My only question is this: I refuse to do an easy net kill, because I don't want to clash with the opponent's racket. Will the umpire give the point to me? The umpire sees the opponent holding his racket barely on his side.
You may not put your racket where it may obstruct his stroke. Since rackets are allowed to go over the net on follow through, this becomes somewhat a subjective matter. In recreational play, I've had a few opponents put his racket so near the net that I felt like I couldn't do a proper follow through without risking touching his racket. In that case I'll call fault without even hitting the shuttle.
Indeed it depends on circumstances and the umpire must be alert. In the previous example, the receiver is trying to lift the shuttle, when presumably it must have dropped below the net cord. So the receiver's stroke will not be obstructed as his racquet will not cross over to his opponent's side with the net against him. He should avoid any clash with his opponent's racquet by playing a net cross away from the opponent's racquet. However, if the shuttle is still above the net on the receiver's side and he wants to attack it but the opponent is holding high his racquet in front of the receiver, this would obstruct the receiver's smash/tap as his racquet might cross over to the opponent's side as a follow through stroke.
There is a circumstance even when the shuttle has dropped just slightly below the net, where if you tap lift it, your follow through could go over the net. In that case I think it's also a fault if your opponent has his racket up on the net.
Firstly, it is admirable that you revived a sixteen year old thread! Just reading the key points made (there are too many words that are just noise), for many who are BWF umpires, this would be a fault when the players are in close proximity. The situation described has many possible locations for the two players at the net.
You have a poor selection, and improper use, of words and phrasing. Demand! Really? You are going to demand an explanation. Most clubs are privately owned. Be careful, is all I will suggest to you. Try putting your demands when there is an umpire on the court, and watch the 10-tonne weight drop on your head, as it happens in cartoons. It will of course be the whole law book that gets thrown at you.
Do you have any video clip of this incident? If affirmative, then as a part-time umpire who has pride, I would like to offer my decision. If not, then, just like a court-room situation, I would like to know the argument)s_ made by the defnse, that is, your opponent. Barring that scenario, from what you present as a situation, as you would want to give a point to you, I will not. For the simple reason that your opponent had not done anything illegal, and you have not acted legally, as (or was) your right. Briefly, the rationale is, why punish the good guy when s/he has not done anything wrong.
Thank you. To those of you who had schooling on umpairing: Did the teacher tell you how to react if a player refuses to hit just to avoid clashing rackets?
Have a look-see at the video clips for answers to all you wanted to know but did not ask - obstructing opponent strike, hitting on opponent side, hitting net while shuttle in play, other net play situation
