World Premier Squash will be unlike anything the sport has seen before: a competition which uses AI to test skills, unite pros and amateurs and promote the game all over the world.
Described by World Premier Squash's Sports Commissioner Saurav Ghosal as 'X Factor meets Squid Games', the competition's aim is to unite the squash ecosystem into one space, make the sport socially engaging and raise its profile as we count down to LA 2028.
World Premier Squash participants simply download an app, head to their local club, point their camera at the court, and complete a set of skills challenges and condition games in timed format.
The AI technology will instantly assesses the player's performance under several different metrics. It then gives the player a rating and automatically places them in a live global leaderboard in real time. Videos don't need to be uploaded and sent by the user; they are captured automatically.
The solo challenges include figure of eight volleys, straight drives and three-wall boasts.
The condition games include a back court game, three-quarter game and diagonals.
Players will complete several sets of each challenge, each lasting 60 seconds. By tracking the ball, the AI will automatically judge accuracy, speed, consistency and other parameters (e.g. in the condition games, metrics include getting back to the T in-between shots).
Launching in May, the competition will build up to a Grand Final, to take place in person in an as-yet unspecified location. It will feature 24 players, eight of whom will be elite current professionals, with the other 16 open to any competitor worldwide. All finalists will get an all-expenses paid ticket.
The two winners (one man, one woman) will receive a prize which Squash Player is not permitted to reveal, but suffice to say left us open-mouthed. It is most certainly worth competing for.
World Premier Squash has been developed by Indian firm League Sports Co, who fuse sport and advanced technologies to create sports entertainment content. The company is backed by India cricket legend Virat Kohli, who is the third most followed athlete on social media, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Around three years ago, League Sports Co started testing the technology using beer pong and 10-pin bowling. Squash, being a bit more fast-paced, chaotic and nuanced, took a bit more time to develop. But it's now ready for May's big launch.
What could make World Premier Squash a real asset to the sport is the vast database of content it will produce.
Ghosal, former world no.10 and one of the most respected figures on the PSA Tour, explained to Squash Player how it will utilise that content to grow squash's profile.
Ghosal during the 2022 Commonwealth Games
"When an amateur player hits a three-wall boast into the nick, usually no-one sees it," he said. "But with this technology, those shots get automatically uploaded into a crowd server and the AI is able to judge when an anomaly has taken place — something cool or unusual.
"It recognises a flat roller nick or a combination of very good drives, or a figure of eight with 50 shots in a minute.
"Mostafa Asal can do those numbers, but what if a random dude in Ontario does it too!"
These anomalies — when clipped into short, snackable, attention-grabbing videos — will be shared on social media, propelling the sport on to the timelines of the non-squash playing public.
It's also hoped that World Premier Squash will bring the amateur squash community closer to the professional game.
As Ghosal explained: "That random guy in Ontario might be part of a club league, but may have no connection to the PSA or wider squash community.
"The idea is to get these people into the ecosystem. It can unify and consolidate the entire sport into one space, and at the same time make squash socially engaging and relevant, so people can watch the sport through a social and entertainment lens and even start to play themselves.
"Thankfully, PSA and World Squash shared our vision that this could be something that helps grow the footprint of the sport in a different way, that complements what they're doing in the build-up to the Olympics."
Beta testing of the World Premier Squash platform begins on 15 April, with the skills challenges and condition games launching in May. The in-person Grand Final will take place in the first week of August.
Users will be able to use the app for free. Those wanting eligibility to qualify for the final must pay $3.99 for the season.
