WORLD SQUASH NEWS

PSA To Launch New Scoring System

The Professional Squash Association will introduce a new scoring system later this year, following a decision made by the PSA Directors at a recent Board Meeting at the Tournament of Champions in New York.

This ground-breaking decision comes at a time when the men's professional scoring system - as used on the PSA world circuit for the last sixteen years - has been under scrutiny, particularly from other bodies, the media and promoters.  The decision, however, has primarily been sanctioned to enhance the playing experience of the professionals as well as the viewing experience of their fans.

The PSA Board has taken into account all possible factors in this debate, and concluded that the time for change is now warranted by what they believe will be a superior all round system.

The new system will be changed from the current 15 points per game, with a point for each rally ('point-a-rally' or PAR), to games of 11 points (PAR), with a requirement for a two clear point margin to win the game if players reach 10-all.  Matches will continue to be the best of five games.

"There has been major interest on this issue over the last few years, with other Associations wanting a scoring harmony in the professional divisions, promoters wanting a system which they consider is more attractive to their customers, and broadcasters (and now possibly streaming) wanting a more abbreviated game to suit the 'one hour' viewer attention span," said PSA Chief Executive Gawain Briars.

"The level of input and ideas for various different codes have been enormous over this time, and I have spent many hours consulting with the joint WSF/PSA/WISPA Task Force on this matter alone over the last eighteen months," Briars added.

"The point a rally system to 15 points has served the men's professional game well over the years - although alongside its promoted strengths, there have inevitably been criticisms of its weaknesses.

"Whilst this marks a substantial percentage reduction in the potential time for matches, the drop to 11 points, from 15, is not too great to diminish the core traditions of our game in relation to stamina and fitness," Briars explained.  "By staying with point a rally we also maintain the important precedents of continuous momentum in games and ease of understanding to the viewer. 

"Promoters' scheduling will benefit from this change, and the wear and tear stress on players' bodies will be eased in a sport that is inexorably making more demands on bone and muscle.

"Previously, the time taken in a game to 15 to reach 10 or 11 points may have been perceived as a 'graveyard period' because of a lack of real urgency in the rallies, with the goal of 15 still some way ahead.  An 11 points target is too immediate for coasting.

"The perception of limited come-back opportunities, once a player was well ahead in a game, will also now be addressed by the reduced score target because a player will do all he can very early on in the game to avoid his opponent getting too far ahead of him.

"A  real 'sprint' to 10 may now be the prospect but, in theory, a game could continue to, say, 21-19 before its resolution;  and this continuing crisis moment from a 10-all tie should add greatly to the excitement of the viewing experience whilst reminding us that the games can still be long," Briars concluded.

In agreement with its promoter partners, PSA will pilot this new system at the Super Series Finals from the 10th to 14th May at the Broadgate Arena in London, with the intention of implementing the same at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open from 31st August to 5th September, and thereafter at all PSA world ranking events.