Squash is classically a duel: one against one.
But did you know that there is also a variant for four players?
Squash Doubles (doubles) brings team spirit to an otherwise individual sport.
In North America, there is even a dedicated professional tour and extra-wide courts on which a hard ball is played.
But even here in Berlin you see four players on the court more and more often.
You can find out how this works, what rules apply and why safety is the top priority here.
How does squash work in doubles?
Similar to tennis, two teams of two players compete against each other. Unlike tennis, however, all four players are locked together in „one“ court. This makes the game extremely fast, reflex-heavy and tactically demanding.
While special, larger courts are often used in the USA and Canada, the normal singles court is usually used here in Germany. That means it gets cozy.
The tactic: left and right
As space is tight, tidiness is half the battle. The most common strategy in doubles is to divide the pages:
- The „left-wall player“: One player consistently covers the left side.
- The „right-wall player“: The partner takes the right side.
Of course, you can (and must) leave your side to help your partner if they are outplayed. But basically, this division ensures that you don't run over each other and that everyone controls their „corridor“.
The rules of the game (simplified)
In doubles, the teams take it in turns to hit the ball. It doesn't matter which of the two players hits the ball - the main thing is that it comes back to the front wall.
The serve: The order of service differs slightly from singles. If a team wins the right to serve, the first player may serve first. If the team loses the point, the right to serve changes not to the opponent immediately, but only to the second player of their own team (similar to badminton doubles in the past). Only when both players have lost their serve does the right switch to the opposing team.
The counting method: Classic doubles is often played until 15 points is played (best of 5). If the score is 13:13 or 14:14, there are special decision rules (e.g. „set to 3“ or „set to 5“) that extend the game.
Safety first: Lets and Strokes
We cannot emphasize this often enough: Safety is the be-all and end-all with doubles. With four people on around 60 square meters, rackets and a fast ball, the risk of collisions is significantly higher than in singles.
Therefore Sportcenter Wittenau:
- Better one „Let“ too many: If you have even the slightest doubt as to whether you can hit without hitting an opponent or partner stop immediately! Play the rally again (let). In the recreational area, almost every obstruction should be counted as a let to avoid injuries.
- Safety goggles are mandatory: We strongly recommend that for doubles (as well as in general) a Squash goggles to wear. A bat or ball in the eye can end badly. You can buy glasses from us at Counter borrow or buy.
Conclusion: chaotic fun
Doubles squash on a normal court is not for the claustrophobic, but is great fun for experienced players who want to test their reflexes. It is less running-intensive than singles, but requires lightning-fast reactions on the racket.
Our tip: If there are four of you but you've never played squash before, why not book two courts next to each other or try your hand at our Badminton courts. But if you are an experienced squash player looking for a new challenge: give it a try - but watch out for your fellow players!
Do you have any questions about equipment or booking? Our team on site will be happy to help you.
See also:
- Squash etiquette: the do's and don'ts on the court
- Understanding squash balls: What the colored dots mean
- The right shoes: Squash
- The basic rules of squash - simply explained for your start
- Tennis, badminton or squash: which sport suits you best?
- Squash rackets: rent or buy?
- Squash: Dominate the „T“