1. Keep it on the wall. When you hit your return, you should hit it along the side wall at least nine out of ten times because it is the safest possible shot, with the highest likelihood of success. If you return the ball cross-court back to the server, they get an easy shot without even having to move. And you will very likely have a long way to run! The side wall return (also called a 'rail return') should be your standard serve return.

2. Hit it in the air. You should generally hit your serve return before the serve bounces, because a good server will trap you in the back corners of the court if you let the serve bounce before you hit it. Volleying the serve in this manner forces the server to quickly move from his or her service box over to the opposite side of the court, and that can create errors on their next shot. By volleying rather than letting the ball bounce, you decrease the amount of time they have to cross the width of the court.

3. Don't get too close. Be sure to stay away from the ball. It is better to reach a bit with your racquet to hit the serve return than it is to get too close to the ball. You will be surprised at the power you get, and the ease with which you reach even difficult serves, if you just keep your body away from the side walls and reach towards the ball with your extended racquet arm.

The serve return is one of the two most important shots in squash, so practice it a lot!