Watching shot-makers is thrilling. However, it is important to remember that ‘matches are won and lost on mistakes.’ This is not always completely true but it is significant enough for me to use this as one of my little ‘maxims.’
Are you still there? We don’t really want to discuss mistakes do we? If we have lost a match and mistakes were a factor we don’t really want to go through the emotional trauma of a debrief (rubbing it in) do we?
A while ago I spoke to a young professional as we observed and discussed a match together. He said, “Ian, the game has changed, you just have to hit more winners than your opponent.” It was then that I realized what was holding him back from his obvious potential. The key, of course, is in the balance between winners and errors.
In a squash match, you generally need to acquire 11 points earned from your winners and your opponent’s errors. If your opponent scores 11 points: 4 from winners and 7 off your mistakes, problem!
If you score 11 points: 4 winners and your opponent makes 7 mistakes, success! Often the margins are much closer than this.
Let’s look an example from the Men’s British Open Final in 2023. Ali Farag hit less winners than his opponent but (for all his intercepting and working of the ball short) he make less mistakes. This was the key. Farag made 19 errors to Diego Elias’s 23 (including referee awarded points.) He uses an excellent margin for error on his shots, which was a key factor.
To quote Hashim Khan: “…The main thing is not to make errors. If you make errors, you beat yourself
“… Any time you make an error, think of the reason. Why did you make that error? Did you rush, or did you not watch, or were you not in time, or was the ball going away from you? There must be a reason. Think about the reason. Find the reason. Don’t do again."
You need to find the reason for your errors. These can be:
- Technical: A technical error could, for example, be a lack of control such as a closed racket face pulling the ball down into the tin, a rushed shot with poor preparation resulting in a mishit, or a lack of consistency.
- Tactical: A tactical error could be picking the wrong ball to attack, failing to play with good margins or taking risks when under pressure.
- Mental: The mental area includes poor decision making, rushing and tense shots.
- Physical: The physical area includes, where fatigue affects movement, preparation, and stability in the stance and in hitting.
Imagine in your last 10 or 20 matches if you knew how many mistakes there were per match (total and per game), what they were, and why they were mistakes Would that be useful?
As Hashim Khan said. ‘There must be reason. Find the reason.”
Basically write down the errors in your game from observation or video. Work out what they were and why there were made. Then you can take action and work on these areas in your practice routines, practice games and with your coach.
I once, in a major final, watched a great player just keep hitting the tin, especially on the backhand off the boast; it was a match she was expected to win. I knew what the problem was. The pressure of expectations had just got too much, the anxiety triggered tension in the muscles and they were just not working well despite all the training. Mistakes cost her that major title.
There is a lot we can do to minimize mistakes – selecting the right time to attack (when you have an easy ball and your opponent is out of position); using a margin for error; using a short or compact swing when under pressure etc.
Knowledge of the error tally is important in understanding why you are winning or losing matches – whether you are giving your opponent three points per game or seven.
Don’t ignore their significance just because it is a bit unpleasant. Keep Hashim Khan’s advice in mind.
“Any time you make an error, think of the reason. Why did you make that error? … Find the reason. Don’t do again." Then you are on the way to becoming a better, tougher and more resilient player.
