Coaching the cross-court drive

What is a cross-court drive?

The cross-court drive is a shot played from one side of the court to the opposite side from anywhere in the court, designed to keep the ball away from your opponent and forcing them into the back corner. Around 30-40% of drives are hit crosscourt, so make sure you don’t just practice hitting straight. Use it to: :

• Turn your opponent quickly.
• Switch the rally from one side of the court to the other.
• Get the ball past an opponent who is volleying the ball on one side of the court.
• As an attacking option when space opens up.

Coaching points

• Get the width right: Hit the ball in front of the body, from an open stance, or by using the wrist to create an angle and hit around the back of the ball.
• Early racket preparation: Use an open racket face and hit the ball towards the top of the bounce to avoid it going too low.
• Follow through: Use a follow through that matches the pace of the shot.

Potential challenges

• Poor width: A poor cross-court shot will travel through the middle of the court and can easily be attacked with a volley. To avoid this, adjust the target on the front wall.
• Lack of control: The ball may land short in the middle of the court and not reach the back as intended. Use the appropriate height to match the pace of the shot.
• Played at the wrong time: The balance between straight and cross-court hitting is critical in squash. Know when (and how) will help open up the court.
• Poor movement: Players often hit cross-court due to poor movement and positioning (i.e. not getting into position to hit straight). A good cross-court shot should be played from a postion where both options are available to deceive the opponent.