Don’t gift your opponent time

A foot is a huge distance in squash. A second is a long time. If you stand a foot higher up the court or hit the ball a second earlier, even a half-second, it has a huge knock-on effect and changes the pace of the game. If you hit the ball level with the T-Position, as opposed to being nearer the back of the service box, that might be the difference between catching your opponent unaware and unprepared and catching them perfectly calm and positioned on the T-Position. Both of these scenarios would lead to drastically different rallies and outcomes for you and your opponent.

Doing everything earlier or higher up the court

The big opportunity that lots of people miss on court is when their opponent plays a long shot from the front of the court. Rather than stepping forward and volleying, many will move back and let the ball bounce. Some will volley, but often they’ll do so well behind the short line and T-Position or not volley as early as they could have because they were sloppy in recovering the T-Position.

If there’s ever an opportunity to hit a shot earlier or higher up the court do it, take it. If you let the ball bounce or travel further down the court, you are allowing your opponent time. It might be a small amount but it could make all the difference. Hitting the ball an inch higher up the court might leave them with too much ground to make up. Not hitting the ball that inch higher up may result in them scraping your shot back with their frame.

If you are struggling with hitting the ball early or being ready to hit the ball early, try practicing the volley exercises below:

As with any sport or pursuit, you really need the margins in squash. Any marginal gain is worth fighting for and time and distance are the biggest of them all. Don’t allow your opponent any time you don’t have to give them – play every shot as early and high up the court as you are able to do.