Where to stand when my partner is serving

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Evanplaysbadminton, Oct 22, 2020.

  1. Evanplaysbadminton

    Evanplaysbadminton Regular Member

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    Hello,

    I'm a bit weaker on my backhand side so when my partner is serving I'm slightly positioned in the left half court to take the shuttle with my forehand.

    But I realized when my partner is serving on the left half court, I don't see where the opponent is aiming because my partner is hiding my vision. But if I move slightly on the right when my partner is serving, I fear the opponent will aim for my backhand and I will be in a less favorable position.

    So I don't know what to do. Keep staying where I am but not seeing immediately the opponent's return or seeing immediately and being late on my backhand side. Or maybe you have other suggestions.

    Thanks.
     
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  2. Budi

    Budi Regular Member

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    1. Your preparation
    Many times i saw the non serve/recieving partner just stand still waiting for the serve ritual to be done.
    Or your partner just to ignorance to do serve when you are not ready.

    2. Train your backhand
    You said yourself your backhand are bad, so train you backhand. Just because you survive the serve, doesnt mean its end there. A good player can constantly try exploiting your weakness again & again till he win.

    Ask your friend to feed you a backhand stroke on warming up & repeat it over & over again.
     
  3. Simeon

    Simeon Regular Member

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    I would keep standing in the middle, but closer to the server. And do a split step when the opponent is about to push back the shuttle (low serve) in order to make a jump to the sides.
     
  4. ralphz

    ralphz Regular Member

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    That's what a lot of top players do anyway, and they have a good backhand but can attack better with the forehand/round the head.
    .
    Below is from Kevin Sanjaya/Marcus Gideon Final Denmark Open

    [​IMG]

    Look at the team on the far side dressed in a style like wasps / black and yellow stripes. Look where he stands when his partner is serving. He's right handed and standing like you describe, when his partner is serving from the side you mention.

    Here from the near side

    [​IMG]

    Because he'd rather take things on the forehand than the backhand and they can come quick.



    I haven't run into that problem for a while but will think about it next time I'm in that position..

    I recall once asking a coach a question like that and he suggested arching my back sideways to get a better view. I just watched a game to look out for it and I don't see top players doing that. So maybe it's not recommended, maybe there's a fear that if doing that, one would be off balance. I do remember as a beginner having one or two partners that were very tall and I think I bent my back sideways then. Or I had an issue if they were unconventional and serving from a quite a bit back.(And let's say I hadn't moved as far back) It's an interesting one.

    If you make a video of your game it may give some clues what's going on for you when things go wrong...

    Watching this game of top players may also give some clues of doing it right..

    This one is not quite your scenario as his partner's on his right, but back player doesn't bias his backhand side, so he may be standing similar to how you do when your partner is on the left, and maybe his view is a bit blocked, in that he maybe wouldn't see the shuttle early on its journey, but it looks like still he's able to see to the side of his partner's shoulder and over his partner's upper arm, and see the shuttle going over the net.

    [​IMG]
     
    #4 ralphz, Oct 24, 2020
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2020
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  5. speCulatius

    speCulatius Regular Member

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    So your partner is serving from the left. You position yourself on the left side, too?

    Let's assume the serve us of decent to good quality (compared to your level of play), then there's no return that you'd have to cover with an overhead backhand shot.
    I'd go as far as to say that you don't need an overhead backhand in doubles. There's two exceptions to this
    • you're in particularly good position and it's a short lift/upward shot to your backhand, not too uncommon in mixed doubles
    • you overcommitted to something you shouldn't have done
    That leaves me with some confusion of what kind of return you're talking about. Does your partner cover what he's supposed to after he served? Is he ready for the third shot? Do you know where your partner is serving before your opponents know (for example by showing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 behind his back)? What kind of return of the serve are you talking about? What kind of backhand shot are you talking about? What is your stance when your partner serves? Does your partner serve at the T? Some other spot?

    I feel, like this is probably a footwork issue on your part combined with a serve and/or awareness issue by your partner. To get you in a position, where you'd have to take it overhead with your backhand, your opponents would have to play a flat lift through your partner's racket.

    So maybe you can share a video of you playing doubles? Or at least get into more detail.
     
  6. Evanplaysbadminton

    Evanplaysbadminton Regular Member

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    Thanks for your feedback. Well, now I'm thinking it might comes from my partner's serve.
    I'm positionning myself on the left court (when I say left, I'm at the middle line but more on the left) because most of the time the opponent plays a high or fast lift in my backhand rearcourt and I prefer to take it overheard rather than doing a backhand. Actually, it works great this way (using an overhead), it's just that I don't see where my opponent is aiming and I think I'm losing maybe 1 sec of reaction.
    To be honest, 99% of the teams I play lift after the serve. I rarely meet pairs that plays flat or for the corners.


    @ralphz thanks for the screenshots. Yeah, actually I started positioning myself a bit on the left of the middle line because I watched a pair doing this and I thought it was a great idea to avoid using my backhand. I've never really had problems before except with a guy who plays a bit late, kind of like some sort of deception and I don't know if he's going to lift left or right and my partner is hiding what he's doing.
    I think I was a few players "squatting" as you said like Endo. But I also feel I'm not as explosive and fast with a wide stance.
     
  7. speCulatius

    speCulatius Regular Member

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    Then there should be no issue if you stand just on the middle line, which also gives you good vision. You can stand with your right foot a bit in front to make the first step to the back left corner slightly quicker.

    Overall advice
    • try to not lift serves in doubles, fight for your opponents to lift
    • work on your footwork and court coverage, if you cannot get to the shuttle, the best technique doesn't help
     
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