Notational analysis on game strategy used by the world's top male squash players in international competition

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide a profile of the competition strategy used by the world's top squash players at the international level and provide recommendations for other players to improve their playing strategy. A total of 10 matches including three in round one, the four quarter finals, the two semi-finals, and the final of the 1993 Hong Kong Squash Open were filmed using a 3-CDD video camera. The tournament was played under the North American scoring system. Notational analysis which is based on frame by frame video analysis was used to categorize a player's motion. The frequency of each stroke, and the success or failure rate of each stroke were recorded. Shots were classified as "effective", "ineffective", "winning" and "losing" shots and the analysis demonstrated that 70.28% were "effective", 19.86% were "ineffective", 5.37% were "winning" and 4.48% were "losing" shots. The mean number of shots per game was 252.09. The order of priority using different kinds of strokes in matches were as follows: drive (length) (60.79%), drop (17.91%), volley (11.79%), boast (4.80%), and lob (4.72%). The results of this study show that the "pressure and attack game" was the most important strategy for the world's top squash players in producing winning performances. Also identified are the strokes and the strategies which should be practiced to improve performance. This method of notational analysis can be utilized to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of players at all levels of competition.