Most uninitiates, especially Squash Racquets players who are adroit at and/or addicted to that game, believe Squash Tennis offers nothing but prolonged “slam bang” rallies and a boring “sameness.” Because of the tremendous liveliness of the ball and the apparent absence of deftly placed straight “drops” that die in a corner, these potential players scorn and speak disparagingly of the wonderful game of Squash Tennis which, like all racquet games, has its own shots and ways of putting the ball away.

It is very true that overwhelming power is a key to hitting winning shots, but this is also true of Lawn Tennis. Employing the so-called “Big Game of Tennis” is an absolute must if a circuit player today is going to be a winner. No longer do you see any classic baseline duels where the premium is on guile and steadiness. The Big Service, the powerful rapier-like follow-up volley or overhead smash are the standard weapons that pay off in today’s Tennis game.

Squash Tennis, although played in a regular Squash court, is indeed “different” from Squash Racquets. It possesses its own distinctive variety of shots, subtleties and ways of defeating your opponent.

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. It is a rare player, indeed, who does not quickly become discouraged the first few times and decides the game just isn’t for him after all. And what a pity it is! For he is missing out on playing a sport that offers him many years of wonderful, exhilarating exercise, good camaraderie, and a beautiful, matchless rhythm displayed in harmonious coordination of racquet and graceful footwork.

The following are some of the fundamental shots you should attempt to include in your repertoire:

Rails: Your “bread and butter” shots, similar to Squash Racquets, are the “rails” or shots hit straight up and down, parallel to the side wall. These rails keep your opponents “scrambling” and allow you to hold that important “T” position.

The rail shot is hit more effectually when you are fairly close, within three feet, of the side wall. The closer your position to the side wall, the easier it is to hit a shot that stays right next to the wall during the entire flight of the shot.

Many winners are made off of these rail shots in the following manner:

1. Frequently the ball hits straight into a rear corner and dies; or 2. It pops unexpectedly out of the corner and right into your opponent; 3. When hit with the proper pace, and low, the ball will die before it comes off the back wall; 4. When hit with sheer power and relatively high, your opponent will be unable to catch up with it; 5. If the ball is hit in such a manner as to make it cling to the side wall all the way back, your opponent will err in attempting to pick it off the side wall.

Crosscourts: To be mixed in with your straight up and down strokes are the crosscourt forehand and backhand shots. Here again, these are employed to keep the ball out of the middle and keep your opponent defensive and on the move. They can be hit either straight toward the opposite back wall corner frequently for a winner, or more sharply cross court, so that the ball either breaks into or behind your opponent’s position.

Three-wall Fadeaway: This shot can only be executed when you are a few feet in front of the service line and off to one side of the court or the other, nearer to the side wall than the center. Otherwise it is practically impossible to obtain the necessary angle to pull of the three-wall fadeaway successfully.

The ball is hit as sharply as possible into the opposite corner, at a position approximately midway between the floor and the ceiling, striking the front wall first and then the side wall. This particular stroke is hit higher than most of the other Squash Tennis shots since the ball has so far to travel. It will shoot off the side wall at great velocity and traverse cross court, bounce, and hit the other side wall deep ideally within two feet of the back wall. Then, instead of coming off at the same angle as it hits, the ball rebounds practically parallel to the back wall. 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.

Double Boast: 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 double boast is hit almost straight into the side wall and fairly low (three to four feet above the floor) and can be hit either off the forehand or backhand side. The ball rebounds off the side wall, goes cross court and hits the opposite side wall just inches away from the front wall. It bounces out and practically parallel to the front, barely touching or “kissing” the front wall for a winner, or at least a very difficult “get” for your opponent. The only prerequisite for hitting this shot properly is that you should be fairly far back in the court and close to one of the side walls prior to the execution of your shot.

Four-Wall Boast: This particular shot is much more difficult to master than the double boast or three-wall fadeaway but, at the same time, far more effective and unexpected. It has to be hit with a good deal of power and quite high in order to carry to the front wall. Your chances of success are, therefore, far greater if attempted off the forehand side.

The ball travels off your racquet high into the backhand or left wall, rebounds sharply to the opposite or forehand wall heading toward the front of the court. There should still be enough momentum and height remaining to permit the ball to again go cross court to the left wall where it hits within a few inches of the front wall and drops straight down barely, touching or “kissing” the front wall. The four-wall boast is presently only hit by a handful of the better Squash Tennis players and should be a shot you attempt only after becoming skillful in the other more standard winning shots.

Straight Up and Down and Cross Court Drops: 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. Your primary goal to accomplish these shots is to make certain you hit the front wall first and, ideally, not allow the ball to angle into the side walls.

Corner Shots: 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. The reason for hitting a corner shot in this “in and out” manner is to keep the livelier ball out of the center of the court .

Miscellaneous: 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.

Remember that the key to your shot making is mixing up your strokes and keeping the ball angled away from the middle of the court. A ball that ends up in the center will probably result in your losing the point or, at best, having to leave the “T” and go on the defensive. The exception, of course, is the widely employed “gut ball” that you hit into the front wall with great speed and at such a height that it rebounds right into your opponent’s body.

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.

Turning: A word on “turning” or “coming around” is in order. Unlike Squash Racquets where turning is quite rarely necessary, in Squash Tennis it is both required and desirable to come around as frequently as possible. 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.

Learning to “come around” is another one of those frustrations you will not find easy to master at first. The ball, being so fast, will seem to run away from you. Just remember two things: 1) hustle after the ball with short, speedy steps, keeping in mind that the angle is much greater than in Squash Racquets your racquet must be back and cocked, ready to swing through when the ball arrives at the proper hitting position, which is preferably out in front of you.

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.

The tremendous speed of the Squash Tennis ball, however, does not require that you go toward the back wall first. To the contrary, you must charge forward instantly (even when your opponent’s shot is heading toward the back wall) or else you will never be able to catch up to it as it comes rebounding off the back wall. Many a shot off the back wall is played from a position closer to the front wall than to the back.