admin We have long abandoned our natural habitats and traded the healthy surroundings of nature for the comfort and safety of urban environments. Our lifestyles have also become a lot less healthy, which is why people spend their free time doing various activities to remedy the harmful effects that sitting throughout the day can have on our bodies. Sports are always a popular choice, but today, it can be extremely difficult to choose one and stick to it, especially when there are so many to choose from. It can be even more difficult when the differences between some of them are so subtle, that it is really difficult to differentiate between the two, just like in the case of racquetball and squash. Hopefully, after this text, you will be more informed about them, and able to choose one that is better suited to your needs and preferences. Here are some of the biggest differences.
Court
This is one thing that may cause the two sports to appear similar, but in fact, it is one of their biggest differences. While both sports are played in a confined space, there is a considerable difference in the dimensions of the courts.
A racquetball court is larger, measuring 20x40x20 feet, whereas a squash court is less roomy, with its dimensions being 21x32x15 feet. However, it is not only the dimensions of the courts that are different; another difference is what is considered part of the court –in squash, the ceiling is not considered to be a playing surface, but in racquetball, you can hit away at the ceiling all you want, it’s perfectly fine.
Ball
The untrained eye may not see a difference in the balls that are used, as they only slightly differ in diameter, but for experienced players, it appears huge. Squash balls are four centimeters in diameter, and racquetball balls measure six centimeters in diameter. Both are made from rubber, but squash balls tend to be stiffer, and the racquetball balls are a lot more bouncy.
Racket
Now here is a difference that can easily be spotted –squash rackets are longer, up to 5 inches longer than racquetball rackets (22 inches for racquetball compared to 27 inches for squash). They are also different in terms of shape; although squash rackets are longer, they feature a smaller head, bearing a slight resemblance to badminton rackets, whereas racquetball rackets have a larger, teardrop-shaped head, which can be effectively used with larger balls.
Scoring points
Racquetball rules make it quite difficult to score, as you can only win a point when it is your turn to serve, unlike squash when you can score regardless of the serve. Squash games only last nine points, and racquetball games last fifteen.
Popularity
You are also statistically more likely to come across a person playing squash than a person playing racquetball, based on the difference in popularity around the world; around 5.6 million people enjoy racquetball, and more than 20 million people worldwide play squash. Now that you have understood some of the basic differences between the two sports, you can easily choose the right one for your physique and character.
