11-Apr-08:
Chennai To Host World Doubles Championships In December
 The 2008
World International Doubles Squash Championships, which will
be staged in India in December, will be the first international
tournament to feature the new wider doubles court.
The fourth staging of the Championships, which were inaugurated in
1997 in Hong Kong, will take place at the ICL Squash Academy in
Chennai - where the 2nd World Doubles was held in 2004 - from 15-20
December.
Following a thorough review of international Doubles Squash -
initiated by a Task Force set up by Squash New Zealand - a proposal
was accepted at the 2007 WSF AGM in Bermuda to increase the width of
a Doubles court by 80cm (from 762 to 842cm).
Further rules changes were also approved, including Point-a-Rally
scoring to nine points per game (with PARS to 15 as an
alternative); removing the 'setting' requirement at the end of
games, thus making it sudden death at 8-8; the introduction
of a stroke; and the change of terminology from 'sides' to
'teams' to designate two partners.
Squash Australia also played a leading role in the appraisal, using
the new court for the first time in the nation's recent National
Doubles championships and formulating revised rules and assisting
with implementation of the changes.
The new format is being tested at the 2008 World Championships as
the sport prepares its focus on the doubles presentation at the 2010
Commonwealth Games in India.
 "The
prime objective of the new initiative is to make the elite
international doubles game more exciting for athletes and spectators
alike.
"We look forward to the Chennai presentation fulfilling our
aspirations for doubles squash, which will then be staged in this
new format two years later at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi."
WSF Chief Executive |
3rd World Doubles
2nd World Doubles |
