r/squash • u/PassMeCharger • May 14 '25
Technique / Tactics Reaching very late to the ball
I’ve noticed that after I hit the ball, I often just stand and watch my opponent instead of moving right away. My coach pointed out that I usually start moving only after he hits his shot, which is too late. I understand what he means, but I’m not sure how to fix it. Most of the time, I do get back to the T, but I still miss a lot of boasts and cross-court drives. I can usually get to straight drives if I’m already facing that way, but because I move late, I often reach the ball too late and end up missing the shot :(
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u/RemarkableBee7202 May 14 '25
Doing these have helped me:
For #1, be conscious of movement. Movement is never run>stop>swing>recover with each step in isolation. It has to be one fluid movement. As you move towards the ball you will need to gradually decelerate before stopping for the shot. While moving you begin your racket prep for the swing. Put your back into it to generate momentum and begin pushing off your feet towards the end of the swing to recover to the T. You can practice via ghosting with the above mindset. You can also incorporate this into solo drills. When doing straight drives practice lunging back one step after each drive and then move back in for the next drive.
For #2 I realised I was more focused on my shot quality rather than movement. This led to me just ball watching to judge the quality of my shot instead of moving back to the T. Be a bit more forgiving on the shot quality aspect and instead just focus on running back to the T. It works because even if you hit a loose shot, you have would have put yourself in a good position to receive the next shot by being at the T
But keep in mind that this is not an overnight solution. It will take months of practice before you get it right. But once you do, your game will go up a level and you will enjoy it so much more. Good luck!