Recently, TV commentators have continually been making reference to tennis players incorporating 'squash' shots into their games. It all began with a miraculous forehand retrieval by Roger Federer in the quarter-final of the French Open, and since then, it seems that another great racquet sport has found its way into tennis. But what is all this talk about squash?

For those who don’t know what on earth squash is, don’t worry - you’re not alone. The lesser known racquet sport is also played on a professional level, entertains audiences worldwide, and is actually more widely played internationally than tennis. Sadly, however, it's played in a little white room, with a very fast moving ball that TV cameras have trouble tracking, and its strategy is a little more complicated to understand than tennis. Hence, it does not have the wide spectator appeal of tennis.

Federer doesn’t seem to have consciously incorporated squash into his tennis game. As he remarked after his French Open quarter-final: "I don't know how I did it. It came out automatically. But maybe through squash, who knows? I enjoy the sport. If it helps me out in the semi-finals of the French Open, that's not bad." But I think a more proactive approach to bringing squash into tennis is a great idea for tennis players of all levels.

As a former professional squash player, watching tennis even before the Federer comment I thought there was a place for many squash tactics, shots and movements in tennis. Has anyone ever noticed the movement of Kim Clijsters as she lunges with lightning-fast speed all over the court? Well. that is common in squash. And the soft touch of Federer’s drop shots can be attributed to his skill on the squash court (he grew up playing the game with his father).

There are other things that TV commentators have not picked up on yet. Things like the increasing variety in where on the bounce the ball is taken, or slightly shortened swings. However, there is one area that seems yet to be discovered in professional tennis, the art of deception. I can't wait until tennis players figure that secret out.

It is hard to tell what brought squash into the tennis realm, but it should be a welcome addition. There is much that can be learned from the best aspects of other sports and it will only serve to improve the quality, excitement and diversity of the game. I think players should continue to evolve the game through embracing the greats in other sports such as squash. Nothing was more exciting in the US Open than seeing a player do something new and unseen on court.