Smash Serve
Serve | Lob Serve | Smash Serve | Body Serve | Backhand Serve
The Smash Serve is when the ball is served hard and low, just above the serve line, so that it crashes into the side wall and bounces twice before the back wall.
When executed well, it can deprive an opponent of the chance to Volley and the pace of it can immediately panic an opponent, as it’s not always easy to control such a venomous Serve.
You just have to be careful when playing a smash serve that you don’t overhit it, as it’s easy to become careless and hit a Smash Serve which comes rebounding off the back wall, allowing an easy Return for the opponent. You should also make sure that you’re not hitting it so fast or so loose (away from the side wall) that you don’t have time to recover the T-Position before your opponent plays their return.
Play an excellent Smash Serve in three quick steps:
- Hit the ball like a Volley – When playing a Smash Serve, hit the ball as if you were hitting a Volley. It is best to avoid going for a tennis style overhead Serve. Not only does it leave you off balance and vulnerable to a quick Return of Service, it also is rarely accurate and I’ve even known it to cause some people shoulder pains.
- Hitting the side wall – Like the Lob Serve, your Smash Serve should hit the side wall (unless you are going for a Body Serve). This can also be used to cause the ball to skid or fly horribly towards the receiver and also makes it harder for your opponent to Volley.
- Bouncing before the back wall – The ball should be bouncing twice in the back corner, creating pressure on your opponent as they realise your Serve won’t come off the back wall enough for a decent shot.
→ Check out our other related pages:
→ Recommended posts for those looking at Serve & Return of Serve:
Varying the Serve in Squash, Which side should you Serve to first?, The Importance of the Backhand Serve, Watching the ball on the Return of Serve