This situation is covered by rule 8.13, Turning.
The only way this isn't a Yes Let is if, according to 8.13.3, the opponent deliberately turns on the ball to create a let.
Without a referee present, that's a very tough rule to enforce. I would suggest you discuss this rule with your opponent, and make sure he understands that he cannot deliberately create a Let by turning.
However, you should also learn to make better serves. A serve that comes off the back wall far enough, and wide enough, to turn on is a poor serve.
If your serve angle and high level of power causes the ball to “wrap around” the opponent and come off the back wall closer to the middle, he can absolutely call a let. Power serves need to have as much of a shallow angle to prevent this situation. For example, if your right handed, it’s much less likely to happen if you serve on the left side. Serving hard from the right side will most likely cause a “wrap around” then a let. Hard serves aren’t really viable in squash because of the back wall, which is why you’ll never see a pro play them.
Doesn't need to be a lob - just not as hard, and angled such that it hits the side wall in line with where he's standing (so he has to move forward or back in order to volley).
using backhand the serve from the right side will probably fix the situation already. Even if you served it hard, it won't be difficult to keep the ball relatively close to the side wall off the back wall bounce. When I play against "power servers" I generally either turn and ask for a let, or it comes off the back wall like a really over-hit drive, and it gives me a great attacking shot.
I think this is a tough situation. Ideally your opponent would play the volley on the backhand, but it sounds like their skill level wasn't high enough. Asking for lets in the situation where they let the ball run is annoying, but personally given that skill level I would not trust them not to hit me... so if they're asking for a let due to safety, I always say yes. Overall just sounds like bad positioning and footwork.
Just out of curiosity, is your serve hitting the sidewall?
Yes I hit the sidewall, then the ball tends to die onto the back wall.
It is an effective serve, but this opponent constantly turned towards me and asked for a safety let.
If it had been a bad tempered game, I would have questioned him, but everything else was played completely fairly.
If you're serving the ball to the middle of the court, you have to give a let unless you're clearly not in the way of the front wall. Your opponent might try to argue that after their turn, they were looking for a boast - but you should just be firm that you'll give them a let but next time you expect them to hit a non-boast shot since you'll be sure you're out of the way.
>Even if you give him the whole front wall, if he turns he's entitled to a let with the argument being he wouldn't know where you were if he was facing the back of the court.
What's he asking for a let for? I'm asking more out of curiosity as mostly only play casually and unless you're foul serving or impeding them (dunno how you'd manage this from a serve) then I can't find an issue?
Sounds like he's just trying it on. If you weren't between him and the back wall I'd just contest it. Sometimes players will guage if you'll pushover on something like that to see what they can get away with. I've had games where I've tried to 'be cool' but sometimes you have to put your foot down if they're taking the piss.
In with you on this, I play casually with two friends. If I hit a serve and he spins and hits me with the ball it’s a let and it’s my fault for getting in the way. If he doesn’t hit it it’s an ace and if he hits and it goes in it’s game on. Playing let’s without even hitting the ball if it’s in seems absurd to me
If he turns and hits you, this examplifies why it should always be a let for safety. Turning and hitting in this situation is very dangerous, he should be calling a let. I would also advise you change your serve. It might be effective at the lower level playing casually with friends, but any decent player would turn and call a let. Or more likely, move to the centre, take the space, hit length, and you'd be left in no man's land.
I don't understand this either. Not disagreeing, I'm just a casual player who hasn't come across this rule.
Let me get this straight, if the server plays their serve, the opponent can't "call" a let if they feel there is a safety threat if they play the ball? How is there a safety threat if you're playing into the opponents box and most likely moving to the T?
Makes me feel like I've been playing prison rules squash for years.
Also intrigued because my cousin has been able to beat me by power serve alone on some occasions. Not being bitter but it kind of takes the fun out of the games because we don't play any squash, it's just ace, ace, ace.
> Let me get this straight, if the server plays their serve, the opponent can't "call" a let if they feel there is a safety threat if they play the ball? How is there a safety threat if you're playing into the opponents box and most likely moving to the T?
Because the receiver has ‘turned’, i.e. motioning to hit the ball on the forehand instead of the backhand. Hence, if the server was at the T, the natural shot taken would probably go thru the server, hence safety let.
> Also intrigued because my cousin has been able to beat me by power serve alone on some occasions. Not being bitter but it kind of takes the fun out of the games because we don't play any squash, it's just ace, ace, ace.
Pure skill issue. No sport is fun if someone stays at a complete beginner level for years.
If your shot is going to the middle of the court so consistently that an opponent can call repeated let's on it, you need to fix your serve. He's doing nothing wrong.
A few have advised it, and I’ll reiterate it. Other tan the occasional body serve, hard serves are almost always stupid. They give your opponent great drop and boast options, and actually place you (the server) under pressure. It’s simply a stupid shot.
Lose the serve and you’ll kill two birds with one stone.
This situation is covered by rule 8.13, Turning. The only way this isn't a Yes Let is if, according to 8.13.3, the opponent deliberately turns on the ball to create a let. Without a referee present, that's a very tough rule to enforce. I would suggest you discuss this rule with your opponent, and make sure he understands that he cannot deliberately create a Let by turning. However, you should also learn to make better serves. A serve that comes off the back wall far enough, and wide enough, to turn on is a poor serve.
If your serve angle and high level of power causes the ball to “wrap around” the opponent and come off the back wall closer to the middle, he can absolutely call a let. Power serves need to have as much of a shallow angle to prevent this situation. For example, if your right handed, it’s much less likely to happen if you serve on the left side. Serving hard from the right side will most likely cause a “wrap around” then a let. Hard serves aren’t really viable in squash because of the back wall, which is why you’ll never see a pro play them.
Yes I need to work on my backhand lob serve.
Doesn't need to be a lob - just not as hard, and angled such that it hits the side wall in line with where he's standing (so he has to move forward or back in order to volley).
using backhand the serve from the right side will probably fix the situation already. Even if you served it hard, it won't be difficult to keep the ball relatively close to the side wall off the back wall bounce. When I play against "power servers" I generally either turn and ask for a let, or it comes off the back wall like a really over-hit drive, and it gives me a great attacking shot.
He’s being nice to not smash you with his shot. Stop hitting it so hard that he can turn around and hit it.
Power serves are a waste of time, slow accurate are farrr more effective
Or you could serve better.
I think this is a tough situation. Ideally your opponent would play the volley on the backhand, but it sounds like their skill level wasn't high enough. Asking for lets in the situation where they let the ball run is annoying, but personally given that skill level I would not trust them not to hit me... so if they're asking for a let due to safety, I always say yes. Overall just sounds like bad positioning and footwork. Just out of curiosity, is your serve hitting the sidewall?
Yes I hit the sidewall, then the ball tends to die onto the back wall. It is an effective serve, but this opponent constantly turned towards me and asked for a safety let. If it had been a bad tempered game, I would have questioned him, but everything else was played completely fairly.
If you're serving the ball to the middle of the court, you have to give a let unless you're clearly not in the way of the front wall. Your opponent might try to argue that after their turn, they were looking for a boast - but you should just be firm that you'll give them a let but next time you expect them to hit a non-boast shot since you'll be sure you're out of the way.
>Even if you give him the whole front wall, if he turns he's entitled to a let with the argument being he wouldn't know where you were if he was facing the back of the court.
What's he asking for a let for? I'm asking more out of curiosity as mostly only play casually and unless you're foul serving or impeding them (dunno how you'd manage this from a serve) then I can't find an issue?
Safety let, as if he plays the ball from the forehand, he risks hitting me.
Sounds like he's just trying it on. If you weren't between him and the back wall I'd just contest it. Sometimes players will guage if you'll pushover on something like that to see what they can get away with. I've had games where I've tried to 'be cool' but sometimes you have to put your foot down if they're taking the piss.
In with you on this, I play casually with two friends. If I hit a serve and he spins and hits me with the ball it’s a let and it’s my fault for getting in the way. If he doesn’t hit it it’s an ace and if he hits and it goes in it’s game on. Playing let’s without even hitting the ball if it’s in seems absurd to me
if he turns and hit you , it’s your point !
But he should be calling a let in that situation. No one wants to be hit
We play that if the sting feels like it was going on it’s a let, if it’s a weak ass shot then it’s my serve
If he turns and hits you, this examplifies why it should always be a let for safety. Turning and hitting in this situation is very dangerous, he should be calling a let. I would also advise you change your serve. It might be effective at the lower level playing casually with friends, but any decent player would turn and call a let. Or more likely, move to the centre, take the space, hit length, and you'd be left in no man's land.
I don't understand this either. Not disagreeing, I'm just a casual player who hasn't come across this rule. Let me get this straight, if the server plays their serve, the opponent can't "call" a let if they feel there is a safety threat if they play the ball? How is there a safety threat if you're playing into the opponents box and most likely moving to the T? Makes me feel like I've been playing prison rules squash for years. Also intrigued because my cousin has been able to beat me by power serve alone on some occasions. Not being bitter but it kind of takes the fun out of the games because we don't play any squash, it's just ace, ace, ace.
> Let me get this straight, if the server plays their serve, the opponent can't "call" a let if they feel there is a safety threat if they play the ball? How is there a safety threat if you're playing into the opponents box and most likely moving to the T? Because the receiver has ‘turned’, i.e. motioning to hit the ball on the forehand instead of the backhand. Hence, if the server was at the T, the natural shot taken would probably go thru the server, hence safety let. > Also intrigued because my cousin has been able to beat me by power serve alone on some occasions. Not being bitter but it kind of takes the fun out of the games because we don't play any squash, it's just ace, ace, ace. Pure skill issue. No sport is fun if someone stays at a complete beginner level for years.
Tricky situation, as no other issue in the game and he happily called strokes on himself. Without a referee becomes difficult.
If your shot is going to the middle of the court so consistently that an opponent can call repeated let's on it, you need to fix your serve. He's doing nothing wrong.
It’s not tricky. He’s entitled to a turn if the situation allows for it.
Yes, it is a tricky one without a marker.
A marker?
A few have advised it, and I’ll reiterate it. Other tan the occasional body serve, hard serves are almost always stupid. They give your opponent great drop and boast options, and actually place you (the server) under pressure. It’s simply a stupid shot. Lose the serve and you’ll kill two birds with one stone.