Doubles front player problem

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Jyaki, Apr 24, 2009.

  1. Jyaki

    Jyaki Regular Member

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    My partner is mainly the attacker when we gain the attack, so I play front. He is by far the best smasher in terms of power compared to the pairs we play against.

    Here's my problem: Today, he smashed and the feather of the shuttle SKIMMED my ear. Another time he smashed and it cut though my hair.

    By the rules we would of lost the post but anyway, how can I counter this? Crouch a bit? Stay a little to the other side? Move back (or forth) more?
     
  2. nattzor

    nattzor New Member

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    The thing you should do is to crouch a bit more, and if ur not doing it, you shall start! I think that is the best way to do it.
     
  3. AznAndrew

    AznAndrew Regular Member

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    Haha yeah. Crouching would be the way to go. I was at the back once, and i was playing with a complete amateur. I went for a smash, and my partner just stood straight up, even though they knew i was going to smash. This story ends with me hitting my partner in the head. Ouch. I'm not proud of it, but they really i guess i (accidentally) taught them the hard way.
     
  4. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    Yes... crouch down. Maximum height your head can be at is the height of the tape, so crouch down to level with the net tape if you're very tall (6'0 and above). Note that crouching down makes you more stable and might hinder your acceleration depending on your stance, so lean abit forward to break the stability.
     
  5. gamepurpose

    gamepurpose Regular Member

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    I do not agree with crouch down to net tape level. It's harder to see the return bird.
    Just tell your partner to practice on accuracy of his smashing.
    Yes true bend down give you more stabilize position and good for return the quick drive, but not when you're bending too low. 6 feet and above, bend lower than the net lvl?
    that's pretty low.
     
  6. Jyaki

    Jyaki Regular Member

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    Yeah that's what I had in mind.
    If my partner is attacking at the very back, where should I be? Service line? 1/2 court?
     
  7. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    To find your answer, you should watch some of those professional tournaments on youtube and observe how the front player stand. Almost all professional players keep their stances low and light on their feet to move quickly. The Danish players are pretty tall in general but see how low they kept their stances.

    When I said crouch down, I don't mean bend almost 90 degree forward at the waist but rather bending at the knees and keeping a low profile. That itself will help you defend against drives if your partner hit a bad smash.

    Another reason for keeping your stance low is to give your partner the best field of vision of the court so that he can make the best decision from his observation of the opponents' positions and also that you don't screen him from opponents' return shots or worse, block his shots. When your partner is at the baseline pounding down the shot, you should move slight away from the T and the net but on the same side as him to defend drives aimmed at him. Shadow his movement by observing the return shots from your opponents. Only move forward to the T when you think your opponent is going to contact the shuttle late. Midcourt is usually where the front player is most of the time, you only go to the net when you anticipate a netkill opportunity or to retrieve a drop/netshot.

    Playing front is very hard as you have to think and move fast so much faster, you'll tire out your partner if you don't anticipate well enough to intercept shots or kill the rally because the other side would tire him out by lifting or driving past you.
     
    #7 cappy75, May 1, 2009
    Last edited: May 1, 2009
  8. gamepurpose

    gamepurpose Regular Member

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    true that they crouch low, but not super low. There is no reason to low as the tape. Because if you draw out the sketch. From the point where your partner smash down to the close of the tape (point that the bird makes it over) And now draw a horizontal line from the tape, to your partner body. That is obviously therez more space for you to head up so you able to see clearer.
    Like cappy said about the T.
    Well first of all I just want to state this is just one of my opinion.
    Anyway, If itz back line lift right corner (all the way to the back right corner), for length side, the front person stands between middle and the server line. And width side, stand on the right side of the middle line. Low close to the tape if you want just make sure you able to see OVER the net not THROUGH the net.
    Correct me if i'm wrong, in double playing agaisnt strong players who able to return strong smash easily, we do not cross smash. Unless is half smash (bird go quick and away from them)
    Therefore, if your partner smash straight shot side line, you are no where near the bird to block it. And even if your partner do a cross smash, you are not in the middle of the court to block his shots.
    But overall, it is really important for a player to aim accurate before he smash, if you can't elimate yourself from the hitting partner zone, then you're just not that great of a player. Furthermore, you can't control your smash. Yea sure sometime you'll able to see a decend player, I've saw one. And he smashed at his partner head. That doesn't mean he sucks. He just not good with his smash. However, if you consider can't controll the smash = bad player, I will agree too.
     
  9. phamd124

    phamd124 Regular Member

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    Communicate with your partner and when the bird flies over you, know which side it'll be on and move a bit to the other side.
     
  10. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    If the smash has a decent downward angle, you can straight or cross it as long as the opponent has to lift it up. In general, players are advised not to smash crosscourt because it's harder to defend if the smash is a flat one that can easily be driven back straight to an opening where neither you or your partner are positioned to intercept.

    It's important to vary your shots to throw off your opponents so you shouldn't limit yourself to certain shots although most players already do that because they play patterns of comfortable shots. That's why it's important to practice taking shots early to maximize options and hitting downwards shots anywhere on the court. Afterall it's easier to hit overhead to anywhere than scrapping shots close to the ground. I am speaking from a doubles point of view but it certainly applies to singles as well.
     
    #10 cappy75, May 1, 2009
    Last edited: May 1, 2009

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