Can You Choose Which Side To Serve In Squash?
Squash is a popular sport internationally, but learning to play this can be challenging for many reasons. Among the most challenging aspects of this sport is learning all of the match rules. These rules are very important to keep the game fair and played well. Among the most misunderstood rules in squash is how to serve and how to choose which side of the court to serve from. This leaves many new players wondering if they can choose which side to serve from.
You can choose which side you get to serve on in squash, but only for the first serve and only if you win the racket toss that determines who gets to serve first. Choose which serve box to start from based on your strengths as a player and the type of serves you like to use.
The side from which you serve first ins squash is an important factor in the game. This can determine how well you perform in the first round and can ultimately determine the outcome of the entire match. For this reason, it is crucial to understand the rules of the game regarding which side to serve from so that you play by the rules and can use the rules to your own advantage.
Can You Choose Which Side To Serve From in Squash?
Squash is a phenomenal game. There are no other racket sports like it, and there are very few indoor sports that are played at such a level of intensity and require as much skill and effort. A major advantage can be had in this game by serving first. This leads many new players to wonder how to get the first serve and how to choose the side from which they serve.
The good news for every squash player is that you can choose which side of the squash court you serve from, but there are a few things that need to happen before you get to make this important match choice.
To have the opportunity to choose which side of the squash court you choose from, you must first win the ability to serve first. Who gets to serve first is chosen by chance, and the player selected to serve first is allowed to choose which side of the court they serve from.
The process of determining who serves first in a squash match is chosen by chance, by a toss of a squash racket. These rackets typically have some form of logo or emblem on them somewhere, and usually only on one side.
To choose who serves first, the players must toss a racket and spin it. One p[layer catches the racket, and the side that the racket lands on, whether the side with or without the logo, decides who gets to serve first.
The player who wins the racket toss gets to serve first and therefore is allowed to decide which side of the court they serve from.
This is the best and most fair way to determine who gets to serve first in the game and subsequently who gets to choose their first side. Choosing the side from which you start the game can offer several advantages to the player. Therefore, every player always desires to win the racket toss and choose their first playing side.
What Are The Benefits Of Choosing Which Side To Serve From?
It is beneficial for any player to choose which side they serve from at the start of the game, and choosing your serve side can make the difference between ultimately winning or losing the match.
There are several significant match advantages that come with choosing your serving side, but the most significant of all is establishing early control of the center of the court. Controlling the center of the court from the first swing provides a significant advantage over your opponent.
Choosing the serve side and how to serve to establish control of the court puts your opponent on the defensive and keeps them on the back foot from as early in the match as possible. This allows the player who served to remain on the offensive and keep the pressure on their opponent, gaining the upper hand in the match from the beginning.
Very experienced players can use their serve to their advantage to keep the game either control until the first point is scored. Serving from the side of the squash court that affords you an advantage usually means that it puts your opponent at a disadvantage, as you know how to serve the ball well from that side, and your opponent has no way of knowing where or how you will serve the ball.
If you can keep this momentum u, your opponent will only be able to react to the shots that you make without being able to fully control any area of the court.
This provides a distinct advantage to the player who chooses from which side to serve and will usually result in an experienced player scoring the first point of the game very easily.
Which Side Should You Serve From?
Many squash players are unsure about how to choose which side of the court they should serve from, even if they do win the racket toss and the ability to choose tier side.
The truth is that the side that you should choose when serving is dependent on how you prefer to serve, which is your dominant hand, and your overall personal preferences.
There is no wrong or right serve box to serve from in squash, and you should choose the side that plays to your strengths as a squash player. Right-handed players usually benefit from serving from the service box on the right side of the court, and vice versa for left-handed players.
Serving from the side of the dominant hand allows the player to remain in a play-ready position without having to rotate their body to react to the volley from the other player.
This is a significant advantage and allows the first player to keep the court and ball under their control from the beginning of the game.
Another way to choose which side to serve from is the type of service you prefer to use. Lob serves, and power serves can be executed well from either side of the court, but backhand serves can only be executed with precision from the dominant-hand side of the player.
Choose which side you serve from carefully based on these factors, and you are sure to occupy a dominant position from early in the game.
Conclusion
A good serve can mean the difference between winning and losing in squash, which means that the ability to choose which side you serve from is imperative. If you win the racket toss and the option to choose your side, be sure to choose the side of the court that compliments your strengths as a player.
Choosing the side from which you serve can be a serious advantage in the game, so be sure that you understand your own strengths as a player and choose a side accordingly. Understanding how you serve and how you play is the only way to effectively choose your best side to serve from.