Squash · Guide
How to serve in squash
One foot in the service box, hit the front wall between the service line and the out line, and land the ball in the back quarter on the other side. One serve only: a fault loses the point.
The rules of the serve
- Feet: at least one foot fully inside the service box, not touching the line.
- Front wall first: the ball must hit the front wall directly, above the service line and below the out line.
- Landing: unless the receiver volleys it, it must land in the back quarter of the court on the opposite side, behind the short line. It can hit the side and back walls on the way.
- One go: there is no second serve.
Serving faults
- A foot fault: no foot fully inside the box, or standing on the line.
- The ball hits the front wall on or below the service line, or on or above the out line.
- It hits a side wall before the front wall.
- It lands on the short line, the half-court line or anywhere outside the back quarter. The line is out.
- You miss the ball, or hit it more than once.
Which box to serve from
At the start of each game, and every time you win the serve back from your opponent, you choose which box to serve from. While you keep winning rallies, you swap to the other box for each serve. If you lose track, the marker, or your opponent in a friendly, will remind you which box you are in.
Where to aim: the three serves worth having
1. The lob serve
Hit high and soft onto the front wall so the ball climbs, touches the side wall high up near the back, and drops into the back corner. Done well, the receiver has to play it from deep in the corner, off a ball that is falling almost straight down. Too hard and it hits the back wall and sits up; too wide and it goes out above the side-wall line.
2. The hard serve
Hit firmly and lower, aimed to go past the receiver towards the back. It gives them less time, but it comes off the back wall more if it is too long.
3. The body serve
Aimed straight at the receiver's body to cramp their swing. Best used now and then as a surprise.
Club-level tip: most players serve too hard. A good lob serve that makes your opponent volley from above their head, or dig it out of the corner, sets up the rally better than a fast one.
Receiving the serve
Stand behind and slightly across from the receiving box, so you can see the ball come off the front wall. Volley it if you can: letting it reach the back corner is exactly what the server wants. A straight volley drive back down the wall is the safe reply.
Quick answers
- Where do you stand to serve in squash?
- With at least one foot fully inside the service box, not touching any of its lines.
- Where does the serve have to land in squash?
- It must hit the front wall between the service line and the out line, then land in the back quarter on the opposite side of the court, unless the receiver volleys it first. Landing on the short line or half-court line is a fault.
- Do you get two serves in squash?
- No. One serve only. A fault loses the rally and the point.
- Which side do you serve from in squash?
- At the start of each game, and whenever you win the serve back, you choose. While you keep winning rallies, you alternate boxes each time.
- Can a squash serve hit the side wall?
- Not first. It must hit the front wall directly. After that it can hit the side wall before landing.