Advanced Drive Technique

**BaggedCat** · 10-09-2012, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by vinod81

<BaggedCat> Assuming you are playing doubles, do you drive on the body of the reciver or drive away from the reciver towards center rear corner. My goal is to get a good horizontal angle so that receiver cannot intercept the shuttle. I am not sure this (serving towards corner) is a good idea in competitive games, but it works well sometimes in club games.

if your opponent is good, it doesnt matter where you serve to, they will intercept it. a body widths distance isnt going to make a difference. serving to different corners isnt really to 'ace' the receiver. its just to provide variation so the receiver cant preempt your serve. if your opponent is not good, it probably wasnt the horizontal angle that will beat them, but the fact you lobbed them when they were expecting a short serve.

"Should I stand about my body width away from the centreline when I am in the right half court" - no you're just putting yourself out of position. you moving 1-2 feet back to the center is more hassle than them moving their racket 1-2 feet to cover the 'extra angle' you've created.

a tiny plus to serving straight down the middle when on the right is that if your serve is accidentally short, it will still be in. if serving at on angle and the long serve falls short, the serve will be on the wrong side of the court

**BaggedCat** · 10-09-2012, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by vinod81

<BaggedCat> Assuming you are playing doubles, do you drive on the body of the reciver or drive away from the reciver towards center rear corner.

also my first post about a easy powerful drive shot was to OP about when the shuttle is in play (return of serve or mid game) not on a serve. do not do as is said for a flick serve, it will just telegraph you're doing a long serve.

**Pizza Fish** · 10-09-2012, 03:17 PM

remember guys, it's been over 2 years since the OP has commented in this post! i don't think he will be coming back to read this soon

**visor** · 10-09-2012, 04:14 PM

Oftentimes power of your drive is not as important as the placement and accuracy of it. That is, how close above the tape you can drive and how difficult you can make it for the opponent by aiming at their chest/face, and their backhand side. Whatever you do, do not aim it at their racket on the forehand side!

**raymond** · 10-09-2012, 11:24 PM

Unless you're very tall, make sure you don't commit a service fault while you try to get a "good horizontal angle".

**captaincook** · 10-10-2012, 10:40 AM

For fast drives.... you need to be aware that you are in a flat fast drive situation. I hope once you recognized that, you will move your elbow (racket hand) in front of you and be ready with racket up. Watch up, it is coming and coming fast. Trust me, playing against good double specialists, you would not have time for back swing (or pronate/sub). You'd better "lock" in your elbow and use only slight movement on your fore arm (and mostly fingers and wrist). Otherwise be ready to get a mouthful of feathers, or have the birdies in your arm pit. Or back off as it gets too hot to handle, but your opponent will dominate the net/front court. When that happens, you know who is winning.