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常用词：

squash 壁球

racquet/racket 球拍

front wall 前墙

side wall 边墙

service box 发球框

quarter court 后场

serve 发球

shot 击球

strike 击中

bounce 反弹

score 得分

retrieve 防守

Court

The court size was codified in the 1920s at 975 cm (32 feet) and 640 cm (21 feet) wide. The front wall has a "front wall line" 457 cm (15 feet) above the floor, connected by a raking "front" line meeting the "out" line on the back wall at 213 cm (7 feet) above the floor. The front wall also has a "service line" whose top is 183 cm (6 feet) above the floor with the "board" (the equivalent of a net) 48 cm (18.9 inches) high. The floor is marked with a transverse "half-court" line and further divided into two rear "quarter courts" and two "service boxes", as shown in the diagram above.

The traditional "American" court for the U.S. game, (now referred to as "hardball squash") is a similar size, but narrower at 18 feet 6 inches (564 cm). The floor and wall markings differ slightly from the "International" court and the tin is lower, at 15 inches (38 cm) high. However, hardball squash was replaced by softball in America as the standard version of squash and has since almost completely died out.

A "Converted Court" is the result of converting racquetball courts to squash. Racquetball courts are 20 feet (610 cm) wide and 40 feet (1220 cm) in length, so it is relatively easy to install a back wall, producing a squash court of 20 feet (610 cm) wide by 32 feet (975 cm) long.

Playing equipment

Standard rackets are governed by the rules of the game. Traditionally they were made of laminated timber (typically Ash), with a small strung area using natural gut strings. After a rule change in the mid-1980s, they are now almost always made of composite materials or metals (graphite, kevlar, titanium, boron) with synthetic strings. Modern rackets have maximum dimensions of 686 mm (27.0 in.) long and 215 mm (8.5 in.) wide, with a maximum strung area of 500 square centimetres (approx. 90 sq. in.), the permitted maximum weight is 255 grams (approx. 9 oz.), but most weigh between 110 and 200 grams (4-7 oz.).

Squash balls are 39.5 mm and 40.5 mm in diametre, and weigh between 23 and 25grams. They are made with two pieces of rubber compound, glued together to form a hollow sphere and buffed to a matte finish. Different balls are provided for varying temperature and atmospheric conditions and standards of play: more experienced players use slow balls that are smaller and have less bounce than those used by less experienced players (slower balls tend to die in court corners, rather than standing up to allow easier shots). Depending on its specific rubber composition, a squash ball may have the property that it bounces more at higher temperatures. Players tend to warm up balls by bouncing them on the ground prior to play. As a rally progresses, play is complicated as the ball usually becomes hotter and faster.

Small coloured dots on the ball indicate its dynamic level (bounciness), and thus the standard of play for which it is suited. The recognised speed colours indicating the degree of dynamism are:

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A double yellow squash ball.

• Double Yellow - Extra super slow (very low bounce)
• Yellow - Super slow (low bounce)
• Green or White - slow (average bounce)
• Red - Medium (high bounce)
• Blue - Fast (very high bounce)

Balls are manufactured to these standards by Prince, Dunlop, Pointfore, Wilson, and others. The "double-yellow dot ball", introduced in 2000, is currently the competition standard, replacing the earlier "yellow-dot" that was long considered the competition standard. There is also a high-altitude "orange dot" ball, used in places such as Mexico City, Calgary, Denver, and Johannesburg. In North America, the Dunlop "green dot" ball is often used at high altitude, as well.

Other balls available are:

• Dunlop "Max Blue" (aimed at beginners), which is 12% larger and has 40% longer "hang time" than a "double-yellow dot ball" and has "instant bounce"

• Dunlop "Max Progress" (red) (for players wishing to improve their technique), which is 6% larger with a 20% longer hang-time than a "double-yellow dot ball" and has instant bounce

Given the game's vigorousness, players must wear comfortable sports clothing and robust indoor (non-marking) sports shoes. In competition, men usually wear shorts and a t-shirt or a polo shirt. Women normally wear a skirt and a t-shirt or a tank top, or a sports dress. Towelling wrist and head bands may also be required in humid climates. Polycarbonate lens goggles are recommended, as players might be struck with a fast-swinging racket or the ball, that typically reaches speeds exceeding 200 km/h (125 mph). In the 2004 Canary Wharf Squash Classic, John White was recorded driving balls at speeds over 270 km/h (170 mph). Many squash venues mandate the use of eye protection and some association rules require that all juniors and doubles players must wear eye protection.

Play and scoring

The players usually spin a racket to decide who commences serving at the start of the match, and this player starts the first rally by electing to serve from either the left or right service box. For a legal serve, one of the server's feet must be in that box and, after being struck by the racket, the ball must strike the front wall above the service line and below the out line and land in the opposite quarter court, unless volleyed by the receiver.

The players then take turns hitting the ball against the front wall (referred to as "rallying"). The ball may be volleyed (hit whilst still in the air) or hit after its first bounce and before the second. To be considered good, the ball must reach the front wall below the "out" line and above the "board" or "tin" before touching the floor. A ball landing on either the out line or the line above the tin, contrary to tennis, is considered to be out. The ball may also be struck against any of the other three walls before reaching the front wall. Shots that are first played off the side or back walls are referred to as "boasts" or "angles".

The rally continues until a player is unable to return his or her opponent's shot or makes a mistake or a "let" or "stroke" is awarded by the referee for interference (see below).

A point is scored only by the server (when the receiver is unable to return the ball to the front wall before it has bounced twice). When the receiver wins the rally, they are awarded only the right to serve. They may choose to serve from either service box.

Games are usually played to 9 points (alternatively, the receiver may opt to call "set two" and play to 10 when the score first reaches 8-8). Competition matches are usually played to "best-of-five" (i.e., the player to win the most out of 5 games).

Alternatively, in the point-a-rally scoring system, points are scored by the winner of each rally, whether or not he or she served. Traditionally, PARS scoring was up to 15 points (or the receiver calls 15 or 17 when the game reaches 14-14). However, in 2004, the PARS scoring was reduced to 11 for the professional game (if the game reaches 10-10, a player must win by two clear points). PARS is now used on the men's Professional Tour, and the tin height has been lowered by two inches for the men's professional tournaments (these changes have been made in a hope to shorten the length of the rallies and therefore the match). The women's Professional Tour, however, still uses the original "up to 9 English scoring" and the original tin height.

In the International game, club, doubles and recreational matches are usually played using the traditional British scoring system. Scoring systems and rules can be adapted subtly to accommodate shorter game time or multiple players. The British scoring is generally used for USSRA (United States Squash Racquets Association) matches.

Strategy and tactics

The strategy of the game is to hit the ball straight up the side walls to the back corners referred to as a "rail," straight drive, wall, or "length", then move to the centre of the court near the "T" to be well placed to retrieve the opponent's return. Attacking with soft or "short" shots to the front corners (referred to as "drop shots") causes the opponent to cover more of the court and may result in an outright winner. "Angle" shots are used for deception and again to cause the opponent to cover more of the court.

A key strategy in squash is known as "dominating the T" (the intersection of the red lines near the centre of the court where the player is in the best position to retrieve the opponent's next shot). Skilled players will return a shot, and then move back toward the T before playing the next shot. From this position, the player can quickly access any part of the court to retrieve the opponent's next shot with a minimum of movement.

Rallies between experienced players may involve 30 or more shots and therefore a very high premium is placed on fitness, both aerobic and anaerobic. As players become more skilled and, in particular, better able to retrieve shots, points often become a war of attrition. At higher levels of the game, the fitter player has a major advantage.

Almost all players will fall into the following categories of style of play:

• "Retriever"- Usually a very fit player, plays patiently, can retrieve most shots hit by an opponent, but doesn't have a particularly strong attacking game.
• "Shooter" or "attacking player"- May be a patient player as well, but is more comfortable trying to hit winning shots or going for "nicks". Generally has very good shot accuracy and deception skills.
• "Power Player"- Tries to overpower their opponent by hitting the ball with extreme pace. Not known for their fitness, or patience.
• "All-Around Player"- Is comfortable playing all different styles and places, comfortable in all areas of the court.
• "Attritional Attacking"- Most professional players fit into this category, with the likes of David Palmer and James Willstrop; where they are prepared to rally down the wall, however as soon as the player leaves a loose ball inches from the side wall, they are ready to kill the ball into the nicks.

Ability to change the direction of ball at the last instant is also important to off-balance the opponent. Expert players can anticipate the opponent's shot a few tenths of a second before the average player, giving them a chance to react sooner. Such skill is usually acquired by a lot of practice and game experience.