Crosscourt shots can be an effective tool to put pressure on an opponent, provided they’re played at just the right moment and with precision. If an opponent anticipates that you will cross court they could move into position to counter you quickly.
When playing a deceptive backhand crosscourt shot, the head and neck should remain parallel to the front wall throughout its downswing and contact point.
Frontcourt
Front court shots can have an immense impact on a game when played at just the right moment. They can create opportunities or break deep drives; however, in order to use them effectively it is essential that certain key factors such as positioning, timing and power are taken into consideration.
Prior to hitting a crosscourt shot from the front court, it’s essential that you position yourself. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and that your non-dominant foot is placed forward of the front wall – this will help you maintain balance and stability as you use your dominant hand to strike the ball.
Once in position, the next step should be deciding how hard you want to hit the ball. For best results, aim for something slightly harder than usual when performing forehand straight drive as this allows the shot to bounce off the front wall and travel further than normal – however be wary as hitting harder results in less accuracy than needed.
Remember when hitting a crosscourt shot from a short distance away, the height of the front wall can have an enormous effect on its trajectory. Therefore, it’s vital that you experiment with different height settings until finding one which works for you; aim for where the floor and sidewall intersect for best results.
If you want a more defensive option, dropshot can be an excellent way to disrupt and unbalance an opponent. Furthermore, it makes responding to boasts from behind more challenging as it prevents them from hitting deep drives.
A good squash player will be able to anticipate your shots and use their speed advantage against you. If you are unable to handle their front court shots, winning could become much simpler for them; therefore, ball feeding drills for front corners and practice of lateral movements and split-steps is necessary for improving agility on court quickly.
Backcourt
Backcourt shots should only be played when an opponent has enough time and reaction ability to either hit a lob (if they’re on the T), or drive straight (if they’re behind it and not fully attacking). When faced with this scenario, crosscourt shots may be effective as it forces your opponent to change direction by forcing a change. It’s essential that enough width is covered without going too high as otherwise your opponent could easily volley it back down onto their side of the court!
Play a boast from the back corner for another effective way of keeping your opponent guessing and pulling them out of position. This tactic works best when your opponent is on their backhand side of the T, not fully attacking, though you could also employ it from forehand if given the chance.
One of the best ways to hone your backcourt shots is through practice sessions with a partner and trying to hit as many during matches. This will familiarize yourself with different kinds of shots and their respective speeds before seeing how advanced players or professionals use these types of shots during games. Additionally, watching advanced players or professionals is also helpful for developing these abilities.
Focus on perfecting your timing when practicing and hitting each shot as close to the walls as possible for optimal accuracy. In matches, try being more aggressive and scoring points quickly for maximum points gained.
Squash balls don’t tend to bounce very high, making it challenging to retrieve missed shots if an opponent jumps up and intercepts it. To retrieve successfully, it is important to get into a squat-like position; although this may prove challenging at first, doing this is essential if you wish to improve your squash game and increase scores.
Sidewall
The sidewall boast is an effective shot that makes your opponent work harder, perfect when reaching the back wall from the front corner is difficult or when needing to save a tight game point with a defensive, lobbed shot that still challenges their opponent.
Attaining maximum height, hitting the ball just under the service line should give enough elevation to send it deep into the back corners. A strong backhand is best used as it grips the tin while its wrist controls its flight path.
Practice this shot by striking it from one of the back corners to the other and hitting it backwards; this will provide an idea of its distance and how much power is necessary to strike it correctly.
One effective method for honing this shot is hitting flat and short volleys from one back corner towards the opposite back corner, so that you can gauge how much pressure to apply on an opposing player while finding your place on court for crosscourt shots.
One of the most frequent mistakes players make when trying to play crosscourt tennis is hitting it too wide, causing it to strike against the front wall and bounce up high, or roll into the center of the court and give your opponent an opportunity to intercept it.
Some players also tend to hit shots too ‘front-on,’ meaning their bodies face the front wall when hitting it, which makes the shot difficult as your hips and torso will no longer engage properly with it.
Too often, players do not hit this shot with enough power, making sure it hits one of the back walls at its desired distance. It is vital that this shot be struck with sufficient force in order to achieve desired distance from one of these surfaces.
Back corner
While many players would rather avoid this shot, dedication and perseverance in learning it will pay dividends. A strong back corner shot gives you control of the match and allows for powerful winning shots to be set up. The key to hitting successful back corner shots is using your wrist correctly – delaying shots for optimal angles with bent knees should produce successful shots; hitting hard enough but not too hard will reduce chances of blocks or returns on shots that are hit back to you.
Players should be able to move laterally with ease, so drills that focus on lateral movements and split steps are crucial. Furthermore, practicing different types of shots from the back wall is key in developing an adaptable game; depending on your circumstances this might involve hitting boast shots, drop shots or lobs.
When hit into the front corner, playing cross court shots to gain space and put pressure on your opponent is an effective strategy to gain advantage. Playing these cross-court shots gives you better positioning on the T, while decreasing their ability to volley.
Practice drills is the key to developing an effective cross-court shot from the back corner, helping players develop footwork and timing necessary for effective wrist usage. Players should aim for hitting within the green target area shown as this will give their shot more width.
Remember when practicing back corner shots that the height of the bounce can alter their direction; for instance, low balls may bounce downwards while higher ones will travel upwards. Therefore it is crucial that when practicing this shot that you experiment with various angles and speeds until you find what works for you.