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Home Discussion Forum Advanced – General Q&A Serving Problem In Doubles With Tall Partner

Serving Problem In Doubles With Tall Partner
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1:49 pm
October 24, 2011


Peter Warman

posts 126
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I play with a tall partner in Men's matches. When he is serving from right to left, this is fine. But when he is serving from left to right, he completly blocks my view and if I stand more to the right to see, this makes my left hand corner very vunrable. If I stand more to the left, in order to see I would be in the middle between the middle of the court and the left corner.

 

The only way I have found is if my partner takes one step to the left, it opens up alot of my vision. However, my partner isn't keen on taking one step to the left when serving that way, as he using the middle line down the court as a bench mark to where to stand when serving. So if he takes a step, there is no marking on the floor to where he should be standing. Which I can kind of relate to as I use the front corner as my benchmark to where I stand when I am serving.

 

So any suggestions on how to work around this problem so that we are both happy? Me using a step ladder isn't really ideal as by the time I have ran down the ladder they will have won the point! Laugh

Badminton Gives Me A Purpose In Life – To Serve Others
I'd Rather Be Playing Badminton…………..

4:32 pm
October 24, 2011


RobHarrison

posts 48
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This is an interesting one. Are you trying to have sight of the shuttle the whole time, ie all the way onto your opponents racket?

The reason I ask is that I'm pretty sure I can't see the shuttle at all if my partner serves onto the 'T'. I find it doesn't really matter as I'm watching the opposition, most importantly their racket, the whole time. You can tell where the shuttle is and where it's going purely from your oppositions movements. I wouldn't have thought your starting stance in the middle of the court would impede your view of the receiver.

If you don't find you are able to work round it that way, how about asking your partner to serve a bit wider? It's good to mix in slight variations on your short serve anyway as you can end up in trouble if it's predictable, even if it's fairly tight.

I hope I've understood your issue correctly and that this helps.

Smile

5:02 pm
October 24, 2011


Paul

Cheshire, UK

posts 700
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Peter
 
As you know, we serve to the T in order to reduce the angle of return.
 
With regard to your problem, as we are a similar height, I have had this situation many times. The key to how much trouble you could be in depends on the quality of your partners serve. A good tight low serve reduces the options for your opponents.
 
The main return you're probably having difficulty with is the lift to the backhand corner. If this is the favourite reply then I found my best place to stand was across the centre line and ready to split-step to bounce into my backhand corner and hit around the head shot. The critical element here is the speed of your split step and movement into the corner.
 
If your opponent plays a push to your mid court it's an easier shot to recover because you are basically a step away albeit you are seeing the shuttle that little bit later. A good serve will limit this return.
 
You can also ask your partner to face his opponent rather than the net when they serve. This means they have more chance of an interception down the backhand side.
 
You can't take a stance anywhere else as you're leaving too many gaps on court.
 
Good question Peter. Good to see you on the forum Rob.
 
Paul 

11:49 pm
October 27, 2011


Mathieu

Canada

posts 6
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RobHarrison said:

This is an interesting one. Are you trying to have sight of the shuttle the whole time, ie all the way onto your opponents racket?

The reason I ask is that I'm pretty sure I can't see the shuttle at all if my partner serves onto the 'T'. I find it doesn't really matter as I'm watching the opposition, most importantly their racket, the whole time. You can tell where the shuttle is and where it's going purely from your oppositions movements. I wouldn't have thought your starting stance in the middle of the court would impede your view of the receiver.

If you don't find you are able to work round it that way, how about asking your partner to serve a bit wider? It's good to mix in slight variations on your short serve anyway as you can end up in trouble if it's predictable, even if it's fairly tight.

I hope I've understood your issue correctly and that this helps.

Smile

That's exactly what my coach told me when I struggled with the same problem. Its a very good solution, especially if you make it a common tactic when playing with your partner. It does not have to be very wide (torwards the sidelines): just to the middle of the court (or even 1/3rd of the court) is often enough to gain good sight of the shuttle without opening up the angles of reply.

11:03 pm
October 30, 2011


Paul

Cheshire, UK

posts 700
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Rob
 
That's a good point. Varying your serve along the line is a very good tactic. I have found in the past that serving to the non racquet shoulder gets a weaker response so it's worth a test.
 
The important thing to remember with this tactic is not to serve too wide that it opens the angles on court.
 
It's also important to remember that there is a point where you will temporarily lose sight of the shuttle. The eye is very good at judging speed and line and therefore can pick up the shuttle pretty quickly. So, you must be prepared to move in the direction of the shuttle and intercept at the earliest opportunity.
 
Paul

4:25 pm
November 18, 2011


Peter Warman

posts 126
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Hi, sorry for such a delay in posts! I don't expect to see the shuttle all the time whist serving but currently only see some of the shuttle (if I am lucky) towards then end of the serve going over the net but then it's difficult to see what the opponent will do as you see the shuttle so late and then they might do a deceptive shot anyway.

 

I am going to get him to try and serve on the T and see if that makes it any easier. At the moment he stands quite far back from the service line and even with me right at the back of the court I can't see much. It's only when my partner is serving from left to right, from right to left I don't have too much of a problem.

 

I understand you won't see the shuttle all the time but I tell you what, if you can, you can really see EVERYTHING, helps so much. But just need to find a balance so that he's happy to serve from that position and I am happy that I can see better. At the moment he is not so keen on standing near the T as he is a tall bloke and will not get his serves over! Laugh That and he will have to practise his serves again! Laugh

 

Once I have found a solution, implanting the solution is another matter! Laugh

 

As well, thinking about it, standing on the T will minimize the angles so will benefit me more anyway, regardless of how much of the shuttle I will see.

 

Any more thoughts welcome Cool

Badminton Gives Me A Purpose In Life – To Serve Others
I'd Rather Be Playing Badminton…………..

8:24 pm
November 18, 2011


RobHarrison

posts 48
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Definitely get your partner to stand further forward!

By standing a fair way back you are putting a great deal of pressure on yourselves. Your opponent will have a lot of time to pressure the serve and be deceptive with it, much better to limit their thinking time with a short tight serve. It is also far more intimidating to see you opponent right at the front of the court covering the net after serving with their partner stood in the mid court.

A situation similar to this happened in one of my league matches. My partner and I are 6ft+ and in our 20's, our opponents were not as tall and in their 40's and they visible backed away from us. They stood deep in the court for serves and in rallies and consequently we beat them heavily. They got some confidence and played more positively in the second half of the second game, but the damage was already done. Had they fronted up to us from the first point it could have been a close game.

I always remember this match as a reminder to myself to be positive and put pressure on my opponents even if I feel like I will lose.

10:36 am
November 21, 2011


Paul

Cheshire, UK

posts 700
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The other area for testing is to ask the server to stand in slightly different positions to find which is the best position for you to see the return. A club night is an ideal practice ground to test all of these variants and ask opponents to co-operate rather than try and win the game.
 
Sadly, there are too many selfish players at club who are more interested in false ego massaging e.g. playing you with a weak partner so they can say they beat you (grow up).
 
Most clubs could easily improve their positions in the league if they used the club night for practice.
 
Paul
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