Squash – Shots

Squash has different kinds of interesting shots with different strategies. In this chapter, we will discuss the shots that are used in Squash −

Straight drive

It is one of the basic squash shot where the ball has to be hit parallel and close to one of the side walls to travel deep back of the court. It is also known as the good length shot.

Boost

In this shot, the ball is hit to the side wall at an angle or to the back wall before it hits the front wall.

Volley

In this shot, the ball is hit before it touches the ground mostly directly to the strong wall.

Drop shot

In a drop shot, the ball is hit softly to the front wall to fall softly to the floor in the front corner.

Lob

Here the ball is hit softly and high on the wall with a big curve to land on the back corner.

Cross Court

The ball is hit to the front wall from the right side to the left side or vice versa.

Kill

The ball is hit hard and low to the front wall so that it won’t travel more than half court.

Trickle boost

It is like a boost shot where the ball is hit to the side wall on the front of the court. It is often disguised as a drive or drop shot.

Squeeze boost

It is a more difficult shot and very much similar to trickle boost. Here the ball is hit from the front of the court when it is very close to the side wall.

Nick

The ball is volleyed to the front wall then the junction of the side wall and floor, which is called the Nick, to give minimum or zero bounce.

Rolling nick

When nick shot is played really well, the ball rolls along the floor.

The Ramy

Here the ball bounces in to the light fittings of the room. It is also known as inadvertent foul shot.

Back wall boost

In this shot, the ball is hit moderately hard and high on the back wall so that it travels the length of the room and hits the lower part of the front wall.

Philadelphia

In this case, the shot is played diagonally upwards into the front corner which hits the front wall first and then the side wall. The ball then lobs over the court with significant spin and hits the opposite side wall at the back and then it travels parallel to the rear wall making a return very difficult.

Skid boast

This shot is played from the back corner of the court where the ball is hit high on the side wall with a small angle so that it hits the sidewall first, then hits high in the middle of the front wall and while being high in the air, it crosses the court ideally hitting the opposite sidewall and landing close to the back wall to go past the opponent.

Reverse angle

This shot is similar to a boost shot where the ball is first hit on the reverse side wall.

Mizuki

This shot is very much similar to volley but the only difference is that the ball is hit by the opposite side of the racket by using wrists which helps to change the direction of the ball.