Which side do you serve from in squash?
I · Intermediate · Scoring and serving · 1 of 5When a player wins the serve, or at the start of a game, they choose either box. While they keep winning points they must switch boxes after each one. After a let, the serve is retaken from the same box. A spin of a racket decides who serves first in the match.
How it works
- First serve of the match: "The player who wins the spin of a racket serves first."
- Choosing: at the beginning of each game and after each change of server, "the server chooses from which service box to serve".
- Alternating: "While retaining the serve, the server must serve from alternate boxes."
- After a let: the same box again.
- Later games: the winner of the previous game serves first, since the winner of a rally serves next.
- Unsure: the marker tells the players which is the correct box.
- A dispute: the referee rules.
- Wrong box, unnoticed: the result of the rally stands, and if the server won it they serve next from the alternate box.
- The box: a square bounded by the short line, a side wall and two other lines.
The glossary has the service box, the server, hand out, the let, the half court line and the marker.
Tricky cases
A player wins the serve back. Must they start from the right box?
No. After each change of server, the server chooses which box to start from.
A rally ends in a let. Does the server switch sides?
No. After a let the server serves again from the same box.
The server serves from the wrong box and wins the rally. Nobody notices until afterwards. Is the point replayed?
No. The result stands, and the server then serves from the alternate box.
A conduct stroke is awarded to the server between rallies. Do they change box?
No. A conduct stroke awarded after a rally has finished is added to the score with no change of service box.
Why the rule exists
Alternating boxes makes the server send the ball to both sides of the court in turn, so a receiver with a weak backhand cannot be served to on that side all game. Letting a new server pick the first box is a small reward for winning the serve back.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New server or new game | Free choice of box | WSF Rule 5.2 |
| Same server, next point | The other box | WSF Rule 5.2 |
| After a let | The same box | WSF Rule 5.3 |
| After a conduct stroke between rallies | No change of box | WSF Rule 14.10.3 |
From the rule book
World Squash Federation, Rules of Singles Squash (version 1.2.2, effective 1 September 2025), Rules 2.1, 5.1 to 5.5, 5.11 and 14.10.3. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Squash Singles Rules 2025 (PDF).