Squash Tennis

by Richard C. Squires

FUNDAMENTAL STROKES

The Squash Tennis stroke is more closely allied to the Squash Racquets swing than to the Tennis swing.

Ground Strokes: The wrist and grip should be kept loose at all times. The grip will automatically be tightened at the moment of contact with the ball.

The forehand and backhand ground strokes should be hit with a short, snap of the wrist—as though you were cracking a whip. There is no time and no reason to employ a long, high follow-through.

The head of the racquet at the moment of impact with the ball should be slightly "open" and you should feel the gut "biting" the side of the ball. This slight side-spin cut, with the racquet head tilting back and hit like a short, chip shot, will tend to keep the ball low and inexorably "grabbing" for the floor. The spin will produce many "nicks," which are shots that hit a side wall and floor practically simultaneously and die. (See fig. 3 for position of racquet at the moment of contact with ball.)

The follow-through is low and abbreviated. The racquet head should go straight out or up the court rather than be wrapped around your body. The best way to "groove your strokes" and to keep the ball low is to consciously aim your racquet head on your follow-through at the very, top of the "telltale."

As in all racquet sports, the racquet should do the work. The ball willingly goes where the racquet head directs it. Do not flail or attempt to push your shots. Hit them crisply with the snap of your cocked wrist, and at all times attempt to regiment your swing.

Ideally your body should be out of the way, which means whenever possible on your ground strokes you should turn sideways. Your weight should shift toward the direction in which you are hitting at the moment of impact, and you should have your feet planted firmly. Because of the high velocity of the ball, however, you frequently will not have the time to turn sideways and will be required to stroke in awkward and off-balance positions. Your aim, however, is always to be in the correct position of play before the ball gets there, thus allowing time for adjustment and proper stroking. Move to your position with short, quick steps rather than long, tiring strides. Consciously maintain your weight on your toes, with the knees slightly bent. This will help you to move in any direction necessary as quickly as possible.

In following the ball around the corners, do not stand still and pivot. Go after it, again with a series of short steps with your racquet head up and cocked, and your body in proper position so that you are ready to make a quick and meaningful stroke.

Volleying or cutting off the ball before it hits the floor is similar to the tennis stroke. It calls for lightning-like reflexes and the ability to move the racquet head practically in any given direction in a fraction of a second.

The volley is a short "jab," with the racquet head traveling forward no more than, say, 24 inches. Once again, your aim should be in the direction of where you want the ball to go, and low.

The main purpose of the volley is to keep your opponent constantly on the run, moving him about, and preferably up and back, by cutting off the flight of the ball. Most players can run all day sideways, but will eventually tire if you make them run up and back. Like body punches in boxing, forcing your opponent up to the front wall with deftly placed volleys will eventually take its toll.

Miscellaneous: Generally all Squash Tennis strokes should be hit as low as possible—within a few inches of the front "telltale." This will take time and practice, but pays high dividends. A low ball invites the aforementioned nicks and keeps your opponent hurrying and scurrying. The chances are better that, when hit with the proper amount of pace, a low ball will die before it gets to the back wall.

When a ball is hugging the side wall, don't attempt to "pick" it off. It is far easier, and your percentage of success is far greater, to "scrape" the ball off with a very loose wrist. Your other alternative is to hit the ball right into the wall and hope it will angle off and travel to the front wall (see fig. 4).

Service: The proper position prior to serving is with the feet as close to the "T" as possible. This location will help you to put your service in the desired place, which is parallel to the side wall. In other words, you reduce the angle. In addition, the "center" of the court is the ideal position from which to cover your opponent's return (see fig. 5).

Since the ball must land short of the service line, it is obviously not possible to overpower your opponent for a service ace—as contrasted to the services in Squash Racquets or Lawn Tennis.

The most effective service, therefore, is hit as high as possible on the front wall to a "spot" that will place the ball after bouncing (and your opponent must wait for your service to bounce on the floor—he cannot volley it) as high and also as close to the side wall as possible. Your opponent will have a difficult time hitting the ball well because of its height and its closeness to the side wall. A great deal of practice and experimentation will be required before you discover exactly where that "spot" is, and with what degree of effort you should hit the ball.

The service is hit with a slight cut, which will usually make the ball grab the wall and hug closer. A semi-overhand, side-spin service is best employed from the right court, and a sliced underhand shot is used from the left side (see fig. 6).

For an occasional "surprise" or change of pace, you can vary the service by hitting the ball somewhat harder right at your opponent. This can be done either as a straight shot right down the middle (fig. 7) or at a sharp angle that breaks off the side wall and lands right at his feet (fig. 8).

In addition, reversed cuts can also throw your opponent off, since you can make the ball bounce off the floor in the opposite direction than expected.

Finally, the service is practically the only stroke in the game of Squash Tennis which permits you the luxury of time prior to hitting. You should, therefore, take advantage of this time to get settled, anchor your feet comfortably, pause, even take a deep breath, and concentrate on how you are going to hit the ball toward your "spot" in order to make as good a service as possible. Don't aimlessly just put the ball in play. A careless server loses many points by allowing his opponent to make an offensive return. A deliberate, concentrating, purposeful player, on the other hand, will actually win many important points with well placed serves.