Here are the top ten reasons why you should never be the one to give up in a squash match:
- 1. Your opponent is getting tired. If you have been running your opponent along the diagonals of the court, your opponent will eventually tire. That will lead to loose shots, and an opportunity for you to be more aggressive.
- 2. Your plan is about to work. If you are confident in your game plan, and just haven't been able to execute it yet, you should stick with it to see whether your plan is sound. Only when you are certain, should you change a losing game plan. But then, change for sure.
- 3. Your opponent may let up, or get distracted. It's amazing how mental lapses can lead to huge changes in momentum in a squash match. The most common is for a player who just won one game to let up significantly at the start of the next. They begin to think about how nice winning will be, or they look forward to after-match activities...That's just when the tide turns, so retain your focus at all times. Think squash thoughts, not thoughts about the score, or whether you're embarrassed, or how your team-mates are doing. Keep your focus.
- 4. You may figure out a weakness to exploit. Sometimes you don't see how unbalanced your opponent's shots are until you really look. They might be weaker on one side than the other (try their backhand!); they might be slow moving to the front of the court; they might not like receiving a hard serve, or a very soft lob serve. Keep trying variations until you find a weakness to exploit. Conversely, if they have a great strength, don't let them hit it. Minimize their opportunity to use their strength, and make them hit lots of their worst stroke.
- 5. Your shots may start to work better. Sometimes your shots just aren't landing right; they're clipping the top of the tin, or your boasts are sitting up too high, or you're hitting so hard that the ball regularly comes off the back wall. Keep trying and never give up, and you may find the proper length and control on your shots before the match ends.
- 6. Your opponent may go brain-dead and start hitting stupid shots. If you have really run your opponent into the ground, expect them to start hitting without thinking. Usually that's bad for them. When your opponent is exhausted (too exhausted to think), you're in a good competitive position.
- 7. The ball may heat up so much that conditions of play change in your favor. When you have many long, hard rallies with your opponent, the ball definitely heats up. That makes it harder to hit controlled drop shots. If your opponent has been hurting you with drop shots while the ball is still cold, you should move upcourt a bit, watch closely, and be confident that the hot ball drop shot will be easier to get than the cold ball drop shot was.
- 8. You may get a second wind, or be fitter in a long match. Fitness is key in squash. Do your physical conditioning in the weeks and months before your big matches, then rest right before your match. That should leave you a full tank, and help you win the endurance contest in a five-game match. (You can also create the opportunity to catch your breath by hitting high above the cut line and lobbing to slow down the pace of the match. Conversely, take away your opponent's time by volleying whenever possible.)
- 9. Your opponent might be about to give up, or be mentally fragile. You can't really know exactly what's going on inside your opponent's head. You may sense their frustration, or exasperation, but you can't really tell when they are going to crack. It might happen at any time if you have been applying constant pressure, getting every ball, and trying as hard as possible on every point.
- 10. You might just win this match after all, so why leave any energy unspent? There is no point in saving yourself for another match. Short of injuring yourself, you should try as hard as possible to get every ball and win every point. Put out your very best effort every time you play a match, and remember that the match isn't over until someone wins the very last point.