Aggressive opponents on the squash court can make your life uncomfortable, but if you can maintain long rallies and force them to make errors, you could gain an edge and gain an upper hand.
One effective way of doing this is lobbing your opponent; this will allow you to switch up the pace of the game and change its flow.
Hit Harder
One effective strategy for beating an aggressive opponent is keeping up a fast pace, which will tire out their body and force mistakes from them. Maintaining this pace also makes it harder for them to play defense, giving you more chances to score goals. But this requires energy and strength from you as it requires strong fitness levels in both parties involved.
Maintaining an even quicker pace can also be accomplished by switching up your style of play. For instance, starting off playing defensive and switching midgame to offensive can throw your opponent off guard and give you the opportunity to score points and take control of the match.
Another way to play more aggressively is to hit the ball harder, whether by using more power or shortening your stroke. Be wary of hitting too softly as this allows opponents to return fire easily.
As part of an attack, it is also key to strike tight shots when attacking. This forces your opponent to use more speed and power when returning the ball, leaving them more exposed against a counter-attack. Hitting full shots also prevents your opponent from spinning off excessive amounts of spin on the ball making it easier for you to take your shot away quickly.
Length shots are an effective way to play more aggressively. These are shots that reach into the back corners, an area which often determines which teams win their matches. The world’s greatest players know how to control this area known as the T-position, where center line meets line dividing two back corners of court.
To increase aggression when attacking more effectively, it is beneficial to practice volleying. Although often forgotten about, volleying can be an extremely effective means of attacking an aggressive opponent and it should be practiced using various techniques like jumping and landing as part of your routine.
Move Faster
Squash is one of the fastest racket sports, and requires players to move quickly around the court. If you can keep your opponent off balance by altering their pace of play – perhaps starting slowly before abruptly increasing it – they will find it much harder to return any shots back at you. One way of accomplishing this would be varying your pace – for instance by starting slowly before suddenly speeding up as needed.
Another effective strategy for increasing pace is incorporating various shots into your game. A boast shot, for instance, can help move an opponent back and forth across the front court of the court, forcing them to make quick decisions while also helping you get more balls into the back corners.
Altering your tactics throughout a match can be an excellent way to force your opponent on the back foot and gain an edge in the match. By shifting midgame from volley-focused strategy to offensive one, you may force them to adjust their game plan and gain significant advantage in your favor.
As well as diversifying your shots, it is also crucial to be mindful of all of the angles on a squash court. Experienced players know how to use corners, the joints between walls and sidewalls strategically while moving quickly back onto their Ts after returning a shot.
A good squash player will always look for ways to create angles and stretch their opponents, using an understanding of court dimensions and learning how to place your racquet to exploit these angles will give them an edge in any match. As is true with all sports, staying mentally tough in squash is also essential; staying focused, controlling emotions, and maintaining confidence will all help put them in charge and increase chances of winning.
Make Unexpected Shots
Play unexpected shots to make your opponent work hard on their own and gain an advantage in rallies. For instance, if they have been making hard, low, tight hits during a rally you could turn the tables by throwing long lob shots – these forces them to move across most of the court in order to return it, giving you an advantageous defensive position.
Lob shots require good technique and timing, but the effort required to hit it at such an altitude over your opponent can often distract them from attacking, giving you the chance to secure points more easily. Another effective strategy for making your opponent work hard is altering the tempo of play; if their play has become relaxed or passive you can add intensity by running faster, hitting harder, and hunting the volley more aggressively.
Your opponent might also be taken by surprise by changing your strategy mid-game. For instance, if they expected you to stick with a defensive strategy but you opt for a more offensive one instead, this can force them to adjust their own tactics and work even harder for points.
No matter your skill level, there is always room to improve your squash game and become an aggressive competitor. The key is learning to combine various strategies and gameplay methods into an effective winning plan against any opponent. Be patient as you focus on improving those areas that matter the most for your current skill set; otherwise sign up for our 30-min intro lesson/assessment with one of our squash coaches to find out more!
Hunt the Volley
Volleys can be an excellent way to force your opponent to rush and move around. While this might lead them to hit an inaccurate drive, sometimes it allows you to position them for a good shot.
Problematic is that most players lack volleying skill. Too often they miss badly and the ball ends up back in their court. There are ways to improve your volley, such as hitting weak straight drives crosscourt roughly an arm’s height from the floor or trying to float balls past service lines; but most important of all is just practicing more; even hitting one or two more volleys per match than last week will count as progress.
Develop an effective volley block, as that will also be helpful. A volley block typically involves taking shorter swings with firm wrists in an attempt to generate power with each opponent shot; honing this skill takes practice, drills and condition games.
Those without much time for squash may benefit from utilizing quick drills or condition games to practice this sport. Watch videos of top players on tour to observe how they use their volleys to create opportunities.
Your opponent must now decide whether or not they wish to return your volley, with any such attempt likely resulting in lost points. When competing in competitive matches, try hunting the volley; though initially difficult it will reap long-term advantages.
Keya Luta Win Hunt is currently in her 11th season as head coach of Bethel University’s women’s volleyball team and her fourth leading them into an NCAA tournament appearance. Hunt hails from Glendale, Calif. and holds dual citizenship with both Leech Lake Ojibwe and Oglala Lakota nations; playing collegiately at Pierce College before briefly serving as an assistant with Japan Men’s National Team as an assistant in 2013. In 2007, Hunt was honored as MIAC Coach of the Year after leading Bethel to their inaugural conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance – an achievement which earned her recognition as MIAC Coach of the Year honors that same year as she won her MIAC Coach of the Year title along with its inaugural conference championship and NCAA tournament berth that year as she was named MIAC Coach of Year honors after leading Bethel into its inaugural conference championship and NCAA tournament berth that same year!