Squash was invented in England in the early 19th century. Since the 1970s, the game has reached world championship level. It has never been included in the Olympics, although it was a demonstration sport at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games. At the 2028 Summer Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles, squash will be included for the first time. This is welcome news after previous applications failed. The game’s growing popularity globally, and investment in the sport have helped to end the long wait to join the Olympics.
What is squash?
Squash is a racket sport where two players compete on a rectangular court enclosed by four walls. The racket is a more elongated oval than a tennis racket which is more of a circular oval. The players stand on either side of a center line and take turns to hit the squash ball made from rubber at the forward wall.
In the U.S., Americans are gearing up to bet now on the Summer Olympics to be held in Paris. They may not be able to bet on squash this time but they can bet on a wide variety of other sports.
How to play
At the start of a point, one player must serve from the service box and strike the ball between the service line and the out line on the front wall. It must land on the opposite side of the court between the back wall and the half-court line. The players can strike subsequent shots off any wall provided the ball hits the front wall between the tin and the out line before hitting the ground. The ball must only bounce once on the ground before a player returns it.
The winner of a rally receives a point and the next serve. The first player who gets to 11 points by two clear points wins the game. The first player to win three games takes the match. Many squash players play it purely for entertainment. A couple could spend a fun night playing squash together.
Best squash players
Egyptian players have dominated squash in recent years. Nour El Sherbini has won seven women’s world titles over the past eight years. Egyptian world number two, Nouran Gohar, was the athlete representative at the official presentation which resulted in the inclusion of squash in the 2028 Olympics. Four of the world’s top five women in the rankings are Egyptian. Amanda Sobhy, of Philadelphia, is the top-rated U.S. women’s player and is currently ranked 5th worldwide.
Egyptian Ali Farag has won four of the last seven men’s world titles. Five of the men in the top 10 rankings are Egyptian. Diego Elias from Peru is another player to watch. Timmy Brownell of Philadelphia is the top-rated U.S. men’s player and is currently ranked 45th in the world.
Squash may not be included in the Olympics schedule 2024 but players are excited about its inclusion in 2028. Squash becoming an Olympic sport is likely to have a strong impact on the game. It will attract more participation, more investment, and increased TV coverage. While Egypt will be an obvious medal contender, seeing whether other countries put up a challenge against them will fuel some anticipation and excitement.
