Hi, I am new here and my english is quite poor but I will try to make my best. So...The question is: Where should I direct my smash near the net when my rival's returns are flat and I cannot get maximal power to my smash? Should I direct it for example to my rival's chest or as far as possible (to the sidelines)? Which one is harder to return. How do you act in the situations like that? I hope you got the point.
1) Welcome 2) Your English is better than me. I only speak American. 3) Aim at his/her racquet side arm pit.
I am not quite sure I understand the question, but I will try to reply as I see your question. If they are not lifting up to you, you should not smash at all. A smash is rally ending shot, or to set up for a rally ending shot. If they return shots that are flat, then you should not smash at all. Make your opponent move around until they do lift, then you can smash. If you are playing singles, you generally want to smash down the sides. If you are playing doubles, you want to smash at the body.
If your opponent's return is flat, don't go for a smash at all, because the shuttle will not be high enough to give a steep angle. The danger in hitting flat returns at the opponent's chest is that if he is far enough away, the shot will go long. If he is close to the net, there is no problem, but as he gets further and further away your shot should be aimed lower and lower. (When driving a serve back at my opponents in doubles, I aim at the server's chest or his partner's knees, as he is further away.) The racket side hip is an excellent target if you can get the angle. Flat returns can also be played back to the net, in which case you might try aiming out to the sides to make your opponent move.