Looking for combo moves. 

In some sports you can think several shots or plays ahead but in squash this just isn’t the case. It’s a continually evolving game and the field is constantly changing. Even your best laid plans will need to be constantly adapted depending on how the game is unfolding and there are so many variables. One thing you can almost always do though is look ahead to your next shot based on the previous one.

Did you limit your opponent’s options? 

Anticipation isn’t an exact science. It requires you to watch the ball and the opponent and then your subconscious to instantaneously consult all of your previous experiences to create an idea of what is coming next. The result is a sense of knowing or an instinct of what will happen next.

You can also get an idea of what is coming next based on what options your opponent has available to them. Hopefully, you’ve limited their options with your previous shot, which is the key to allowing you to think in combinations of shots. If I’ve played a tight accurate Drop Shot, I can be fairly sure my opponent is not going to be able to hammer the ball deep to either side of the court. They might attempt it but it is unlikely to get to the back of the court if my ball was tight. Realistically, they’ll be forced to Counter-Drop me or if there is a bit of a gap between the ball and the wall, Lob me. I can use this information to consider my next move. With their long options reduced, I would push high up the court. If they play a Drop, I’ll be there for it. If they do go for Length, it is unlikely they’ll be able to play a great shot and so I’ll be ready to intercept and Volley any loose Length.

Perhaps you’ve played a good Lob Serve and your opponent has let it bounce in the back corner and it’s not coming off the back, so you can push forward knowing they’ll realistically have to either Boast it or dig it out with a weak Lob which you can Volley. The potential scenarios for working out combination plays are plentiful!

Thinking in Combinations

As previously mentioned, it’s the combinations you should be looking for – they come in twos. Long then Short, Straight then Cross-Court, short then long are all simple but very effective examples of shot combinations you might look for.

See if you can string two shots together to make your opponent work hard and where possible, calculate their options so that you can make your combination play stronger and more effective.