Doubles, Rearcourt - Drive or Clear?

[sautom88]

Agreed w/ the above (was going to comment the same thing). Hard to tell that to yr partner though, esp. if this is a social game. Many of 'social players' don't know doubles positioning n strategies to win the games.

For example, I have an older partner who does not have much power in his strokes n yet he TOLD me not to smash too often n just 'PLAY' my opponent around the court, hoping they have lousy returns we can kill. Can we win doubles games with that strategy? How do we pressurize our opponents w/o smashing the bird down when the returns are clears. Please remember this is doubles games for elderly n intermediate level.

Strategies or advices for such games are very much WELCOMED. We don't have the strength n agility of 20-30 years olds anymore.

[captaincook]

When playing social games, sometimes we don't get to chose an agile 20-30 years old partner... but that is besides the point.
We all see the same half lift plays commonly use by pros (eg BWF superseries). In the women double, I find most players would just lift and give up attacking. I am not sure why they (especially the Japanese pairs) preferred defense at times- perhaps finding their attack not penetrating.
In men double, I very rarely see them give out on attacking; they almost drive/drop all the time to maintain the attack/pressure.
My drive is no way near the power of the players in the superseries, in fact, it opens up the cross-court back court for counter drive...and my partner is caught in no-man-land, because a hard drive is signaling him that let's keep the pressure on. The block/drop works a couple times until the cross-court defender jumped on it.
I think the right play is still drive - it means I have to improve on my drives.

[Tactim]

In this situation I always try to go for the straight hard drive that's very low across the net into the chest area of my opponent. If hit hard and accurate, it's very hard to for the opponent to make an attacking reply to this and often produces a weak response or wins the rally outright by jamming up his defense if he/she is not ready for the shot. This is also the riskiest option available as you can hit it right into the net or mistime it and hit the shot too high and it will go long of the back court.

[Cheung]

I tend to play the fast drop in this position. One of us will follow into the forecourt area to force the opponents to lift. I'll also mix it up the decision with some drives. So sometimes, really slow drops, faster flatter drops (so the opponent cannot play netshot reply) or change the pace and fake a slower shot but change it to a faster drive shot.

All for change of pace that can frequently produce errors or weaker shots from the opponents.

[visor]

I tend to play the fast drop in this position. One of us will follow into the forecourt area to force the opponents to lift. I'll also mix it up the decision with some drives. So sometimes, really slow drops, faster flatter drops (so the opponent cannot play netshot reply) or change the pace and fake a slower shot but change it to a faster drive shot.

All for change of pace that can frequently produce errors or weaker shots from the opponents.

Dont forget the OP's situation that the opponents are in attacking side by side position biased to net and OP's pair is defensive biased to back. A block or drop to the net will be easily countered and attacked by the opponents who being closer to the net is ready to pounce.

Hence I agree with the drive to the weaker player or whichever one is more convenient. Sometimes if I know that person likes to rush the net, I would fake a soft block to the net and change it to an attacking clear. This is perhaps what the OP is referring to.

[Cheung]

Dont forget the OP's situation that the opponents are in attacking side by side position biased to net and OP's pair is defensive biased to back. A block or drop to the net will be easily countered and attacked by the opponents who being closer to the net is ready to pounce.

Hence I agree with the drive to the weaker player or whichever one is more convenient. Sometimes if I know that person likes to rush the net, I would fake a soft block to the net and change it to an attacking clear. This is perhaps what the OP is referring to.

I think 'biased to the net' doesn't give enough information. I interpret this as meaning the players are still a few feet behind the service but not quite in the mid court area). If 'biased to the net' means 2 feet behind the service line, I would not play drops but would probably go for a lift to make the opponents move off the net.

Here, in this scenario, I feel I would be trying to outmanoevre the opponents rather than playing a winning shot.

[betazone]

very interesting question, but seriously do you have time to assess the situation and react accordingly in a doubles match where the pace is so fast?

For me, I do a drop to the centre to confuse most of the time maybe 60% and 40% i do hard drive.

[extremenanopowe]

If your hand is strong enough, always move your smasher to the other side of the court.

[visor]

If your hand is strong enough, always move your smasher to the other side of the court.

Lol...and let your partner suffer?

[captaincook]

In this situation I always try to go for the straight hard drive that's very low across the net into the chest area of my opponent. If hit hard and accurate, it's very hard to for the opponent to make an attacking reply to this and often produces a weak response or wins the rally outright by jamming up his defense if he/she is not ready for the shot. This is also the riskiest option available as you can hit it right into the net or mistime it and hit the shot too high and it will go long of the back court.

Yes, I do find a higher percentage is forehand hard drives go into the net. Mostly because I am still in forehand grip - need to rotate out toward panhandle grip as shuttle is lower than smashing height.

[captaincook]

I tend to play the fast drop in this position. One of us will follow into the forecourt area to force the opponents to lift. I'll also mix it up the decision with some drives. So sometimes, really slow drops, faster flatter drops (so the opponent cannot play netshot reply) or change the pace and fake a slower shot but change it to a faster drive shot.

All for change of pace that can frequently produce errors or weaker shots from the opponents.

We see Cai Yun block the half-lift and move forward to the net and let Fu Hai Fung rotate to back court. They do that because CY in the net and FHF at the back is their preferred formation. We don't see FHF block and run for the net (let CY rotate to the back). I mixing it up will prevent the opponent from sneaking up to the net (looking for the drop).