What happens if the ball hits my opponent?
Rule- England
- England Squash
- World Squash Singles Rules
- Club squash
- Open age
- 2026/27
- Players
Play stops. Under Rule 9, the outcome depends on where the ball was going and whether the striker had turned.
Ball hits the non-striker on its way to the front wall:
| Situation | Decision |
|---|---|
| The return would not have been good | Non-striker wins the rally |
| Going directly to the front wall, first attempt, striker had not turned | Stroke to the striker |
| Would have hit another wall first, striker had not turned | Let, or a stroke to the striker if it would have been a winning return |
| Striker had not turned but was making a further attempt | Let |
| Striker had turned | Stroke to the non-striker, unless the non-striker deliberately moved to intercept the ball |
Ball hits a player after rebounding off the front wall (before its second bounce):
- Hits the non-striker before the striker has attempted to hit it, with no interference: the striker wins the rally, unless the striker's own position caused it, when a let is played.
- Hits the non-striker after the striker has made an attempt: let if the striker could have made a good return, otherwise the non-striker wins.
- Hits the striker, with no interference: the non-striker wins the rally.
If a player hits the opponent with the ball, the referee must also consider whether it was deliberate or dangerous.
Added 21 Oct 2026