Badminton doubles is an intriguing variant on singles that requires collaboration among team members. There are certain tactics you can use to enhance your badminton doubles play and win more rallies.
When serving, make sure the shuttlecock crosses the net and lands near to your opponent’s front service line. Furthermore, take a split-step and observe where the return is headed before making your move.
Serves
Badminton is an exciting sport that demands precise movements and strict adherence to its rules. Mastering the serve in badminton involves both precision and strategy, which is essential in winning doubles matches. Learning how to execute the perfect serve requires practice but can help create game plans with partners to force return errors more consistently. Knowing court dimensions and service lines will be key in successfully performing an impeccable service.
Badminton courts cover an area measuring 20 feet by 44 feet, but are divided by specific lines that define different areas for singles and doubles play. The center line marks off the non-volley zone while short service line divides left and right service courts; to serve, servers must stand within these three boundaries while behind their back boundary lines, while shuttlecocks must clear both front service lines to land in opposite side courts.
Badminton serves can take various forms, ranging from low serves that force an opponent forward, high serves that send the birdie farther back, drive serves at an elevated speed and height and flick serves that appear similar but contain a quick flick at the last moment to send the shuttle deeper into an opponent’s court.
Keep this in mind when serving: A shuttle must only hit the ground or go over the net once. Hitting it with your racket while it is in flight constitutes a fault and gives your opponent the point. Infringements on rules include hitting ceiling or fixtures which result in penalties from your opponent.
If you are unfamiliar with how to play badminton, seek help from your coach for tips. They will be able to explain its rules as well as offer assistance on improving your serve. With practice comes improvement; once more skilled players emerge try mixing up your serves and forcing opponents into mistakes by confusing them with random offers.
Volleys
Badminton is an exciting sport, demanding quick reactions from both players. An effective strategy in doubles is volleying from close in to take control of a point and keep opponents at bay with low lobs from the baseline. Just make sure that any mistakes don’t creep in when using this shot type!
Volleying is an integral component of doubles badminton, so practicing it regularly is vital for improvement. Along with learning to volley, practicing serving and returning will enable you to develop more strategic play – ultimately increasing the odds of victory during matches.
When it comes to volleying, it is crucial that you stay as close to the non-volley zone (NVZ) as possible. Otherwise, your opponent may be able to poach easily; when this occurs it is wise to try volleying before the ball bounces as this serves is considered a fault and would therefore count against your score.
Reading the returner is also essential in winning any tennis match, so keep an eye out for deep returns or cross court shots and volley them back if possible. This will give you an advantage and allow you to score first point. If volleying isn’t your forte, practice service return techniques and gain deception techniques instead.
Though there are various approaches to volleying, aiming to keep the ball high and close to the net will make it more difficult for opponents to steal your shot while giving yourself enough time to plan your next shot.
Based on the results of cluster analysis, a high proportion of volleys played nearer to the net and at medium height were in Cluster 1, while Cluster 2 contained lower height and further away volleys played by female teams; suggesting less likelihood for this type of strategy being employed by these female teams.
Returns
Badminton requires players to master the serve return technique in order to have an edge, which requires mastery of precision, strategy and rules adherence. Failing to comply will incur fault penalties that lead to point losses from opponents. To improve return skills regularly practice and be open-minded when it comes to trying out different approaches.
If you receive a long serve, try hitting a steep half smash to force your opponent to play an aggressive shot and lower their volley, making it more difficult for them to return than an attack hit from above. This strategy can surprise and win points for you!
If your opponent serves a short serve, try returning it low to the body or court centerline in your front court to prevent him or her from poaching easily and increase your chance of hitting a volley.
Hitting a cross-shot is another effective tactic for returning short serves, and is particularly suitable for players who struggle with high volleys. While difficult to execute properly, this strategy has proven its value time after time.
For an effective cross-shot, it is imperative to maintain full control of the shuttlecock at all times and move your feet and racket in all directions to keep pace. Furthermore, you must anticipate its direction so as to adjust your movements appropriately.
Return team non-receivers should stand back to the baseline to avoid service faults such as serving an out of turn return or from the wrong side of court, which are all common errors which require careful analysis prior to every serve.
To become an elite doubles badminton player, it’s vital that you learn how to hide your weaknesses and force return errors from opponents. While this requires practice and dedication, with patience and practice you can build the skills needed for doubles badminton dominance.
Coordination
Badminton doubles is a team sport, so players need to work as a unit in order to succeed. Coordination between teammates is particularly vital when serving and volleying; any miscommunication between them could result in errors that lead to points lost. To prevent errors from arising during game play, coordination drills should be utilized so as to enhance both their volleying skills as well as overall game play.
To effectively serve, players need precise timing and footwork, along with awareness of the non-volley zone line (which marks where one may hit or not hit the shuttlecock). Furthermore, both server and receiver must take note of where to position themselves on court – typically either behind the back space line or directly in front of their service box.
First and foremost when considering serving, remember that the shuttlecock is oval in shape and must only be hit on its bottom surface for optimal results. Furthermore, its top has feather-like material which must travel over the net into your opponent’s half of the court in order to win points and advance play further. Ideally, players/teams should request to set before reaching 6 leading scores, otherwise an opponent can claim victory and request set themselves.
If a player serves the ball into the non-volley zone, this counts as an error and grants the opposing team one point. Thus, it is essential that when playing doubles badminton that players know and abide by all relevant regulations and laws of badminton.
Volleying in doubles requires keeping feet close to the net and having excellent reflexes, as opponents will attempt to block your volley with their hands. To combat this, players should aim high over the net when hitting their volleys to increase chances of capturing points more effectively and prevent their opponents from returning it easily. Furthermore, players should hit spinner volleys more often as this makes returning it more challenging as well as increasing your chances of victory.