Racquetball is a fast-paced and competitive game that can be somewhat confusing for beginners. The indoor version of this game is played in an enclosed court and all four walls as well as the ceiling come into play. You may hit the ball off the front wall but your opponent may decide to smash it off the back wall in order to get it to the front wall--and confuse his opponent.
Mix Up Your Serves
Every point is put into play by a server who stands in a defined service box and drives the ball off the front wall to put it in play. The most common serve is the drive serve. It is a hard hit ball that goes off the front wall and deep into either of the back corners of the court. This might be your bread-and-butter serve, but you also have to mix in a lob serve and perhaps a backhand serve.
One of the big keys in racquetball is keeping your opponent off balance and if you serve a slow-paced lob high and deep you might frustrate your opponent. If you flick a backhand serve when he is expecting a hard forehand shot you may fool him and register an easy point.
Court Positioning
As a rally in racquetball develops, one of the big keys to winning that rally is getting in front of your opponent on the court. If you are in front, you can cut the ball off as it rebounds off the wall and send the ball into a spot that your opponent can't get to without leaving his feet.
Once a player dives for a ball, he is not in position to return the following shot. If you are in front, you control the pace of the point and dictate the way it will be played. Most of the time you will win those points.
Backhand Shots
Most players dream about getting to hit a put-away forehand or a pinch shot with the forehand. But good players know you can do just as much damage with the backhand.
Beginners tend to avoid the backhand but that's a mistake. If you don't hit that shot, your opponent will force you to hit shots that you aren't comfortable with by driving the ball to that area. Show her early in the match that you are not afraid to hit backhand after backhand. Make that shot one of your strengths.
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