so i have a question about the long serve in doubles. if i serve long, should i step back and me and my partner play sides or should we just play front back still?
Switch to sides if you do that. It's pretty much the same situation as if you had just done a clear, your opponents have the initiative and you have to defend.
I would say it depends... it depends on how good your long serve is - many times, I would say more than 50% of the time when I do a flick serve I go front because my opponent is really under pressure from this serve, usually ends up marshing away a clear which my partner demolishes!! So it depends on how good the flick serve is performed... infact thinking about it: 25% of the time my flick serve is not returned 25% it is returned poorly 25% it is returned well but we can still maintain an attacking posture 25% we must go sides and it is 50/50 it is back to duelling for the attacking advantage!
Staggered defense & variations Whenever the net person serves high or clears, it is very common to assume a starggered (offset) defense (defence). This is something between the offensive formation (up-back) and the 50-50 side-side defensive formation. typically the server (or net person) backs up, 1 or 2 steps, diagonally away from the serve/clear. This puts both defenders approx the same distance from the opponent playing the shuttle. It the defenders were equi-distant from the net, one would actually be further from the attacker. Variations can also be employed. If a flick serve or an offensive clear has taken your opponent somewhat by surprise, you can sometimes stay in a fairly offensive position if you feel that you've likely forced a weak response from your opponent. I often play with a partner who is percieved as weaker, even tho' he is younger & faster. As a result, many opponents hit 2/3 of their shots to his part of the court. To confuse our opponents, I've asked my partner to randomally retreat to a position directly across from the attacking player (rather than diagonally). This has worked quite well against some opponents tha like to pick on my partner.
this might be abit off topic but what do u considered a good flick serve...low and fast so the rushing opponent cant react to it or high so the opponent cant jump to kill it.
