KEY RULESOF SQUASH 57
SINGLES
COURTSERVICE

The version of squash called 57 is played on a normal squash court•Rackets: the 57 racket is about 20% shorter than a squash racket
Balls: the 57 ball is larger than a squash ball, 57mm in diameteras opposed to 40mm, and bouncier. The blue 57 ball is bouncier
than the black 57 ball

The servero has the choice of serving first from either service box and then alternates for as
long as the server is winning consecutive points
o continues serving until losing a point, after which the server, or server’s team in
the case of doubles, becomes the receivero when striking the serve must have at least 1 foot inside the service box[Note: unlike squash, the serve is not required to hit the front wall above the service line]

THE GAME, HOW PLAYED•The ball
1. before being served, must be dropped so that it bounces once
2. must be served directly onto the front wall between the tin and the out ofcourt (top) line. Failure to directly hit the front wall results in the server losing
the point immediately
3. on its return from the front wall the ball must, unless volleyed by the receiver,
fall to the floor within the back quarter of the court opposite to the service box
before hitting the back wall. If the served ball hits the back wall and the floor in
the appropriate back quarter at the same time, ie a ‘nick’, then the serve isgood•

Faultso First service: if the serve hits the back wall before hitting the floor or hits thefloor outside of the appropriate back quarter and the receiver tries to play theball then the service becomes good and the rally continues. If the receiver does
not try to play the ball/fault then the server has a 2nd serve. [Note: unlikesquash, there is a 2nd serve in 57]
o Second Serve: if a fault then this is now immediately a ‘double fault’o In summary a service is a fault if:▪ The ball is not dropped/thrown to the floor before serving▪ The server foot faults▪ The served ball does not land on the floor in the appropriate quarter▪ The served ball hits the back wall before the floor

KEY EQUIPMENT DIFFERENCES, 57 TO SQUASH

Played by two players using 57 rackets and a 57 ballSCORE
A match is usually best of 5 games, though best of 3 can be played too. Each gameuses point-a-rally scoring up to 11 or 15 points. When the game score is tied, at 10-10
or 14-14 respectively, a player/team must win by two clear points

POINTS, HOW SCORED
The winner of each rally scores a point
A ball that hits a line is ‘out’, unlike in tennis when a ball hitting a line is ‘in’SERVER
The server, or doubles team to serve, is decided on the ‘spin of the racket’

GOOD RETURN

A return is good if the serve is returned by volley or after the ball has bounced once
onto the front wall without going out of play or hitting the tin. The good return does
not need to hit the front wall directly, it could hit side and/or back walls before
hitting the front wall

LET

A Let is an undecided rally which is re-played. Each player must make every effort toget out of their opponent’s way. If a player is inadvertently prevented from playing
the ball it is a LET unless if the hinderance is the result of a ‘poor’ shot with the ballrebounding back at/through the striker

HITTING THE OPPONENT WITH THE BALL

If an otherwise good return, before reaching the front wall, hits the opponent then:o If the ball would have struck the front wall directly then the striker wins therally
o If the return would not have been good, the striker loses the rallyo Otherwise it’s a let and the point is replayed
If the ball hits the opponent after hitting the front wall then the player who has been
hit loses the point

RETURN OF SERVE & SUBSEQUENT PLAY
After a good service has been delivered, the players strike the ball alternately until
one fails to make a good return

DOUBLESTHE GAME, HOW PLAYED
Played by 2 teams of 2 players

SERVER
Each team nominates its server for the first game. That player serves for the whole of game one and game three ina five-game match. The other player serves for game two and game four (if played). In the final game (3rd or 5th)
when the first side's score reaches 5 if playing up to 11, or 7 if playing up to 15, the server changes for both teams
Player 1ServerRETURN OF SERVICE & SUBSEQUENT PLAY
At the beginning of each game, each team decides which one of its players to receive service in the right-handservice court and which in the left-hand service court for the whole of that game. When the ball is being served,
only the Receiver may stand in the service court opposite the server. The order of striking shall be: Server,Receiver, the Server's partner, the Receiver's partner and so onLET
If a player is hindered by their own partner, there is no let and the rally is lostThe striker ofthe ball mustthen get out of
the way of theother 3 players

Player 3

Player 4

Player 2
Receiver