When I get pushed to the back of the court I always have problems finding a good shot to rely with, sometimes I try and drop it tight to the net making them run and giving time for me to recover. However I 70% of the time leave myself open to attack. If I try to hit it to the back of their court I find its shorter then I expect and bring on a smash. Help
I feel your pain. I'm terrible at hitting shots from the back of the court. I don't have enough power to get it to my oppenant's backcourt. Like you said, this results in me getting smashed. I would also like some help on this.
simple, get there fast enough that you can take it in front and above you. also, if found in that situation, be prepared to really really motor it for the next shot. when playing a clear low, be prepared to hammer it as hard as you can and get ready for a smash. note though, sometimes, its not that shot which makes you lose the point, it maybe the shot you played before or several shots before which had you scrambling already. what i mean is, a loose net shot can allow the player to push it flat and fast, putting you into that situation. so it might be a shot you played before which gets you into trouble. this is all assuming you're taking the shuttle late, parrallel or behind your body and at a height below head level.
don't worry, just practice more, play more. i'm 17 years old, 172cm, only 120lb, so very thin compared to most people but i have no problem clearing fore or backhand from baseline to baseline. another thing to consider is footwork, maybe you couldn't get in the perfect position for a full arm swing with body rotation so you just made a little motion with your wrist and forearm, and that is definitely not enough to clear to the other guy's backcourt, unless ur a pro.
i had the impression he was taking it very late, as he stated it was a push, so flat and fast, rather than a low lift.
yeah was a push, I have tried to get around abit quicker (as im a fat git really) I might change my racquet this week as its pretty old Yonex and Im sure the strings need doing.
in that case, it is most likely not your movement to the forehand corner which is your problem, faster movement helps, but it is generally a poor shot played before hand. a loose drop will allow your opponent to get there early and push it, so play it tighter or make him take it late. after you lost the point, take note of what shot you played before that push, was it of poor quality? was your opponent anticipating and getting there early?
Backcourt drops are more effective if you can prove to your opponent that you CAN indeed clear baseline to baseline. If they see that all you do is drop, they may clear to you and then make the proper adjustments.
I get the feeling you're trying to play slow drops tight to the net? Slow tight drops generally are a bad idea in singles, I would classify all drop shots that are slow enough to land less than 3 feet or so from the net as slow drops. Playing tight drops is a common misconception, if you try to play it tight to the net, there's a good chance of hitting it into the net, even the pros don't often go for tight drop shots. Also if you want to get the shuttle to land close to the net, then your drop will have to be quite slow and gives more time to your opponet to get there, and also your opponent will have an easy net shot and you'll be a trouble if their net shot is good. In singles, you should be playing fast drops, not slow drops, good fast drops won't land tight to the net, but around the service line or even mid court. As long as the shuttle is going downwards, it's difficult for the opponent to counter. Fast drops will mean your opponent reaches the shuttle further from the net, making it difficult for them to play a winning net shot, and preventing them from playing an aggressive shot. Drop shots are often used by professionals as a defensive shot, and they'll only be effective as offensive shots if you can decieve your opponent. You'll notice a most of the drop shots by professionals land behind the service line, that isn't because of inaccuracy, it's because they're fast drops =p. Also, a quick drive is a good way to get out of trouble, even if you catch the shuttle hip height behind you from the back corner, you can still drive the shuttle. Aim for the opponent's backhand side, it can sometimes lead to your opponent to make an error and hit it into the net.
that's a good explaination, but remember, the further away from the net, the easier it is for your opponent is to drive it flatter, but everything comes with a price, but generally, yes you play faster drops. but drops aren't defensive, they're more offensive than anything, because it allows you to get close in to the net, which is where much of men's singles is played now adays, at least, where it's won or lost at top levels
