safest zone in singles.

[Tony Roddis]

Hello! i have been playing singles for about a year and started off really well .But over the last couple of months i have been playing really bad losing lots of games .After speaking to a friend (Good Player), he advised me to do the following and it has made a big difference:He said when i get put under pressure lift the shuttle high and right to the rear centre of the court and proceed to a central base position ready for the reply. After doing this i have found that i have more time and my oppositions angles of attack have been reduced.Can anybody give me more simple advice like this to help my game Thanks!T,R

[clearalot]

I think under pressure, clearing is the safest option.
If you have good clear strokes, repetitive clearing will eventually force your your opponent to clear out of bound. That's why i clear a lot

[tonyw85]

Whats the reasoning to lifting it to the rear center, instead of the rear corners? I would think that lifting to the corners would be better, since it moves your opponent around, creates more open spots, and reduces the number of choices of shots that he can play.

[Gollum]

Whats the reasoning to lifting it to the rear center, instead of the rear corners? I would think that lifting to the corners would be better, since it moves your opponent around, creates more open spots, and reduces the number of choices of shots that he can play.

In general, playing strokes to the corners is better, because it forces your opponent to move farther and change direction more.

Yet when you are under too much pressure, a stroke played to the centre is better because it reduces the attacking angles of your opponent and thereby allows you to cover your court more easily.

In particular, high serves should always be played to the centre, because you will not cause the opponent any trouble with movement. He will have plenty of time to get behind the high serve, and the from the corner he has better attacking angles (can hit straight or cross).

[morewood]

If your struggling to do anything better (i.e. your out of position) then a clear to the back line mid court is a good simple solution.

[Eurasian =--(O)]

Anytime your under pressure hit high and to the back.

[DivingBirdie]

sometimes you hit to the corners the opponent can smash straight down fast, and if you're not at that side you'll lose...so clear to middle might be better?

[Monster]

how about a tight net drop?

[CWB001]

how about a tight net drop?

Think about it a bit. Why do you hit a clear to the centre? Because you are under pressure - maybe rushed to get to the shuttle, off-balance, or whatever.

Can you hit a tight drop to the net under these circumstances? Most people can't.

The positive reasons for it being a mid-court long clear have been enumerated above (no angle for a winning return etc) but the 'negative' reasons are that it is a relatively easy shot to hit and less likely to hit out (if you are aiming for the centre line) or into the net under these same circumstances.

[Monster]

i do it sometimes after a few clearings and my opponent is still stiffling me. sort of surprise the opponent. well not really very tight net dropping but desperate wrist flicks which i have no confidence if they are ever going to make it. i do this desperate stunt because i am being tired out by the opponent esp when i am forced to do desperate clearings from awkward positions in the hope that i can end this rally.

[CWB001]

Well, I guess you normally do end the rally. But maybe not with the outcome you desire.

[Monster]

it may surprise you like how i surprise them, it sometimes does turn out to be desirable. luck or not.....let your bias decide

[t3tsubo]

basic rule of thumb:
when under pressure clear to the center.
when pressuring opponents, clear to the backahnd corner, if not possible other corner.
Or better yet, smash to the corner