You may only get one chance

Being behind your opponent when they are on the T-Position is rarely an advantage on the squash court. Occasionally you might come up against a player who is vulnerable to short shorts from the back but generally you want to spend as little time as possible in the backseat. Against most players, the longer you spend behind them, the more your chances of winning the rally will diminish. Some players will also punish you after getting just one opportunity to get in front of you, so you need to make sure you reclaim the T urgently.

Using height to evade your opponent

The best option for getting the ball is usually to hit a high and slow lob shot. The height will provide you with the length to get the ball to the back of the court and also help you to evade any volleys. The slow pace will also give you the time required to get out of the back corner and back into a more promising position. It may even surprise an opponent as most matches are typically played at a fast pace and this change in rhythm may cause your opponent some difficulties. You have to make sure you get enough height though, as many players attempt lob shots from the back but don’t actually get the required height to get their opponent off the T-Position.

In order to get more height, you may need to open your racket face further, lift the ball more or get yourself lower so you can get underneath the ball.

Positioning and footwork is also very important. Check out our video below and our post on some of things you might do with your feet to help your shot.

Going short to go long

You may also seek to play a boast if your opponent is deep or you are struggling to get the ball straight, ideally a two-wall boast, but you need to ensure that whatever it is you do, you are looking to get back in front immediately. After playing the boast, you’ll need to be looking to press high up the court quickly so that you can play a long shot, either on the volley or in response to a short shot, to trap your opponent behind you in the back.

The message is simple; if you are in the back corner act swiftly and decisively to get yourself back in front before your opponent gets any opportunities to attack you – they may only need one. Look for the lob primarily and if not an attacking two wall boast with a view to playing long with your next shot to take back the T-Position.