before or after hitting the front wall, opening up a much wider range of possible shot angles than a flat court allows. A point is won when an opponent fails to return the ball before it bounces twice, hits it out of bounds, or strikes it into or below the tin.
An Exceptionally Demanding Sport
Squash is widely regarded as one of the most physically demanding sports in the world, combining constant sprinting, sudden direction changes, and extended rallies within a tightly confined space, placing enormous strain on a player's cardiovascular system and reflexes simultaneously. This reputation is frequently cited in comparative fitness studies ranking the physical demands of different sports.
Olympic Snubs and a Living Ball
Despite repeated bids over several decades, squash has never been included in the Olympic Games, a point of long-running frustration within the squash community given the sport's substantial global participation and competitive depth. On a lighter note, modern squash balls are made of rubber and require warming up through actual play before reaching their intended bounce characteristics, since a cold ball barely bounces at all, meaning the opening minutes of a match are partly a process of literally warming up the equipment itself.
Why People Care
As a fast, physically punishing sport with a genuinely distinct set of rules from more familiar racket sports, squash offers an accessible way to understand why it's consistently ranked among the toughest workouts in competitive sport, despite its curious absence from the Olympics.
Glossary
- The tin
- A marked metal strip near the bottom of the front wall in squash; hitting the ball into or below it results in a lost point.
- Rally
- A continuous sequence of shots exchanged between players before a point is decided.
- Let
- A stoppage of play in squash, often due to interference between players, resulting in the point being replayed.
- Boast
- A shot in squash that strikes a side wall before crossing to the front wall, often used to surprise or reposition an opponent.
- World Squash Federation
- The international governing body responsible for organizing and regulating professional squash competition worldwide.
Go Deeper
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