Mastering Squash Doubles for Beginners and Intermediates

Squash doubles needs a different mindset from singles. With four players on one court the game is faster, the rallies longer, and the risk of a collision real, so the pair that communicates and holds its shape usually comes out ahead. The positioning, shot choice, and teamwork below draw on advice from coaches and squash associations.

Formats change the court you play on. Most tactical advice here comes from North American hardball doubles, played on a purpose-built court; the World Squash Federation also promotes an international "softball" doubles game on a wider court. The bigger the court, the more cross-court width and movement matter, so adjust the specifics to whichever court you are on.

Recreational softball doubles is often played on the standard singles court too, which makes it cramped for four players.

Team Communication and Coordination

Constant communication with your partner is the foundation of good doubles play. Before a match, discuss strengths, weaknesses, and preferred shots, and agree how to handle balls down the middle and calls like "yours" or "mine." A short pre-match talk prevents a ball racing between two confused partners at a key moment. Keep talking throughout: call for shots, signal when you have it, and encourage each other. Players tend to communicate much more as they reach intermediate level.

Trust and clear roles matter. Unlike singles, you should not try to hit every ball; letting your partner take it is hard for players coming from singles, as coach Suzie Pierrepont notes, but essential. Holding your position and trusting your partner to retrieve a deep shot preserves your team's shape. Agree on defaults, for example a high lob to recover formation when one partner is caught out of position. Decide who is the primary aggressor (shot-maker) and who plays the steadier setup role; if both go for low-percentage winners, errors pile up.

Cultivate a positive dynamic. Veteran coach Peter Briggs's rule is that the most important decision in doubles is to pick a good partner and practice with them regularly, ideally someone whose style complements yours and who you can communicate with under pressure, not necessarily the most skilled player available. Use encouraging words, avoid blaming your partner, and stay calm; poor on-court communication can break even a tight pair.

Key communication tips:

• Use clear calls. Early and loud calls of "Mine!" or "Yours!" help avoid confusion on balls between you. Develop simple words or signals for common situations, such as a hand signal for who will cover a lob.
• Plan and review. Talk with your partner before the match and between games about tactics: serve placement, opponent weaknesses, and any adjustments. A quick huddle can keep you on the same page for the next phase of play.
• Encourage and stay positive. Doubles is a team sport, so support your partner. Celebrate good shots and brush off errors. Positive communication builds trust, whereas negativity undermines it.
• Define roles when needed. If one of you is feeling more "in the zone" as an attacker, let them be the shot-maker while the other plays a more defensive, setup role. This understanding can evolve match by match, so talk about it.
• Trust your partner. Do not chase every ball. If your partner is in a better position to retrieve a shot, especially a deep lob or a ball off the back wall, let them take it so you can hold the T or cover the front. Trust that they will make the get, and be ready to support the next shot.

Court Positioning and Movement as a Team

Doubles positioning is about covering the court as a unit. In singles you occupy the center (the T) after each shot; in doubles two players share defensive territory. The most common strategy is side-by-side: each team assigns a left-wall and a right-wall player who mainly covers shots on their side, front and back. This gives clarity and coverage, especially for beginners. If one player is stronger or faster, have them play the left or backhand side, since more balls (including most serves) tend to funnel there.

Your home base is not the absolute center but a step or two toward your side's wall, roughly where the service box meets the short line, your personal mini-T. Return there when it is not your turn so you are ready for the next ball, and watch for a loose ball to intercept when your partner hits from the back.

Clear out of your partner's way after hitting, usually toward the middle and the safer open space, which gives them a clear line to the ball and lets you cover the center. Hovering near the side wall after hitting can block your partner or get you hit. When your partner is about to play, position where you can see the ball and all players, often slightly behind and toward center.

Formations alternate between side-by-side (the default) and a momentary front-and-back. When one partner is drawn forward to volley or drop, the other shades behind to cover a deep counter; if you are stuck deep in a back corner, your partner holds a higher position near or slightly in front of the T to cover anything short. Covering the front takes both players, since one cannot guard both front corners, so move up together when opponents prepare a drop, up together and back together.

Beginner teams should avoid excessive side-switching until they have practiced together; reliably covering your half prevents mix-ups. As you progress, you will learn when to switch in a scramble, for example the left-wall player crossing to take a ball out of the right-wall player's reach, after which the team rotates and swaps sides until the pressure eases. As coach Preston Quick notes, by the B level players naturally cover for a partner in trouble and change sides if needed. Leaving your side exposes the area you vacated, so when chasing a ball on your partner's side, hit a deep defensive shot (a lob or high drive) to buy time to recover.

Positioning principles in a nutshell:

• Hold your side's T. Play mostly from your designated half, left or right. Stay near the short line on that side when you are not hitting, rather than the absolute center. This staggered stance lets each partner cover their territory without crowding each other.
• Rotate and cover. Move as a unit. If one partner goes forward, the other shifts slightly back. If one goes wide, the other slides toward center. Always be ready to fill in for your partner and then reset back to your formation once the immediate threat is over.
• Clear the ball. After hitting a shot, get out of your partner's way. Typically, clear toward the middle of the court (if your partner is behind you) or to an open spot where you will not obstruct anyone. This also sets you up to cover the next shot.
• Both up for drops. Do not ball-watch at the back if your partner is scrambling forward. Assume any short ball will require a team effort to retrieve. It is far easier for two players to cover the front than for one player alone to do it.
• Safety and awareness. Always know where your partner is. Good positioning is not just tactical, it is safe. Avoid swinging if there is a risk of hitting your teammate, and use communication ("Go!" or "Leave!") to prevent dangerous situations. More lets happen in doubles because of traffic, so smart positioning and constant awareness of the other three players on court are critical.

Smart Shot Selection for Doubles

Shot choice in doubles differs from singles. In singles, straight drives down the wall contain an opponent; in doubles, straight shots are less dominant and overly defensive play backfires, since a weak straight drive is likely intercepted and punished by the opponent waiting on that side.

Cross-court shots are far more valuable in doubles, described as the biggest difference from singles: they force both opponents to move and create confusion over who takes the ball. As Suzie Pierrepont puts it, a tight rail from the back that works in singles does not work in doubles because the court is too big, so even a good length is cut off and put in short. Under pressure in a back corner, a high arcing cross-court to the far side, or a three-wall boast that lofts the ball deep, is smarter, moving opponents and buying time to reposition.

Patience and consistency matter, since four players mean twice the coverage and outright winners are harder, especially at lower levels. Do not go for low-percentage nicks or fine drops too early unless opponents are out of position. A simple rule is to always hit deep before you shoot short: work the ball to the back until you draw opponents out, then attack the front. If both opponents are stuck behind, a soft drop or volley drop can win; if one is lurking forward, a drop is easily run down. Minimize unforced errors, since keeping the ball in play and making the other team earn points is half the battle.

Aggressive volleying is a must, the old adage being to volley every ball you can touch. Cutting the ball off takes time from opponents and stops you being dragged into the back corners. Step forward with an open racket face, keep volleys off the tin, and note that even defensive volleys high to the ceiling or deep deny an easy attack while holding your T-line position. Letting the ball pass risks getting stuck behind your partner. Good volleying is one of the quickest ways to move from a recreational to a competitive standard.

Use the court's geometry: four corners but only two opponents, so split the team on the diagonal and hit to an open quadrant. Against a side-by-side team, a fast cross-court to the deep opposite corner shifts them both and may expose the front; if one is up and one back, hit deep to the corner the up-player vacated or soft to the front corner the back-player cannot reach. Constantly probing the uncovered spaces keeps opponents off balance.

A highly effective attacking shot is the reverse corner, hitting diagonally into the opposite front corner from where you struck the ball, called the number-one attacking shot in doubles: it caroms to the far front corner and usually forces a cross-court return to your partner, setting up another attack, and cannot easily be returned straight down the line without risking a stroke. Practice the reverse corner and three-wall boasts to turn defense into offense. Avoid straight drops or kills from wide positions if an opponent is nearby, since they may hit them or concede a stroke; send the ball to the open side or high above an opponent instead.

Another under-used tactic is the down-the-middle shot. Squash players hit into the middle less than tennis players, but a well-timed drive through the center creates controlled chaos, as doubles veteran Gary Waite puts it, with confusion over whose ball it is. A drive or hard volley into the middle at about shoulder height can sneak past. Agree who covers your own middle, usually the player with the easier forehand angle (typically the left-wall player if both are right-handed). Use it sparingly but deliberately, for example after a series of wide shots when the other team's spacing is distorted.

Selective targeting helps in competitive play: test which opponent is weaker or less comfortable, then feed them shots to isolate them, for example more drops and volleys at a less agile front player, or balls into a weaker backhand. Doubles gives you two targets, so exploit whichever is likely to yield the weaker return.

Shot selection guidelines:

• Work the length first. Establish deep shots before attacking short. Use high deep drives or lobs to push opponents back. Once they are behind the service line, a well-timed drop or sharp volley can do maximum damage.
• Volley aggressively. Step forward and intercept whenever possible. Even if you just block the ball back, you maintain the initiative. Do not willingly retreat to the back wall under pressure. Meet the ball early and keep the attackers at bay.
• Attack with width and angle. Favour cross-courts, boasts, and reverses to move the ball away from your opponents. Aim cross-court shots to bounce off the side wall at awkward heights, around shoulder or knee level, to make opponents scramble. Vary the angles and height to keep them guessing.
• Use the lob and high defensive shots. When in trouble or when you need to buy time for your team, lift the ball high. A lob that arcs to the back corner can reset the rally, allowing you and your partner to reposition. High shots are also less likely to leave you stuck in a double-bounce situation.
• Minimize risk unless it is worth it. Avoid low-percentage attempts like razor-thin drops or low kills through traffic, especially if your partner is not expecting it. It is better to prolong the rally and wait for a clear opening than to tin the ball or hit an opponent. Keeping the ball in play forces the other team to work and often leads to their error.
• Exploit the middle and miscommunication. Throw in an occasional down-the-middle drive or a fast body-cross at an opponent to create confusion. Do not overdo it, but remember that unpredictability is on your side if you have agreed with your partner about who covers the middle.
• Target weaknesses. If one opponent has visibly weaker skills, direct more shots at them. In competitive play, this is standard procedure. Pressure the less steady player until they crack, while staying ready if the stronger opponent poaches a shot.

Bringing It Together

Doubles rewards two players who think as one. Keep talking, trust your partner to cover their side, and choose the shot that protects your court position over the flashy winner. Get those habits down and a beginner pair stops playing like two singles players sharing a court and starts playing as a team. Good doubles play comes down to two players working from a single, shared plan.