Squash vs. Racquetball — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 8, 2024
Squash uses a smaller ball and a narrower court, requiring a lightweight racquet for precise shots, while racquetball employs a larger ball and court, with a heavier racquet for powerful hits.
Difference Between Squash and Racquetball
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Key Differences
Squash is typically played on a smaller, more enclosed court with a tin (lower boundary) to define a valid shot. Racquetball is played on a larger court without a tin, providing more space for aggressive shots.
In squash, the ball is smaller and softer, which results in more strategic play due to longer rallies. In contrast, racquetball's bigger, bouncier ball speeds up the pace, allowing for more powerful shots and shorter rallies.
Squash racquets are lighter and longer, giving players better control and precision, whereas racquetball racquets are shorter and heavier to enhance power.
The scoring system in squash involves rally scoring to 11 points per game, making games typically shorter. Racquetball scoring traditionally goes to 15 points per game and allows for greater comeback potential.
Protective eyewear is mandated in racquetball due to the high-speed play and larger ball, whereas in squash, it is recommended but not always required.
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Comparison Chart
Court Size
Smaller, narrower court with a tin
Larger court without a tin
Ball
Smaller, softer ball
Larger, bouncier ball
Racquet
Lightweight, longer racquet
Heavier, shorter racquet
Scoring System
Rally scoring to 11 points
Traditional scoring to 15 points
Safety Equipment
Protective eyewear recommended
Protective eyewear mandatory
Compare with Definitions
Squash
A sport played on a four-walled court with a small rubber ball.
She spent her Saturday practicing squash to improve her backhand.
Racquetball
A game played with a larger ball and racquet inside a four-walled court.
He played racquetball competitively throughout his college years.
Squash
The specific area in which squash or racquetball is played, enclosed by walls.
They booked the court for an hour of squash to get some exercise.
Racquetball
The lower boundary marking on a squash court wall.
If the ball hits the tin, it's considered out.
Squash
To crush or suppress something.
The coach tried to squash rumors of the team's disbandment.
Racquetball
Any of the four sides surrounding the playing area in racquet sports, each serving a strategic purpose in play.
He used the back wall to rebound the ball during a challenging racquetball game.
Squash
A series of consecutive exchanges of the ball between players in a game.
The squash match featured a rally that lasted nearly two minutes.
Racquetball
Protective glasses worn to prevent injuries, especially in high-speed ball sports.
All players must wear eyewear when playing racquetball to avoid eye injuries.
Squash
Any of various bushy or vining plants of the genus Cucurbita, having unisexual flowers and fleshy edible fruit with a thick rind when mature.
Racquetball
An implement used to strike the ball in racquet sports.
Her racquet needs restringing before the tournament.
Squash
The fruit of any of these plants, eaten as a vegetable.
Racquetball
Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball on an indoor or outdoor court. Joseph Sobek is credited with inventing the modern sport of racquetball in 1950, adding a stringed racquet to paddleball in order to increase velocity and control.
Squash
The act or sound of squashing.
Racquetball
A game played on a four-walled court by two or four players who alternately hit a small rubber ball against the front wall with short-handled rackets, with play stopping if the ball bounces twice on the floor or does not reach the front wall.
Squash
Something that has been squashed.
Racquetball
(uncountable) A certain sport, similar to squash, but played with a bigger ball.
Squash
A crushed or crowded mass
A squash of people.
Racquetball
(countable) A ball used for this sport.
Squash
(Sports) A game played on a four-walled court by two or four players who use long-handled rackets to hit a small rubber ball against the front wall, with play stopping if the ball bounces twice on the floor or does not reach the front wall after a stroke. Also called squash rackets.
Racquetball
The ball used in playing the game of racquetball
Squash
Chiefly British A citrus-based soft drink.
Racquetball
A game played on a handball court with short-handled rackets
Squash
To beat, squeeze, or press into a pulp or a flattened mass; crush.
Squash
To put down or suppress; quash
Squash a revolt.
Squash
To silence or fluster, as with crushing words
Squash a heckler.
Squash
To become crushed, flattened, or pulpy, as by pressure or impact.
Squash
To move with a splashing or sucking sound, as when walking through boggy ground.
Squash
With a squashing sound.
Squash
(uncountable) A sport played in a walled court with a soft rubber ball and bats like tennis racquets.
Squash
(British) A soft drink made from a fruit-based concentrate diluted with water.
When I'm thirsty I drink squash; it tastes much nicer than plain water.
Squash
A place or a situation where people have limited space to move.
It's a bit of a squash in this small room.
Squash
(biology) A preparation made by placing material on a slide flat, rectangular piece of glass, covering it and applying pressure.
Squash
Something soft and easily crushed; especially, an unripe pod of peas.
Squash
Something unripe or soft.
Squash
A sudden fall of a heavy, soft body; also, a shock of soft bodies.
Squash
An extremely one-sided, usually short, match.
Squash
A plant and its fruit of any of a few species of the genus Cucurbita, or gourd kind.
Squash
Cucurbita maxima, including hubbard squash, great winter squash, buttercup squash, and some varieties of pumpkins.
Squash
Cucurbita argyrosperma (syn. Cucurbita mixta), cushaw squash.
Squash
Cucurbita moschata, butternut squash, Barbary squash, China squash.
Squash
Cucurbita pepo, most pumpkins, acorn squash, summer squash, zucchini.
Squash
(botany) Any other similar-looking plant of other genera.
Squash
Lagenaria siceraria (syn. Cucurbita verrucosa), calabash, long-neck squash.
Squash
(culinary) The edible or decorative fruit of these plants, or this fruit prepared as a dish.
We ate squash and green beans.
Squash
Muskrat.
Squash
(transitive) To beat or press into pulp or a flat mass; to crush.
Squash
To compress or restrict (oneself) into a small space; to squeeze.
Somehow, she squashed all her books into her backpack, which was now too heavy to carry.
We all managed to squash into Mum's tiny car.
Squash
(transitive) To suppress; to force into submission.
Squash
An American animal allied to the weasel.
Squash
A plant and its fruit of the genus Cucurbita, or gourd kind.
Squash
Something soft and easily crushed; especially, an unripe pod of pease.
Not yet old enough for a man, nor young enough for a boy; as a squash is before 't is a peascod.
Squash
Hence, something unripe or soft; - used in contempt.
Squash
A sudden fall of a heavy, soft body; also, a shock of soft bodies.
My fall was stopped by a terrible squash.
Squash
A game much like rackets, played in a walled court with soft rubber balls and bats like tennis rackets; - called also squash rackets.
Squash
To beat or press into pulp or a flat mass; to crush.
Squash
Any of numerous annual tendril-bearing trailing plants of the genus Cucurbita grown for their fleshy edible fruits
Squash
Edible fruit of a squash plant; eaten as a vegetable
Squash
A game played in an enclosed court by two or four players who strike the ball with long-handled rackets
Squash
To compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition;
Crush an aluminum can
Squeeze a lemon
Common Curiosities
Are the racquets different?
Yes, squash racquets are lighter and longer, while racquetball racquets are heavier and shorter.
What scoring systems are used in each sport?
Squash uses rally scoring to 11 points, whereas racquetball uses traditional scoring to 15 points.
Do both sports require protective eyewear?
Protective eyewear is mandatory in racquetball but only recommended in squash.
How is the ball in squash different from the ball in racquetball?
The squash ball is smaller and less bouncy, requiring it to be warmed up through play, whereas the racquetball is larger, more bouncy, and does not need warming.
Can squash and racquetball be played on the same court?
While both sports are played in enclosed courts, the dimensions and wall features differ, making them not ideally interchangeable.
Which sport is faster-paced?
Racquetball is generally faster-paced due to its bouncier ball.
Which sport has longer rallies?
Squash has longer rallies because of the smaller, less bouncy ball.
Is doubles play common in both sports?
Both squash and racquetball can be played in singles or doubles, though the rules and court usage adjust slightly for doubles.
How accessible are these sports for beginners?
Both sports are accessible for beginners, but racquetball may be slightly easier to start due to the bouncier ball and simpler scoring system.
What is the typical court size for each sport?
Squash courts are smaller, typically 32 feet long and 21 feet wide, while racquetball courts are 40 feet long and 20 feet wide.
What skills are emphasized in squash vs. racquetball?
Squash emphasizes strategic play and endurance, while racquetball focuses on power and quick reflexes.
What are the common injuries associated with squash and racquetball?
Common injuries in both sports include eye injuries, strains, and sprains. Racquetball has a higher incidence of eye injuries due to the speed of the ball.
How do the rules for hitting the ball differ between squash and racquetball?
In squash, the ball must hit the front wall above the tin and can only bounce once on the floor. In racquetball, there is no tin, and the ball can hit any combination of walls as long as it touches the front wall.
What types of shots are unique to each sport?
Squash features unique shots like the "boast" (hitting sidewall then front wall) and "drop shot" (soft shot that barely reaches the front wall). Racquetball has the "kill shot" (aimed low on the front wall to bounce twice quickly).
How does the game start in each sport?
In squash, the game starts with a serve that must hit above a service line and below the outline on the front wall. In racquetball, the serve must hit the front wall first and pass the short line on the floor.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
