| Factor | Tennis | Squash |
|---|---|---|
| Court type | Outdoor or indoor | Indoor only (enclosed) |
| Calorie burn/hour | 400–600 kcal | 600–900 kcal |
| Intensity | Variable | Consistently high |
| Learning curve | Moderate | Moderate |
| Equipment cost | Racket + balls | Racket + balls |
| Court availability | Wide | Less common |
| Social/recreational | Very popular | Smaller community |
| Injury risk | Moderate | Higher (confined space) |
Choose Tennis when…
You want a sport you can play outdoors, enjoy a social game you can easily find partners for, want more variety of shots and strategy, or are newer to racket sports.
Choose Squash when…
You want maximum cardiovascular intensity in short sessions, enjoy tactical close-quarter rallies, or are looking for one of the most efficient calorie-burning sports available.
Gear for both
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FAQ
Which is better cardio?
Squash is one of the highest-intensity sports in terms of calorie burn per minute — it's almost constantly high-effort in a confined space with no downtime. Tennis is excellent cardio but with more natural breaks between points.
Can tennis skills transfer to squash?
Somewhat — grip, timing and court awareness transfer, but the technique is quite different. The squash court wall changes the game completely, and the swing mechanics for a smaller court need adjustment.
How big is a squash court compared to a tennis court?
A squash court is 9.75m × 6.4m — significantly smaller than a tennis singles court (23.77m × 8.23m). The squash court is fully enclosed with front, side, and back walls all in play. The tennis court is open. This means squash involves much more rapid directional changes in a smaller space, generating very high cardiovascular demand. The small court also means the ball reaches the player much faster, requiring faster reaction time than tennis.