Ok, this thread is really about the two level of smashing power. I was lucky enough to LOST 25 dollars to see the final round at US open 2009 So I saw Taufik, Tony, Howard, and other couple players (Which I think national levels) maybe I dont' know. But anyway Taufik and Tony's smashes speed are way faster (sorry this might a bit exaggerated, but you able to see two complete different speed) than howard and other national players (well these two men double in final play agaisnt tony and howard). So Why? HOW? I mean i saw two different speed of the smash for sureeeee, and Yea I know tony and taufik are world class players (which mean of course they're better than others) but why the smashes way faster? Unless anyone in here are national player think they can match their smash speed with the world class player please tell me thank you OH btw smash speed mean the speed of the bird travel. Not the speed of the racquet travel, well maybe it's faster too but i'm just talking about the bird speed.
uhhhh, i'm pretty sure howard's smash has been clocked in and around the 300km/h range, so i don't really know what you mean when you say his smash is "slow". world class and national team players are pretty much the same, it just depends on which national team your talking about i guess. a better example would be national team players against top club players?
I'm pretty sure there are many 'normal' players who can smash at 250km/h. It's not that you're gonna hit it harder just because you're world class. If they hit it less powerfully it's probably because they couldn't keep up the pace with their footwork and were unbalanced, so they couldn't quite use the same power. In tennis even some 15 year old kids can serve at 150+km/h.
I'm also curious about this. The sound Tony and Taufik made when they smashed was louder than other players when they played BBC this year. 250+ kph is an impressive speed. ZN and Tine Rasmussen smashes that I have seen were clocked below 240 mph.
The sound has not only to do with the power of the smash, the sound depends more on de tension of the string and the strings theirself.
Pitch depends on tension, volume doesn't as much. And I dont' think lots of people can smash at 250 km/h; an example being that BCL and LCW smash at around that speed. In perspective, they train daily, and are top ranked players who can use their smash as a weapon against a top-ranked defense. That's not easy. And national players are usually considered a level below world class within their own country; LD is better than say Wen Kai or something, even though most would say Wen Kai is a national player, and LD is world class (no duh...). However, if you compare like Howard Bach (world class level in USA) and compare to like some top national level indonesian players who aren't frequent participators in SS or something, you'd see that a world class player may not nessicarily be better than a national player.
which way were you sitting when you watched the people smash? one reason might be your perception is different if looking at a birdie going away vs coming towards you. an example would be taking a penalty shot in soccer, it seems slower to kick the ball (because it's going away from you) than to be the goalie and saving the ball as it comes towards you.
Yes true to capnx. But I was sitting in the same spot, for the whole day, and the players do have to switch side. So I should able to see the speed of the bird from both direction. I suppose I must say sorry to mybestfriend, because I do not know that howard bach was measure and his smash was at 300 km/h. All I said up there was just my obversation. Maybe it wasn't his good day so his smashes are not that great. Anyway, this is what I saw in MD FINAL in US open 2009 tony , howard vs 2 other players which I dont' know tony smash = fastest out of 3 howard smash = not as fast as tony other 2 guys = weaker than howard That's what I saw, of course I might be wrong, I don't have a speed gun to measure it. But of course if howard did got measure his smash at 300 km/h then ok he's good sorry again
LoL sorry mis-spell the guy username. Yourbestfriend not mybestfriend =) sorry Just to add, I do think there are some players able to smash around 250 km/h and not even consider as world class.
That's interesting. I do not recall Tony having such a strong smash. He's usually the tactician. It doesn't mean his smashes are any less deadly -- he uses more angle and placement. I'm speculating that you notice Tony's smashes are more deadly because they pose more problems to the receiver. Between Tony and Howard, I believe Howard is the bigger banger -- make that a serial banger. OTOH, I haven't seen Tony play for quite a while so he might have acquired a stronger smash.
a national team player might not be a world class player, but a world class player is usually always a national team player (minus the independents)
It can be a number of things. each player has a different physical capability. Just because they are ranked in the Top10 in the world may not necesarrily mean they can smash as fast or faster than players ranked below or above them. Different strengths, different swinging speeds, there are so many factors which tie everything together. Either way its hard to pinpoint a main solid reason on why there are differences. Between the likes of regular national players and world class players, id say the difference lies with the perfection in technique, and experience from high level 'elite' training.
Yes, Tony plays very well at net and good to set up the play. But he can smash pretty hard, too (might not be as hard as Halim or Fu). I had a close watch during 2009 Portland open 2 weeks ago. Tony/Halim/Howard and severl US national team members came over. Halim smashed very hard for sure, for Tony, he seldom smash, but one time, he smashed, it was really hard. I only sat 2 meter from the court, so you can feel how fast they smash, just like you played with them. And the sound generated from the smash was incredible. I also had detailed watch how Tony played. All his fast drive in front of the net or from half court were unbelivable. At any angle, he can drive back just over the net, fast and straight to a place you can not imagine. As long as he caught the shuttle in the front, you certainly were going to lose the point. His lower arm and wrist somehow like a spring and can hit shuttle far or close to his body and return in very fast speed. So his body movement must be superbe.
Smash greatly depends on the timing. In game playing is very different than drill practice. It's very possible that the opponents (MD finalist) can not get to their favorite spot, due to Tony's defense and placement. On the other hand, Tony may as well taking advantage on opponent's mis-placement to excute a powerful smash to finish a rally.
