ABBREVIATED RULES OF SQUASH
(based on the 2001 rules, effective 30-Apr 2001)
This abbreviated version of the World
Singles Squash Rules is to help players to understand the basics. All
players should read
the complete Rules. The Rule numbers in brackets in each heading refer
to the full Rules.
THE SCORING (Rule 2)
A match is the best of five games. Each
game is to nine points, unless the score reaches eight-all. At eight-all
the receiver (non-server) has to choose to play either to nine points
(known as "Set One") or to ten points (known as "Set Two"). (There is no
requirement that a player needs to be two points ahead to win a game).
Points are scored only by the server.
When the server wins a rally he or she scores a point; when the receiver
wins a rally he or she becomes the server.
THE WARM-UP (Rule 3)
Before the start of a match, the two
players are allowed up to 5 minutes (2½ minutes on each side) to "warm-up"
themselves and the ball on the match court.
When a ball has been changed during a
match, or if the match has been resumed after some delay, the players
warm-up the ball to playing condition.
The ball may be warmed up by either
player during any interval in the match.
THE SERVICE (Rule 4)
Play commences with a service. The
player to serve first is decided by the spin of a racket. Thereafter, the
server continues serving until losing a rally, when the opponent becomes
the server and the server becomes "hand out".
The player who wins the preceding game
serves first in the next game.
At the beginning of each game and when
the service changes from one player to the other, the server can serve
from either service box. After winning a rally the server then continues
serving from the alternate box.
To serve a player stands with at least
part of one foot on the floor within the service box. For a service to be
good, it is served directly onto the front wall above the service line and
below the out line so that on its return, unless volleyed, it reaches the
floor within the back quarter of the court opposite to the server's box.
GOOD RETURN (Rule 6)
A return is good if the ball, before it
has bounced twice on the floor, is returned correctly by the striker onto
the front wall above the tin and below the out line, without first
touching the floor. The ball may hit the side walls and/or the back wall
before reaching the front wall.
A return is not good if it is "NOT UP"
(ball struck after bouncing more than once on the floor, or not struck
correctly, or a double hit); "DOWN" (the ball after being struck, hits the
floor before the front wall or hits the tin) or "OUT" (the ball hits a
wall on or above the out line).
RALLIES (Rule 8)
After a good service has been delivered
the players hit the ball in turn until one fails to make a good return.
A rally consists of a service and a
number of good returns. A player wins a rally if the opponent fails to
make a good service or return of the ball or if, before the player has
attempted to hit the ball, it touches the opponent (including racket or
clothing) when the opponent is the non-striker.
NOTE: AT ANY TIME DURING A RALLY A
PLAYER SHOULD NOT STRIKE THE BALL IF THERE IS A DANGER OF HITTING THE
OPPONENT WITH THE BALL OR RACKET. IN SUCH CASES PLAY STOPS AND THE RALLY
IS EITHER PLAYED AGAIN ("A LET") OR THE OPPONENT IS PENALISED.
HITTING AN OPPONENT WITH THE BALL (Rule 9)
If a player strikes the ball, which,
before reaching the front wall, hits the opponent, or the opponent’s
racket or clothing, play stops.
If the return would have been good and
the ball would have struck the front wall without first touching any
other wall, the striker wins the rally, provided the striker did not
"turn".
If the ball either had struck, or would
have struck, any other wall and the return would have been good, a let
is played.
If the return would not have been good,
the striker loses the rally.
TURNING (Rule 9)
If the striker has either followed the
ball round, or allowed it to pass around him or her - in either case
striking the ball to the right of the body after the ball had passed to
the left (or vice-versa) - then the striker has "TURNED".
If the opponent is struck by the ball
after the striker has turned, the rally is awarded to the opponent.
If the striker, while turning, stops
play for fear of striking the opponent, then a let is played. This is
the recommended course of action in situations where a player wants to
turn but is unsure of the opponent’s position.
FURTHER ATTEMPTS (Rule 10)
A player, after attempting to strike the
ball and missing, may make a further attempt to return the ball.
If a further attempt would have resulted
in a good return, but the ball hits the opponent, a let is played.
If the return would not have been good,
the striker loses the rally.
INTERFERENCE (Rule 12)
When it is his or her turn to play the
ball, a player is entitled to freedom from interference by the opponent.
To avoid interference, the opponent must
try to provide the player with unobstructed direct access to the ball, a
fair view of the ball, space to complete a swing at the ball and freedom
to play the ball directly to any part of the front wall.
A player, finding the opponent
interfering with the play, can accept the interference and play on, or
stop play. It is preferable to stop play if there is a possibility of
colliding with the opponent, or of hitting him or her with racket or ball.
When play has stopped as a result of
interference the general guidelines are:
The player is entitled to a let if he or
she could have returned the ball and the opponent has made every effort
to avoid the interference.
The player is not entitled to a let (i.e.
loses the rally) if he or she could not have returned the ball, or
accepts the interference and plays on, or the interference was so
minimal that the player’s access to and strike at the ball was not
affected.
The player is entitled to a stroke (i.e.
wins the rally) if the opponent did not make every effort to avoid the
interference, or if the player would have hit a winning return, or if
the player would have struck the opponent with the ball going directly
to the front wall.
LETS (Rule 13)
A let is an undecided rally. The rally
does not count and the server serves again from the same box.
In addition to lets allowed as indicated
in the paragraphs above, lets can be allowed in other circumstances. For
example, a let may be allowed if the ball in play touches any article
lying on the floor, or if the striker refrains from hitting the ball owing
to a reasonable fear of injuring the opponent.
A let must be allowed if the receiver is
not ready and does not attempt to return the service, or if the ball
breaks during play.
CONTINUITY OF PLAY (Rule 7)
Play is expected to be continuous in
each game once a player has started serving. There should be no delay
between the end of one rally and the start of the next one.
In between all games an interval of 90
seconds is permitted.
Players are permitted to change items of
clothing or equipment if necessary.
BLEEDING, INJURY AND ILLNESS (Rule 16)
If an injury occurs which involves
bleeding, the bleeding must be stopped before the player can continue. A
player is allowed a reasonable time to attend to a bleeding wound.
If the bleeding was caused solely by
the opponent’s action, the injured player wins the match.
If the bleeding recurs no further
delay is allowed, except that the player can concede a game, using the
90 second period between games to attend to the wound and stop the
bleeding. If unable to stop it, the player must concede the match.
For an injury not involving bleeding, it
must be decided whether the injury was either caused by the opponent or
self inflicted or contributed to by both players.
If caused by the opponent, the injured
player wins the match if any recovery time is needed.
If self-inflicted, the injured player is
allowed 3 minutes to recover and must then play on, or concede a game
using the 90 second rest period between games to recover.
If contributed by both players, the
injured player is allowed an hour to recover.
A player who is ill must play on or can
take a rest period by conceding a game and using the 90 second interval to
recover. Cramps, feeling sick and breathlessness (including asthma) are
considered illnesses. If a player vomits on court, the opponent wins the
match.
DUTIES OF PLAYERS (Rule 15)
Rule 15 provides guidelines for players.
For example 15.6 states that deliberate distraction is not allowed.
Players should read this rule in full.
Some of the 8 sub-sections deal with
situations related to matches under the control of officials
(Referee/Marker). The use of officials is not covered in this abbreviated
version.
CONDUCT ON COURT (Rule 17)
Offensive, disruptive or intimidating
behaviour in squash is not acceptable.
Included in this category are: audible
and visible obscenities, verbal and physical abuse, dissent, abuse of
racket, court or ball, unnecessary physical contact, excessive racket
swing, unfair warm-up, time-wasting, late back on court, deliberate or
dangerous play or action and coaching (except between games).
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