Uh, this is kind of hard to phrase without seeming arrogant. I've probably blown it already Anyway, I've had a bit of an issue in my last few MD matches. On the day of the trials for teams I didn't play very well, so I was put in the lowest (4th) team. I'm not saying I should be way above where I am now, but I feel that I'm better than a couple of the people in the 3rd team. So the guy that I'm partnered with for my Men's doubles is, uh, well I don't think he's played as much badminton as I have. The basic pattern of matches that I've noticed is for the first few rallies in a match, I will get to the shuttle well and get in a few - dare I say "impressive" - shots that win us points. The opponents then realize that my partner is not as strong as I am and target him for the rest of the match and we lose. This is quite frustrating as I hope you can imagine. So I'm asking for advice on how to deal with this targeting issue. Thanks.
this happened to me already, and we lost the tournament. You're probably a pretty good player, so i would recommend playing singles(as i did) because it feels a lot better.
I'm not a good player at all, I'm just a bit better than my partner ... I'd love to play singles, I much prefer it to doubles, but our team doesn't do singles and I actually suck at singles anyway.
Unfortunately, and I hate to sound mean or anything, but you should probably have played better in the trials. That's just the way things are when you play competitive. When I played mens open how well I did in each tournament had an impact on my seeding in the next tournament and that would determine how good the first guy I played was. If I really sucked in one tournament, chances were good I'd be playing one of the top seeded guys and would lose in the first round.
Yeah, I know what you mean. Last year I didn't get on the team because I hadn't played badminton for two or three years and I was really rusty for the trials (which are always the first week of the first term) but then by the end of the year I was definitely better than people that had gotten on the team. That was really frustrating so I was determined not to screw it up this year and so I got in as much practice as I could during the summer so I would be ready for the trials. Unfortunately I ended up being so freaked out about not screwing up the trials again that I psyched myself out completely and played absolutely dire.
If you're going to play with this partner again in the future, maybe you and him should talk about strategy and how you guys can win. Even if he's not as good as you, perhaps he has a strength that you can make use of. Or, you can train him to help him improve faster.
The first time I got paired with someone way weaker, I told her to stand in the corner with her racket up and I'd do everything On a more serious note - depending on certain factors (how weak your partner is relative to yourself, how good your opponents are, etc), you should be able to work out a rotation and shot selection so that it's much more risky and difficult for them to hit to your partner. You can also determine what his strengths are (ie. clearing or net play), and play to those.
He's the captain of the team, I'd feel kind of out of position doing that -_-' Ah yes, that's a good idea. I often find myself stuck at the front because my partner doesn't know when to go forward and backwards ... I have an XD partner who serves and then automatically steps straight backwards ...
you lose as a team, how would you feel if your partner **** on you after a loss? this is so childish, so you're better than your partner... ok, now what? do you want a partner that's better than you? by your theory you would never get one because the one that's better than you wouldn't play with you.... it's a team game man, suck it up and practice...
I'm not sure what the expletive that has been censored there is so I don't fully understand what you're saying, but I haven't said anything to my partner if that's what you're implying, nor did I refuse to play with him.
Surely there is nothing wrong in complaining because our partners can't keep up with us. In my high school year I had to ask the coach to team me up with different partners because my MD team never worked out for so long (I practiced and got better while the others didn't try as much). Then I ended up playing singles, which I enjoy a lot more. In the beginning I enjoyed playing with a teammate, too, but once you get better you'll understand and perhaps also will switch to singles. As for the targeting the weaker teammate, you may want to be dirty and switch it to Mixed style. Other than that it would be up to your partner to get better. Best way is to ask him to practice with you if you, like me, don't have the guts to tell your partner he sucks.
as we can see destrito did not really complain, to be fair. But being putting words out like that does make people feel like destrito is complaining. Anyway, we should not hate or dislike or watever with our partners UNLESS, he or she, if any of us play mix. If our partner is not willing to change or improve. Obviously in a team there is no such thing as same level, it's gonna be off set a little or a lot doesn't matter, the point is going to be off set. And at that point, if you're the stronger one can always try to help out the partner to improve. And here is the point you are allowed to hate your partner. he or she turn down the help or give excuses to this and that.
anyway, for answering destrito questions. You can always help your partner on his or her defence skill. Like keep smashing in practice make him return it in everyway, lift, drive back, or drop. And pretty much just help him improves on what you think it is necessary for the game. However, this is one little problem, is HOW you going to offer him the help. It is hard to start the training. Especially something they're not good at, it is just out of their habit things to do. Example: backhand, smash, drop... personally I'm not good with smashing. I don't like to smash, my normal games will only have probably about 3 smashes for one set. i tend to clear a lot. I guess I don't really like offensive that much. So that's why I can see why I'm also a player who being targeted in a game, they always clear it to me. And worse, it's either my reaction is slow or my eyes getting worse. my return smash is really bad. I can't really see the bird that well especially with the bad lighting setting. But yea I do believe I have a slow reaction too. I've been trying to increase my reaction, but don't really know how.
He is playing MD (men's doubles) and his partner is self-evident to be weak and is being targeted. He is frustrated and he wants help from us, therefore he complains about this uneasiness. No need to be modest and avoid such irrelevant fact. Another tip is to play offensive most of the times. So your team will try not to clear so much but rather do a lot of smashes and drops. This is somewhat like Mixed if he stays in the front to cover the net with net shots while you are in the back smashing down the other supposedly low-level opponents. Hopefully your partner can at least cover the net. He needs to have decent reflexes for that, and a bit of techniques.
The fact that he is captain of the team may change things a little. Maybe he chose you because you are good enough prop him up. From what you say it seems that he is the captain and the weakest player on the squad. Dictating tactics is obviously going to be difficult, if you can stomach it how about playing a load of dire net shots in practice, complement his great net play and plead with him to take the front as you just can't compare to his mastery of the net.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I will see if I can muster up the courage to give him some basic tips like "hit it up, go sides, hit it down, go front/back" ... (is that even right? )
My advice to you is to communicate on court with strategies. Don't force your partner to go stay at the front, he won't enjoy it very much. If possible, encourage him to play offensively etc, but never be angry or annoyed at him for being a weaker player . About your trials, I've noticed that there is one VERY, VERY bad thing you can do when performing, and often loads of people overlook it and shrug it off to be insignificant. If you can, try to stay as relaxed as possible and to play without being tense. Because, when you're relaxed on the court and not stressed or worried etc, then your mind can focus and perform much better. Notice that when you play a drop shot into the net - your success rate is generally much lower when your are tense but seems to be effortless when you are relaxed? So anyway, good luck ^^.
well honestly if the level gap is too huge i find it quite impossible for you to compensate for his weaknesses no matter how good you are. if i were you, i'd think in a different way---Instead of "he's weaker than me overall", ask yourself which aspect of his game does he need to improve on the most. What is his most easily exploited weakness? How would your opponent go about exploiting your weaker partner?? Are your opponents more likely to exploit his weak rear-court skills by hitting flat lobs to him repeatedly? Or would they wait for him to come forward, then hit fast drives past him, knowing that he cannot intercept quick enough at the net? Is he weak in driving the shuttle such that you can force a lift/loose shot by exchanging a couple of drives with him? You need to analyse how you guys are losing your points, and train him up accordingly In fact i once partnered a very strong player, and it appears that having him up at the net yielded better results...simply because his net play is too much better than mine.
You might need to try some unorthodox tactics to throw the opponents off balance. For example, you serve short, you know you're supposed to stay at the front, but try stepping back sometimes (so that they don't have the "easy" option of hitting the shuttle over your head to your partner). And there are probably other tricks you can try, but it's hard to make specific suggestions without being able to watch your games. Just try to take them "out of the book" somehow.