Blow your opponent away!!
Blow your opponent away!! By hitting the ball early as often as possible, you apply more pressure to your opponent and have a greater chance of being in control of the game. When you take the ball early you give your opponent less time to react, move to the ball and prepare for their shot, hopefully forcing an error or a weak shot in return. It may only be a fraction of a second each ball you hit, but over the duration of a game, that can make a big difference. Taking the ball early involves volleying as much as possible – step up towards the ball and hit the ball before the bounce, rather than waiting for the ball to come to you. Volley the ball off the side wall rather than letting it bounce on the floor both off the serve and during rallies. You can volley straight or cross court to length, volley short and volley boast – all put added pressure on your opponent. Drives and drops can be hit early too – Try to hit the ball at the top of its bounce rather than letting it fall away. Play the ball positively – by this don’t mean bash at it, but hit the ball with a good amount of pace while still under control. To take the ball early, early racket preparation is essential. So next time you’re on the court and aim to blow your opponent away, think about getting that racket up and take the ball early as often as possible. Happy squashing Kay