Used to be a popular sport in Singapore late 70s to late 80s - top local players such as Venkatesan Gopal, Jeremy Yeo, Mah Li Lian, Zainal Abidin, Peter Hill, Stewart Ballard and Tracy Oh.
Now it is dead or dying. Used to play. Actually saw Qamar Zaman play.
Not only dead or dying in Singapore but all over the world as well.
Why?
Not an Olympic sport. No associated glamour.
For Singapore, badminton used to win honours for the country - then swimming. Now table tennis - at Olympics.
Enclosed court allows narrow viewing angle through glass back wall. Not a good spectator sport.
Severely limits number of people who can see the game live. Cannot get big sponsors like tennis or football or golf.
Intrinsically dangerous - unlike tennis or badminton, squash players are not separated by a net. Any player who has been accidentally smashed by the other player's racket will know this. If you wear glass spectacles, you can be blinded.
Cooped up in a small court and breathing all the air that is not well ventilated.
Is physically very taxing.
Locally there is a decrease in squash court facilities; many demolished - logical since the sport is dead or dying.
Young generation no longer interested in this.
More alternative sports facilities for newer sports like ice hockey and sea sports.
Not associated with upward mobility - unlike golf or yachting.
Now it is dead or dying. Used to play. Actually saw Qamar Zaman play.
Not only dead or dying in Singapore but all over the world as well.
Why?
Not an Olympic sport. No associated glamour.
For Singapore, badminton used to win honours for the country - then swimming. Now table tennis - at Olympics.
Enclosed court allows narrow viewing angle through glass back wall. Not a good spectator sport.
Severely limits number of people who can see the game live. Cannot get big sponsors like tennis or football or golf.
Intrinsically dangerous - unlike tennis or badminton, squash players are not separated by a net. Any player who has been accidentally smashed by the other player's racket will know this. If you wear glass spectacles, you can be blinded.
Cooped up in a small court and breathing all the air that is not well ventilated.
Is physically very taxing.
Locally there is a decrease in squash court facilities; many demolished - logical since the sport is dead or dying.
Young generation no longer interested in this.
More alternative sports facilities for newer sports like ice hockey and sea sports.
Not associated with upward mobility - unlike golf or yachting.
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