Mens doubles- front player Tips

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by mojopin, Mar 11, 2010.

  1. mojopin

    mojopin Regular Member

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    Any tips to help get involved more when your the front man in mens doubles? If you watch the pro matches, they get involved ALOT , although often by covering the opened up rear corner after the defense whips it across.
    How do you guys get more involved ?

    Im a fairly decent player but am much more comfortable attacking from the back or driving. When im at the front I find the flattened out returns of smashes go past me too fast , and the steep smashes get returned over my swinging racket as i try to jump to intercept. Tips/strategies? I stand about a foot behind the T. Should I bias myself completely to one side for the straight lift return, or should I stay central?

    Bonus Question! - Watching pros, after a serve the server very often can block the push return , be it down the middle or wide - are they randomly guessing the direction and just going for it ? Perhaps observing opponents grip and return patterns and serving into areas that make it more likely? Or are they just that insanely fast that they can get a racket to these shots?
     
  2. raymond

    raymond Regular Member

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    The front player should be constantly moving. He should mostly be staying on the same side as the shuttle in play, be in on his side or his opponent side. This is to allow him to handle the faster, higher percentage shots, the straight replies (assuming his partner mostly plays straight shots).

    When his opponent lifts, he should back away from the net. The deeper the lift, the deeper he'd need to back up. If his partner smashes, he needs to first stay back in anticipation of the faster drive returns. Block returns to the net tends to be slower. If his partner drops, he'd need to move closer to the net to cover net replies, and threaten his opponent to play a high lift.

    He seldom straddles the center line, unless the shots are exchanged right around the center.

    To be able to intercept more shots, his racket needs to be at net level and in front of him often. On the other hand, his partner's shot selection could help proactively prevent a wide-angle cross-court drive to begin with. E.g. hitting to the inside of his opponent in front, instead of hitting down the line shots, or hitting more to the center, paying attention to downward angle more, hitting straight shots instead of constantly hitting cross-court.

    Finally, I'd suggest you dig up some Doubles videos by Lee Jae Bok. First there's a general Doubles video that talks about the basic. Then there's another one called something like "Front Player helping Back Player".
     
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  3. Badmintan

    Badmintan Regular Member

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    The videos mentioned by Raymond offers good tips on the cooperation and understanding of doubles play. Probably most important is both players are on the same page.

    I may not be a coach, but high probability (P>0.005) :D, gripping the racquet higher near the cone and short hitting action allows fast movement to netkill or intercept drives/pushes. I remember, Gillian Clark in some Badminton video mentioned that always hold the racquet high and aggressively hunt the shuttle if you're the frontman (after serving).

    Holding the racquet higher allows you to hit downwards and able to intercept at the highest point. Also I believe, it should be slightly biased to the non-dominant side to allow you to do the round the head action.

    gd luck.
     
    #3 Badmintan, Mar 11, 2010
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2010
  4. charliebadders

    charliebadders Regular Member

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    i'm left handed and my partner is left when i smash down the line and they flick it to my backhand should my partner bounce from the T and smash the shuttle?every time he just leaves it and i have to dive across to reach it, but when hes smashing from the left i would quickly move from the T and smash it down like to pros so we are always on the attack
     
  5. venkatesh

    venkatesh Regular Member

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    If your smash has enough angle, they wouldn't be able to fast drive it to your backhand side. However, if this occurs, the front player should always be aware. He should always have his racket up and interecept if he has the chance.
     
  6. qinglong

    qinglong Regular Member

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    The front player can get more action when he/she does not stand too far in front. Otherwise, he/she's only useful when incoming net shots or drops are played, and he/she may become a bystander at the T watching at the fast drives fly all around past him/her. The professional players stand very close to the T at opening rallies because their reflexes are trained to respond at incredible speeds and i think they are also trained to anticipate the trajectory of incoming shots.
    Typically at amateur level, the front player gets less than 50% of shuttle play time during any rally. Standing further back (1 or 2 steps backwards from the T), he/she can increase his chances of:
    - more shuttle play (I'm not exactly advocating the front player trying to snatch all shots: look at the situation)
    - intercepting drive shots flying around him,
    - snatching the initiative from the opponents and pressing it against them,
    - easing any undue pressure on his partner behind him, particularly if his partner was being pinned at any rear corners

    Standing further back from the T only has one disadvantage: the front player has less time to react to net shots and drops.

    Feel free to dissect anything!
     
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  7. david14700

    david14700 Regular Member

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    Re

    Check out the Lee Jae Bok videos on youtube if you haven't already seen it.

    The two players in the video are both England regulars.
     
  8. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Talk to your partner about playing shots that set you up at the front of the court.
     
  9. venkatesh

    venkatesh Regular Member

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    Yes. The videos are really helpful.

    It shows there that the player should not just stand immobile. The front player also moves in accordance to the movement and shot of the back player. If the back player is hitting from the far end of the court, the front player should back up near the midcourt. If the player is hitting slightly near the baseline, the front player should adjust by standing neart the short service line. If the back player is hitting from the left, the front player should stand to the left side also. If the back player is hitting from the right, the front player should also stand to the right side. If the player is hitting from the midcourt, the player should either open up or go nearer the net. If the back player hits a smash, the front player should be ready to intercept. If the back player hits a fast or slow drop, the front player should go near the net to anticipate a counterdrop. If the front player would like to help the rear player, his body should be in a diagonal stance. It really depends.

    Basically, being a front player could also be tiring.
     
  10. ralph_lee

    ralph_lee Regular Member

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  11. staiger

    staiger Regular Member

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    If I would try and practice that at the club, we will start bumping into each other ......you need a partner that also a good player (and someone you can trust) to even attempt practicing this routine ..gosh those pair in the video are really good !
     
  12. justinwyyau

    justinwyyau Regular Member

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    May I share my humble thoughts? Somethings that I do often or observe or try to put in practice:

    1. Be aggressive at the front court and make them lift :) Once they lift, the front court is yours. Side pushes, mid court pushes or blocks from defence and rushing forward to cover the return drop/net will force them to lift.

    2. Know where your partner is. You gotta know which side is he on and which side he was on. Knowing this will tell you whether he is in an attacking position or is in trouble about to make a clear. Knowing this will also let you know how far you need to drop back to intercept, or know when and which side to drop for side to side defence when he clears.

    3. Keep your racquet up at all times. You need to be quick at the front, a wrist snap is all it takes. Say no need to arm swing. You may be tempted for the wrist snap for a fast quick kill, but you will be suprised at how a sudden block (change in game pace) at the front court will do to a defence.

    3. Hunt for the shuttle, follow the play, be like Ben Stiller in Waterboy.

    4. If you attempt to reach for the shuttle and couldn't (usually out of your reach at your side or above you), instantly alert your partner - a quick 'help!' will do, as he may have stopped going for it thinking you may have gotten it.

    5. Encourage one another and communicate. Never blame your partner. You are nothing without him.

    Justin
     
  13. charliebadders

    charliebadders Regular Member

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    you mean adam sandler in waterboy :p
     
  14. boonsak-ponsana

    boonsak-ponsana Regular Member

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  15. vinod81

    vinod81 Regular Member

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    I found that keeping the racket up always at the net level tiring. I remember reading in another thread that the front player brings up the racket upon hearing the sound of the back players smash. I am waiting to partner with a good smasher to try this idea at my club.
     
  16. devaaaa

    devaaaa Regular Member

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    I too lift my racket just as my opponent is about to hit the shuttle. This is less tiring and my partner cant hit my racket. Also I show my opponent "look, you can hit in my direction, im not ready". When I lift my racket at the right moment my opponent might try to change direction and make a fault and when the shuttle comes to me, I WILL be ready. Raising the racket too early makes it easier for the opposing player to figure out where he can play safely and where not.
     
  17. chris-ccc

    chris-ccc Regular Member

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    Front player Tips

    .
    Just found your thread mojopin.

    How are you enjoying your Badminton?

    Hope to catch up with you again soon. :):):)
    .
     
  18. London_Player

    London_Player Regular Member

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    Good topic and is vital in doubles. I have gone better recently by studying how front player can help and get involve winning points. Before, I did not actively hunt the shuttle and just stood in front, hoping for an easy kill or put away. Sometimes, I was just a spectator when shuttles were flying past me, so bended down.

    The front player can finish off the rally, and make the rally quicker by intercepting and actively hunting for the shuttle. All the points mentioned are valuable. But practice needed, to get better. Sometimes when I’m playing with a weak front court player, who does not intercept much, then I have to work harder from the rear, as he is not sharp at the front, the rally gets longer and I lose confidence in my partner at the front, but if I’m playing with a player who is good at the front, then I know and have confidence when I’m attacking.
     
  19. Tactim

    Tactim Regular Member

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    I know the feeling when shuttles are flying past me, it makes you feel not useful and that your partner in the back is doing all the work and that you can't help him. It takes practice, but make sure if you're going to intercept a shuttle that you're going to hit it well, otherwise your hit could fly high and make it an easy kill for your opponents.
     

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