HELP: MEN Doubles Strategy advice

**mann68** · 02-15-2010, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by coachgary

Ok you've worked out the problem with your smashes, ie, their defence is capable of returning your smashes. However you have not advised how they are winning their points? If you're always attacking then in theory they are winning points counterattacking. Ask yourselves how? Are they blocking to the net; driving the shuttle back flat with pace? It’s unlikely that they are winning with clears unless you’ve made the error, hitting it in the net or out.

If they are winning by blocks and drives then this could suggest a formation error on your side of the court or poor shot direction. The front attacker needs to be able to react to blocks to the net, straight and crosscourt. If too close to the net then he will be unable to react. The flipside of this can also be true, in that as he is so close it forces the defenders to always lift to the rear-court. Try hanging back a little to encourage the defenders to block to the net but be ready to net return and kill! In order to encourage the proper attacking formation, the rear court player needs to play shots that bring the front player into the game, by playing shots that force a reply somewhere near to his reach. This basically means to not play too many drops or smashes crosscourt. The angle of return is too far for him and will cause uncertainty about who covers the space if it’s pushed flat down the line.

It may be that the smasher’s post shot recovery is too slow, putting too much effort into the shot resulting in loss of balance and stability, thus leaving space for the defenders to hit into. I would therefore suggest that you play your smashes from the deep rearcourt as building shots, played so that you can recover quickly. You may find also that smashing down the middle has some success because you’re hitting to both defenders causing confusion, reduces angle of return, and brings your front attacker into play. Mixing up your attack with drop shots to the middle also has a desired affect usually!

they are getting points mainly by counterattacking... we keep smashing and they keep returning... finally a weak smash or drop is counterattacked and we loose the point... by the way its not that one sided a game.. we lost 15-11, 15-10... and the they were lomg games and we did lead 3 times... its just that having given everthing one feel there was a strategic mistake.

secondly you mention "hit smashes from the back of the court as building shots" what does this mean?

**nprince** · 02-16-2010, 12:11 AM

secondly you mention "hit smashes from the back of the court as building shots" what does this mean?

Any good player will be able to return smash from base line. Hence no much point in trying to finish rally with one smash from there. Instead your aim is to obtain a weak reply which you partner can intercept. A steep shot in front is much easier to lift than one directed at the body. hence plan your smashes in such a way (building shots) so that their replies will probably within the reach of your front player.

**visor** · 02-16-2010, 12:15 AM

Which brings us to, BTW, how's the front player in your attack formation?
Is he able to maintain the attack and keep the pressure on the opponents, with fast cut offs, drives, pushes, etc?

**mann68** · 02-16-2010, 02:02 AM

Visor,

yes he is quick.. and so am i at the net... problem is that we ( whoever is in the front ) is not coming into play... as the drops/ smashes are going way above our head... ocasionally a push but thats parallel and too far...

**venkatesh** · 02-16-2010, 02:51 AM

mann68,

It seems that all the best advices (tactics and skills department) have been covered in this thread.

I'd like to add another department, that is, the psychological department.

Keeping your attacking position is correct. However, continuous smash could take its toll as this will get you tired immediately. Maybe you're trying "too hard".

It's like, in your mind, you have to go "attack, attack, attack!" And then, after a while, you think, "Oh no! My smash can't penetrate their defence. Man! They have good defence. I can't kill the rally! It's so hard. I'm already tired. I must keep on smashing harder. I must vary the phase. I must push, drive, drop, and then smash again. I must be deceptive."

And then, you hit a weak smash, the attacking position goes to opponent, and then you think, "I have to convert our defensive poition. I must push or drive or drop their attack". And then KILL! You lose the rally. The point goes to them.

I was once partnered with a Thai player, who is by the way superb. His shots are very simple. Nothing fancy. But we won! During that match, I was trying too hard. He said that I should take it easy. Relax. Don't think too much. Make simple shots. It worked.

Maybe your prolem is not only your skills and tactics. Maybe it's the mind set.

**coachgary** · 02-16-2010, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by mann68

Visor,

yes he is quick.. and so am i at the net... problem is that we ( whoever is in the front ) is not coming into play... as the drops/ smashes are going way above our head... ocasionally a push but thats parallel and too far...

Can you elaborate on this point? The front attacker if standing in the correct position should be putting these away or at least forcing a weak return.

If your opponents are not blocking to the net then maybe you should try a sides attacking formation so that you can share the workload of smashing. As soon as they start to block to the net you'll have to change to front & back.

**nprince** · 02-16-2010, 10:51 PM

Keeping your attacking position is correct. However, continuous smash could take its toll as this will get you tired immediately. Maybe you're trying "too hard".

I totally agree with Venkatesh. Sometimes it is all in your mind set and you end up trying too hard-Instead, use your brain and play a smart game which may work.

**chrisnchips** · 02-17-2010, 02:20 PM

just posting for the feed :P

great tips ... already have been putting many to use b4 i read this particular thread... just got to be more efficient and learn to play more 'simple' shots more often.

& something u prolly shouldn't do all that much (do sometimes if it works any):
try forcing the opponent's front player to have to play shots... push it with just enough pace to get it behind him but land before the back player. force them to have to play shots with their arm more extended, forcing weaker replies.

im not at any high level at all, just local club. i say that some 'defense' looking shots (ie. attack clears or drives) may help lots to reset yourselves depending on the situation in rallies and/or if you're starting to get out of position with faster rally exchanges. sometimes try focusing on just moving one of them around... it's bound to make a gap at some point, even if you have to take the shuttle early by blocking, it still moves them front and back in addition to the usual side to side.

don't always have to go by the book... the pages are flexible.

**Dolphin** · 02-17-2010, 05:46 PM

interesting thread. mann68, be sure to post what happens in your next match against your nemesis. more important than the result will be whether you are able to break your opponents' rhythm... at least they'll know they can't just do the same thing all the time to upstage you

**mann68** · 02-19-2010, 04:56 AM

well guys,

we play them today after an hour...

will post result...

will try to do what we all discussed...

**mann68** · 02-20-2010, 12:43 AM

Ok guys, here is the result.

we won 2-1 !!!! and thankyou to all of you cause it was the strategy that made it happen.

we upset there rythym completely as they came out thinking we will attack from the word go... we did keep the attack on our side but this time it was mixed with a lot of drops... we engaged the taller player into a pushing game and both of us exploited that weakness.

the game clearly ran on patterns... whenever we were able to put our strategy into play we would get points... whenever we got sucked into playing there strategy we lost points.

we won the first game ... i think they didnt expect the new strategy.. 15-12 . the next game we were winning 10-4 and suddenly lost our pattern... they came back and won 15-12!! the third game we were down 11-3!! but we were able to change the pattern and won 15-13!!!

it was a close match.. but the strategy game through...

some notes:

1) very important to have a plan B and the teams ability to get to it within the game.
2) when smashing doesnt work, go for placements of smash and maybe get to a half court pushing game... etc
3) even in this situation, dont give away attack... yesterday when we gave away attack, we lost most of those points...

in the end, thanks everyone for the help... feels good to have won!

**visor** · 02-20-2010, 12:56 AM

Awesome! Great to hear!
Talk about upset in the 2nd and 3rd games!

So, now you know as long as you place your shots tactically, whether pushes, drives, drops, or smashes, you will make them run and when they give a weak return, kill time!

Did the opponent team say anything to you after the game?

**venkatesh** · 02-20-2010, 02:21 AM

Congratulations!

It seems that the match was tough, especially that you're still using the old scoring system.

I'm glad the tips given here worked for you. But what I'm most amazed about is your come back from 11-3. That shows a great strength of nerve, which brings me back to my point, it's in the mind set. If you're going to read your post, you were the one who came up with the strategy of exploiting the tall player's weakness. The difference this time is that you're psychologically prepared. Amazing.

Tomorrow's my tournament. Wish me luck.

**Dolphin** · 02-20-2010, 05:04 AM

fantastic. was getting a bit worried that the deluge of information was too much to digest but looks like you and partner went one better - you could think on your feet to change the tide of the rubber. may this be another step to move your game up to the next level

**nprince** · 02-20-2010, 07:55 AM

Congratulations!
I am sure, this is a great thread which could help many. Thank you Mann for starting this.
...

**Caarl** · 02-21-2010, 04:20 PM

You blow yourself out. Dont keep smashing. As my grandad always said if you've smashed twice, don't smash a third time because you'll most likely put it into the net. Instead do a drop shot and let them pick the shuttle up which gives you time to regroup and have another go at smashing.

**nprince** · 02-21-2010, 10:32 PM

You blow yourself out. Dont keep smashing. As my grandad always said if you've smashed twice, don't smash a third time because you'll most likely put it into the net. Instead do a drop shot and let them pick the shuttle up which gives you time to regroup and have another go at smashing.

I do not agree with that. If you are playing high level of doubles, smashes are the way to go. There is no thump rule that you third shot will not be a smash. Many a times, we smash 4 or 5 times continuously to maintain the attack and bring the front player in to play. A predicatable drop shot spoils all your hard work on 3 or 4 smashes.

Instead use drop shots only when your smashes are so effective that your opponents are far back in a defensive stand, if not as a sudden change of pace which can catch your oponents of guard.

When my oponents are smashing, I always look for their body languages and any hint of fatigue, I wait for the drop shot which I can counter attack.