If you’re already a pro at playing squash, then you’re in the wrong place.If you’re an intermediate or aspiring squash player, Welcome!
f you’re thinking about getting into squash, you’re probably already focused on learning the proper techniques – Googling swing, footwork etc.
Like most beginners, you may overlook the simple things about the game while focusing on technique.One of these things is squash court sense.
As I was new to racquet sports I wanted to know something about one of the fastest racquet sports. To help me with this I decided to focus on knowing the rules and understanding the techniques.
World Squash Federation is the governing body and you can find more information here.
To help you out, I’ve listed a few things that I’ve learned about squash below.
Squash Tips For Beginners
Always keep your eye on the ball:
As a beginner this may not come naturally. Most sports will have your competitor and the ball is in front of you. Moving your head to keep an eye on the ball is essential to anticipate your competitors next shot. Of course through all this you should be in protective eyewear. The last thing you need is a hit in the eye with a ball.
Hit the ball so that it lands to the back of the court:
Hitting the ball correctly consistently requires some amount of technique many beginners lack. If the ball lands in the front of the court after you hit it, you immediately have to prepare for your competitor’s offense. Most good professional players have no problem sending shots to back of the court and will place you in a defensive position.
Keep the balls close to the wall if you can’t hit it consistently to the back of the court:
The idea here is to limit your competitor’s choices when taking a shot. Keeping the ball close to the wall is the best option if you cannot consistently hit the ball clean on both sides of the court.
Only boast when you have to:
The side walls on the squash court do not mean you should play boast shots all the time. Most good players known when to use boasts. They mainly use defensive boasts when the ball falls to the back corners of the court and use offensive boasts as an element of surprise in some cases.
Keep cross court shots to a minimum:
Taking a cross court shot means that you are hitting the ball to where your competitor is on the court. If the shot is not hard, lower wide, you may just be making things difficult for yourself. It is a lot better to put the ball down the wall while trying to keep it from your competitor.
Your serves should have variations.
Many times people playing squash forget the importance of serving. Of course serving in squash is not like tennis but you can vary the shots of keep your opponent off balance. Having one great serve is great, but it becomes less predictable with a variation.
Power serves are not for Squash:
Iif you’re not using a power serve as a variation, you're most likely wasting your energy. Overexerting yourself for one serve may result in it taking longer for you to recover which can be at your opponent’s advantage.
Limit unforced errors:
Most beginners naturally make a lot of unforced errors. They tend to serve out of the court and may hit small after making a great shot. You should bear in mind that keeping the ball in play is a good is important for winning the battle.
Calling lets when relevant:
After a few lessons and being beaten by friends, you’ll realize that you can score point without hitting the ball. If your opponent interferes with your path to the ball, calling lets when relevant puts you at a point of advantage.
Don’t stand in the way:
A major path of the game is ensuring that you’re not blocking your opponent's path. For instance, if your opponent is aiming to hit the ball off the back wall, ensure you’re not blocking the path between the ball and the wall.
The good news is, if you’re hit on a turn-around, you’ll earn a point, although the pain may be unpleasant.As with any new sport you are trying know the rules but most of all make it fun.