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Peter
Nichol's Top 10 Tips
| Tip
6
Match
Day
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Tip
7
Having
a game plan
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Tip
8
The
T is the key
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Tip
9
Looking
to attack
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Tip
10
Variations
and deception
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Here’s
little time to think during a squash match, so much of your
thinking has to be done before you go on court. This is your
gameplan. You should practise it in practice sessions and games
and discipline yourself to stick to it during matchplay. But know
when to change it if it’s not working.
My
game plan is simple. I want my opponents in the back corners and I
want to be in the T. Here are my four main game plan tactics:
a)
Length.
b)
Take the ball early.
c)
Control the T, feel sharp and aware.
d)
Take opportunities to attack.
To
get my opponent in the back corners I hit low and hard so that
they can’t intercept and have to scramble back for the ball. I
hit flat with some cut which helps the ball stick in the back.
My
strengths are to get onto the ball early, hit a good length and
make my opponents work hard getting to it. This makes them
concentrate on stopping me rather than getting on with their game.
Applying
this kind of pressure forces opportunities for me to attack. My
tactics are to get the ball deep, get my opponent stretched and
force the weak ball or tactical error. Then I can attack or send
an opponent back deep into the corners again.
This is the
pattern of a rally. First I set up the rally with length, apply
pressure to an opponent and look for opportunities to attack. Just
one attack is not always successful so I don’t become rash and
lose my tactical discipline when they get the ball back. I just
set up the rally again and try to force the next opportunity.
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