Richard C. Squires

“ 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. ”

“ Squash Tennis, as with all racquet games, is a sport of momentum. Many a tide has changed, many a match won when seemingly it has been hopelessly lost. Go after every point as though you were down Match Point and had to win it. "Coasting" shatters your concentration, and lost concentration can well mean a lost match. Play to win as quickly as you can.
Finally, assume your opponent will retrieve even your best shots. Don't underestimate his ability or overestimate your shot-making prowess. Remember the speed of the ball actually gives your opponent more time to get to it. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The game of Squash Tennis has something to offer players of all ages. The demands for fast reflexes, agile racquet work and speed of foot are intriguing challenges for the youngsters. On the other hand, placement, guile, patience, and the faster ball that actually provides more time for retrieval make Squash Tennis the ideal sport for the "older" athlete who wants to preserve that straight waistline all of his life. ”

“ A well hit three-way fadeaway, which can be made either off the backhand or the forehand, is practically irretrievable since your opponent, even when he comes to realize how the ball is going to skid out straight at him, will still have great difficulty in getting his racquet head behind the ball (and in front of the back wall) to make a return. ”

“ Finally, another aspect of the game of Squash Tennis that a beginner or a converted Squash Racquets player will find "unnatural" is the necessity of immediately moving forward when you see or sense your opponent going for a sharply hit up-and-down shot, either cross court or "rail," that does not hit any of the side walls. The Squash Racquets black ball is so much "deader" that the player usually has to go back first and then forward somewhat in order to be in the proper position to hit the ball as it rebounds off the back wall. ”

“ So, we invite all racquets men, young and old alike, to accept the challenges of the fastest indoor racquet and ball game in the world. As a matter of fact, because of the speed of the ball and, consequently, the less running involved, Squash Tennis would be an excellent game for the more active distaffers.
If you are looking for a sport that you can "master" in one or two seasons then don't take up Squash Tennis. But if you are looking for an intriguing and invigorating game which you can play practically all your life, we strongly urge you to try Squash Tennis. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Employ the side walls as much as possible to keep the ball ricocheting and rocketing about the court so your opponent becomes frustrated and almost dizzy from following the flight of your angled shots. ”

“ Generally it is best when hitting any Squash Tennis shot to "hold" your shot as long as you can, thus reducing the chances that your opponent can anticipate where you are going to put the ball and start moving to position even prior to your actually hitting.
Whenever possible, shield the ball with your body so that your opponent cannot see the direction you have hit until the very last possible instant. There is nothing in the Playing Rules against blocking your opponent's view, as long as you do not interfere with his swing or with his getting into the proper position. ”

“ One of the most difficult and frustrating tasks we in the National Squash Tennis Association have in our attempts to expose the game to potential players is to somehow get a prospect out on the court more than once. Squash Tennis is a game calling for such speed of racquet and comprehensive understanding of much longer or wider angles (than Squash Racquets) that no one can really feel "comfortable" until he has been out on the court playing at least a half dozen times. ”

“ Because of the desire by the expert Squash Tennis players for more and more speed and a higher pressurized ball, a novice quickly became discouraged with his initial efforts at playing the game. For many crucial years, therefore, the game was not adopted by new players and there was no broad base of tyros. Plainly and simply the avid duffers, which every sport must have if it is to survive and retain its popularity, took up a less frustrating, easier to master sport for their exercise. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The Squash Tennis ball is so lively and the angles so wide that trying to back up usually results in the ball chasing you and at best, a defensive, awkward shot will be all you can hit. Turning, however, and moving constantly after or toward the ball will "open up the court" as well as place you in a solid, firm position to stroke the ball freely and comfortably. (See figures 21 and 22 showing a player backing up versus a player who is properly turning.) ”

“ Functioning committees were formed to create and implement workable plans in the various important areas of activity as Tournament and Ranking, Exhibitions and Clinics, Promotions and Publicity, Finance, National Development, Membership, Referees and Rules, etc. A broad base of energetic lovers of the game, with due respect for tradition, began to think in the present what could be done now to enhance the popularity of the sport, and to plan for the future. ”

“ Break up your opponent's rhythm, never allow him to get grooved, frequently do the unexpected, so that he loses confidence in his anticipation and, subsequently, goes on the defensive.
At all times be offensive. The game of Squash Tennis has known many so-called "great getters," but they invariably have succumbed to "purposeful power" and the aggressively angled shots of players with the burning desire to win, "the killer instinct" that spurs the great players to go all out for every point. ”

“ Again, unlike Squash Racquets, the Squash Tennis corner shots rarely result in an outright winner. The ball is just too lively. These shots are worth employing occasionally, however, to keep your opponent cross-legged, off balance, and on the run.
The most effective corner shots are hit with fairly good pace. Your aim should be low and into the side wall to a point much closer to the front wall than the spot a Squash Racquets player employs. ”

“ These soft or "touch" shots are employed primarily to move your opponent up and back, although an occasional winner will result when a low ball, hit with the right amount of pace and spin, dies before your opponent can get to it. Too few Squash Tennis players today, including many of the ranking competitors, employ this change of pace shot. Of all the shots, this one must be hit with a short, low follow-through in order to work successfully. ”

“ Squash Tennis is one of the few racquet and ball indoor sports that can be termed honestly and strictly "American" in origin, whereas Squash Racquets has its roots in England going as far back as the 1850s. ”

“ Organized play and competition were established at service bases, colleges, schools and YMCAs. A new breed of young, active Americans became enamored with Squash Racquets and the pendulum swung away from Squash Tennis. After all, what is a racquet game without an appropriate ball? ”

“ This shot, while not as effective as in Squash Racquets, can, nonetheless, result in many winning points or, if not producing a winner, it will force your opponent to the front of the court in order to make his retrieval. ”

“ The professionals, however, "owned" the best of the amateurs. Walter Kinsella, Robert L. Cahill, Tommy Iannicelli, Johnny Jacobs, Frank Lafforgue, Rowland Dufton, were the outstanding "play for pay" performers. And, the unquestioned king of the Squash Tennis courts was the legendary Frank Ward, who never lost a match in tournament competition. ”

“ 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. ”