Overhead Dropshot from rear court in singles

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Cheung, Sep 20, 2002.

  1. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    23,818
    Likes Received:
    4,791
    Occupation:
    wannabe badminton phototaker
    Location:
    Outside the box
    In my earlier (!) days, a drop shot was very simple. Just play it to the forecourt and pull your opponent away from the base. Easy stuff.

    Aha, now I learn something different - using dropshot to destroy the opponent's centre of gravity.

    This tactic needs control over a certain type of drop shot. It's the very straight fast dropshot that lands a couple of feet past the service line near the sideline.

    Because the shot is fast, the opponent is rushed into the forecourt. After playing a lift reply, the opponent will be rushed to get back to base.

    So now, you have the opportunity to play a dropshot again to that area.

    Good stuff, right?

    If the 2nd drop shot is played exactly the same way, same speed and to exactly the same point, the opponent already has 'preprogrammed' their positioning to hit the shuttle from the 1st dropshot. They have a good chance of making the reply from the 2nd dropshot.

    To be more effective, one can play the 2nd drop shot even closer to net. This drop shot needs to be the slower type and lands before the service line.
    Why will this work more effectively?
    1) change pace of shuttlespeed puts off the opponent
    2) change position of where the shuttle lands means opponent has to 'reprogramme' a different shuttle position. It destroys their balance
    3) to make it even more effective, for the 2nd drop, jumping up to play the shot will hurry the opponent and help destroy the balance.

    Obviously you have to have pretty good racquet control to control the shuttle but an interesting topic derived from the previous discussion on dropshots and deception.
     
  2. Californian

    Californian Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2002
    Messages:
    554
    Likes Received:
    5
    Location:
    Southern California
    That's certainly one possible tactic, but only if the opponent returns your first drop with a short or low clear. If someone hit that shot to me from the backcourt, I would be inclined to return with an underhand drop to the front corner furthest from where the OH drop was hit to make my opponent have to run the length of the court.
     
  3. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    23,818
    Likes Received:
    4,791
    Occupation:
    wannabe badminton phototaker
    Location:
    Outside the box
    Not necesarily short or low:) because the pace and placement of shuttle has changed.

    Do you mean play cross court net shot for your choice if the opponent played a net shot reply?
     
  4. Californian

    Californian Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2002
    Messages:
    554
    Likes Received:
    5
    Location:
    Southern California
    If someone hits me that kind of OH drop from the backcourt, I should be able to get to it with one or two steps. I would return it with an underhand drop away from that player to make them have to come all the way up.

    Maybe you didn't mean you would hit OH drops for two consecutive shots, but that's what I understood.
     
  5. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    23,818
    Likes Received:
    4,791
    Occupation:
    wannabe badminton phototaker
    Location:
    Outside the box
    If the 1st drop shot is a good one, can you invariably play a good cross court net shot? If you can, you must be pretty good to be able to intercept it early. I don;t deny this is an option.

    I think perhaps I didn't make it clear. The 1st drop is a good one so the person taking the shot would probably hit it below the level of the knee. In that situation, playing a shot to the net means the shuttle is rising first. The flight path taken means a lot time for the player making the drop shot to approach the net and have a lot of options. That's why a lift is played more often than thought.
     
  6. viver

    viver Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    1,935
    Likes Received:
    158
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    For what I know this is called a 'fast drop'. Shuttle travels fast and lands usually a few feet beyond the service line. When done properly it puts off the opponent for it requires a quick reply. For us normal weekend players, the problem is even bigger as it demands good footwork to return the shuttle properly - the shuttle looks so close and yet so far to reach.

    If able to return, the usual one is hitting to the baseline again. Not because you want, but due to the balance which is easier to send it back than hitting a net return. Being able to return a good net drop from a quality fast drop looks deceptively easy to do.
     

Share This Page