when my opponents use deceptive shots on me, i have lots of trouble getting to the ball, mainly because my feet move AFTER he hits the birdie. is it possible to predict his move ahead of time so i can get to the ball faster? or do i just need to improve my footwork?
i'd have to say footwork, it depends on what level ur playing at but its never a good idea to assume what shot ur opponent will hit. You SHOULD be moving after the bird is hit, not before. Even at intermediate levels, you/your opponents strokes and shots should all look similiar to the extent that you can't read it. For example, u do a net shot, and they approach the net, at this point in time (if they're good) they will go forwards looking like they will do a net shot again, if u move forward, they'll quickly push it away to the side, or crosscourt net.
You can anticipate your opponents shot to a point. But usually, you don't want to move before your opponent hits. Anyways, back to anticipation. Just rule out what shots your opponent is capable of doing at the point of contact and which shot would be the most difficult for you to get. If your opponent has all shots at their disposal, then obviously you don't want to try to predict anything and be ready for anything. If your opponent gets to the shot late, then it rules out several shots and puts you at an advantage of predicting what shot to expect. Always expect the hardest shot for you to retrieve to be the next shot.
You can usually anticipate what a lower level player (low intermediate and under) is going to do. Even if they disguise a shot (ie; forehand drop looks like forehand overhead clear), you tend to be able to read it from other factors. They also tend to be quite predictable so you may not even need to read the deception - this isn't foolproof though, they may decide to mix it up. By the sound of it, you're reading the shuttle quite early already. Better footwork will allow you to get there quicker without compromising your ability to read the correct shot.
I agree with Joseph. you should never move first but in your mind know one of the best ways to anticipate dropshots is to look at the racquet and elbow. If they're lowering down you can move at the net, few players will be able to clear after this
his problem just like me is deceptive drops. moving back u have the choice of taking it late but for preventing drops from becoming winners, its necessary to do AND time the split step correctly.by the way, how do u practice to time a split step
you want to mess up your perfectly good footwork to get a couple of deceptive shots? good luck. Practice your footwork so that you can move faster. anticipation may seem good, but it can strike back if you rely on it.
