Squash

The game credited with more on-court heart attacks than any other, is in fact one of the most strategic racquet sports ever invented.

Origins

It originated in the 19th century at Harrow School, in London and the first recorded construction of purpose-built squash courts was at Harrow in the 1860s. The game remained cloistered in English schools and universities until the early part of the 20th century, when the young men who had played it began to institute courts in private clubs (such as the Royal Automobile Club in London) and it became a craze with officers in the British armed forces.

Fascinating facts

  1. Squash continued almost exclusively as the game of the upper classes until around the 1950s, when the sport underwent a popularity boom, with participation peaking around the early 1980s. Despite a downturn in player numbers, the game remains popular in many places, especially Australia, Europe, North America and Asia.
  2. At the elite level, the game was strictly divided between amateur players (usually 'gentlemen' and 'ladies') and professional players, who were often coaches employed by the exclusive clubs. This division started to break down with the growth of the commercial side of the game in the 1960s, with the women's game becoming 'open' in 1973 and the men's game following suit in 1980.
  3. Jahangir Khan holds the record for unbeaten wins. His five hundred and fifty five continuous unbeaten match record will probably never be equalled today when a ten match run is considered exceptional!
  4. Australian Player Heather Bannockburn didn’t lose a squash match for eighteen years.

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