Difference Between Squash vs Racquetball
Today’s post is all about helping you to identify the difference between squash and racquetball. These two highly popular games are often mistaken with one another, so it is important that we identify the key areas of variation to deepen your understanding of how each game works.
By the time you get to the end, all of your questions will be answered, and all that there will be left to do is to decide which of the two games you want to play more! Read on for everything you need to know.
Definition of Squash
Squash is a sport played by two people in a four-walled court featuring a racket and a small hollow rubber ball.
Although the individual description of each game is somewhat limiting when it comes to determining what the exact differences between them are, we find the variations largely in the technicalities involved in both how they are played and the equipment used to play them.
One such technicality comes down to the ball used to perform squash, which is small and hollow and rubber. Alternatively, the type used for racquetball is solid. Another difference can easily be observed when looking at the rackets too; a squash racket is larger in diameter and length.
On balance, a racquetball racket is shorter and stubbier. The court sizes vary greatly too as squash courts measure roughly in the region of 32×21 feet with a height of 20 feet while a racquetball court is around 40×20 feet with no definite height cap on the ceiling.
A ceiling of some kind must be present as this is a feature in the rule books of each respective game. With squash, you are not allowed to bounce the ball off the roof, but you are allowed to in racquetball.
We will now dive further into the exact definition of racquetball to help you separate the variations between squash vs racquetball further.
Definition of Racquetball
Racquetball is a two-person game featuring a short-handled racket and involving a hard ball, which is used in a four-walled court.
The definition above does not state much to help us separate the two games aside from the type of ball used, but as we have already discovered, there are several technicalities involved in each respective game that establish them as being significantly different from one another.
Elaborating further on that train of thought, the points systems used to grade performance in each game is also contrasting. Squash is scored anywhere from 9 to 11 points per match depending on whether it is professional or amateur, and racquetball is scored up to 15 points.
The manner in which the ball is served is different in either game too. In squash, the ball is hit with a swift and sweeping backhanded movement, but in racquetball you will see it being served with an arcing underhand movement.
While it can certainly be hard to tell the difference between racquetball and squash simply by reading their definitions, once you have started to analyse how each game is played, it becomes very easy to distinguish one from the other.
Main Differences Between Squash vs Racquetball
In this section, we are going to provide you with a quick reference table that will serve to refresh your memory any time you find yourself lost about the variations between the two disciplines.
| Basis of Comparison | Squash | Racquetball |
| Racket type | Large and long stemmed | Shorter and stubbier |
| Points per game | 9–11 | 15 |
| Is the ball allowed to hit the ceiling? | No | Yes |
| Ball type used | Small and hollow | Large and solid |
| Court size | 32×21 feet | 40×20 feet |
| Ball diameter | 1.59 inches maximum | 2.25 inches |
The above key variations summarise the primary differences between each game.
Difference Between Squash and Racquetball: Conclusion
We hope that after reading through today’s post you can now easily determine the variations between racquetball vs squash and that you understand fully exactly what it is that makes each game unique.
Once you have dived deeper into the details involved in how each game is played and the equipment used, it fast becomes apparent that they are worlds apart. With that said, either game is certainly challenging and entertaining.
