World Squash Day brings celebrations across Australia and the globe

World Squash Day 2022 will bring colour and excitement to the game all over the globe today, Saturday 15 October, as a number of initiatives to promote the sport take place in Australia and internationally.

Multiple events are taking place on every continent as clubs and federations get creative in a bid to attract a new generation of players to the sport.

In Australia, Squash and Racquetball Victoria is holding a Celebrity Challenge in Melbourne to raise the profile of the sport.

Squash Australia CEO Robert Donaghue will be taking to the court at Melbourne Squash and Aquatic Centre to play former Test cricketer David Hussey, who now coaches Melbourne Stars.

"World Squash Day is a great opportunity to celebrate and promote our sport, getting the squash community together to showcase how squash truly is a sport that can be played by anyone, anytime," Donaghue said.

Other celebrities in action include comedian and TV personality Dave Hughes, Celebrity MasterChef George Calombaris, Olympic badminton player Gronya Sommerville, former AFL player and mental health advocate Mark Eustice, 3AW Weekend Breakfast presenter Darren James, and House of Representative member Peta Murphy MP.

Australian star Rex Hedrick and Adrian Waller of England will be playing an exhibition match and former women’s world champions Sarah FitzGerald and Cassie Thomas will also be in action.

Karl Mayne, General Manager of Squash Victoria, said: “After a difficult few years for the sport, we hope the day will bring joy to our community and help raise the profile of the game, one that was much loved by Australians during the 70s-90s, and we are committed to returning its position as one of the premier sports in Australian culture.”

Daisy Hill Squash Club is another of the organisations holding special events for World Squash Day. The club is partnering with Zephyr Education, a Brisbane-based charity helping children whose lives and education have been disrupted by domestic violence.

Club owner Brad Hindle, a former professional on the PSA World Tour, said: “A lot of Zephyr’s work is to encourage children to live healthy lives through sport and we are pleased to offer our total support.

“We are launching our fund-raising with a Poker Night followed by a day of squash activities and social functions.”

Read the full preview of the World Squash Day celebrations across the world on the World Squash Federation website.