There was a thread on this but nothing much was discussed except that folks got off topic (as usual) http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1851 Anyhow, I was playing yesterday and in one game got partnered with a left-hander and we should be able to beat our opponents quite easily (on paper) but instead managed to scrape through 15-10. In analyzing the game, I realized that we made a lot of errors basically because of the fact that we get caught due to the left/right handness. For example, I find that we get more in trouble when I am on the left side of the court and my partner has to play a number of shots on his back hand (being the lefty). We seems to be stronger with both us playing in our strong side. Since it isn't often that I partnered up with left-handers, it is hard to say whether it just the two of us (I have partnered with this fellow on other occasions and found the same problems).
"For example, I find that we get more in trouble when I am on the left side of the court and my partner has to play a number of shots on his back hand (being the lefty). We seems to be stronger with both us playing in our strong side." if you're a right-hander on the left side, and he's on the right side of the court, shouldn't that be his forehand if he's left-handed???
I think WWC means, his partner get trouble to cover "right side", since his partner is a lefty. Actually, I sometimes face problems like this, too. Plus, more chance to get rackets clash.
Since I am a left-handed player, I honestly do believe that if you haven't partner with left-handers before or have limited experience w/ left-handers, there will be an adjustment period to go through since you do have to change your footwork approach to the game slightly. However, even though it is awkward at first for the partner, it can also be a factor for the opponents because the usual backhand for a right-hander is now the forehand for the left-handed opponent. To sum it up IMHO, there are ups and downs when playing w/ a lefty just as there is with a righty. You just have to adjust to it.
there are a couple of people i play with who are leftys. when playing with them. generally there are just one more thing to think about. and that's when to rotate and what kind of shots to expect from the guy if he is behind. when playing against a left/right pairing though, there is the same thing, where to lift. by far the best place to play when playing with left/right pair is a attacking clear at the middle of the court. there are two scenarios, either they are both backhand, then they will struggle to figure out who to take the backhand, and usually result in a weak shot. or they are both forehand and they will fight for the shot, usually result in racket clash. i have caused a broken racket once doing that. felt kinda sorry afterwards, but it was a tournament. oh well....