Does The Ball Have To Bounce In Squash?

Some Specifics

Let's now look at some specific situations that can cause doubts and confusion.

• The Serve - The server, i.e. the player who is serving MUST hit the ball before it bounces. They have to throw the ball up and hit it. It is not allowed to touch a wall before it is hit. It must then hit the front wall directly. It can not hit a side wall first. After that it can go anywhere in the court.
• The Return Of Serve - Players are allowed, and in fact encouraged, to hit the ball before it bounces when returning a serve. If they don't, there's a chance the ball could go into the back corner making it very hard to return. However, they are allowed to let it bounce if they want to.
• The Front Wall - As unlikely as it seems, you are not allowed to hit a ball until it has hit the front wall. You can't intercept it before it gets there.

Drive, Half-Volley or Volley?

Most shots in squash are drives. The better you get, the more volleys you are able to play.

Half-Volleys are less common in squash than in tennis and used for different reasons. In squash, a half-volley is usually played to rush an opponent. Alternatively, it can be played as a defensive shot to stop the ball from going to the back court.

This player is about to hit a volley, i.e. hit the ball before it bounces.

Next Steps

If you have reached the point in squash where you want to play more volleys but don't know how to practice them, watch this video I made called the Volley Block. It explains how most often, volleys require shorter swings before and after you make contact with the ball. Many new players to squash think that volleys must be hit with full power, but that's not true at all.

“Volleys rush your opponent, but if you select the wrong shot to volley, they also rush you.”

Another next step is to watch higher level players at your facility and notice how often they volley the ball. Watch carefully as they hit the ball and emulate their swing.

Check Your Understanding

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