Our group of 32 players in various levels (between beginner+ to intermediate+) will be participating in a tournament. The way the teams will be formed would most likely end up asking the weakest players to pick their teammates. I'm intermediate+ and will most likely end up with a beginner partner. From experience this pairing would lose 99% of the time even against a pair of intermediate- players. My question is how I should play if I anticipate my beginner+ partner has weak skills and has no concept of proper positioning and rotation?
Play to enjoy and reduce expectations. I play with lower level people on occasions. Some can’t run, some run in the wrong place, some run and can’t hit the shuttle, some make the same mistakes time and time again. Seriously, I don’t worry about it and enjoy the game socialising.
Hello As per my experience, you can only control the choice and quality of your shots. You can give some general ideas to the partner but can't expect an immediate response out of them. Sometimes the partner can get too insecure and commit so many mistakes that you would wanna throw away the match but even then if you can keep your cool and extra focus on the shuttles coming your way then it will definitely help. You must try to end rallies quickly and play strategically. Try to read patterns in the opponent's game. Take risks, engage them into drive battle, charge/challenge the net. Focus at winning the current point, encourage your teammate, mistakes are inevitable.. smile & carry on. P.s : Avoid injury and clashes.
Expectation 1. You cover more area than normal which in some situation (if you are partnered with a tree) you cover 80% of the area, so expect to play in single mode. 2. Play the pace which within your partner comfort. Play to fast wont benefit your partner when he/she unable to keep up the pace. 3. Kill fast but takes less risk. If you are in bad position dont force yourself to play agresive as you would be expected to cover it yourself (again single mode minded). 4. Never ever you blame or yell at your parner, how bad they are. Let them as relax & enjoy the games as much as possible. Having a shooting target mark at their butt is hard enough which would burden them. Yelling or bad mouthing them wont makes them any better & even worst they would play much much worst. If possible, play with your partner many times before match so you could discuss simple strategy for your games. Again... Simple... Dont use over complicated strategy as it would confuse them even more.
how would you do that if you are at the front and there is a potential lunatic behind? without a rear view mirror (and i've never seen anybody with one of those in badminton), maybe you'd have to play sides!
I guess if you're brave enough to partner with a potential lunatic then keeping him before your eyes at all times should be a no-brainer.
that's not so bad, at least you didn't hit them in the head with your racket when they were at the front, or their hand with your racket while they were at the front. I did once hear a story somebody posted on here where a front player got hit in the face with a racket the moment after he turned around .. but at least the front player had a moment to see it coming. but if you're at the front with a crazy person behind you, you could get hit with the racket and you wouldn't see it and so there's a serious question about how to remain injury free there.. and whether infact sides is the safe option with some partners.
As an off court observer? Or as the unlucky front guy? But what is your solution? To "there's a serious question about how to remain injury free there.. and whether infact sides is the safe option with some partners."
Sort story, my partner did really bad drop & im at the front. Seeing the opponent had devilish smirk trying to kill it, im turning on my back, dont want to get smashed on the face. Turn out my partner still trying to save the shuttle which pretty close to my head & i literally get slapped with his racket. So, i guest im unlucky partnered with lunatic person. What i did, as he get very furious being me turning my back & broke his racket, i kick him & he stop showing up, preventing him harm the others.
One very permanent solution. Not unreasonable. My daughter played a school match yesterday. Doubles partnerships are usually very different with a strong player paired with a weak player. The partner has instructions to stay in the front of the court, my daughter being the experienced player controls the game from the rear court. Everything goes fine winning comfortably getting to 17 points (one game to 21). Then the front player starts running back to get the shuttle despite instructions to stay at the front. This player then makes a lot of mistakes eventually causing a loss. My daughter can’t swing the racquet to hit the shuttle otherwise her profession will change from being a student to a plastic surgeon. It was the finals of a team competition and my daughter said after losing, her partner started crying at the loss. You can’t really do anything because beginners are unpredictable. I think this beginner partner sensed victory and wanted to take more shuttles going for glory… Sometimes with beginners, I just keep far away from them on the court. Avoid injuries and racquet clashes.
Most beginners and mix partners are happy taking the front if they get enough shuttles to kill or net block. So with a strong partner who could generate such opportunities in a game. Otherwise there isn't much to do in front. I have realised that a more experienced player(or someone who doesn't know how to play front) always want the other person to guard the front. And even if we try to help them out of a slight movement pressure then they don't like that. Probably it's their survival instinct to keep us in their sight and not vice-versa. I usually avoid partnering with these people too because it's no fun. I have seen a case where a newbie whacked a much smaller kid, who got 4 stitches on his head. They have wild swings and with sweaty palms a flying racquet is always a probability. One trick I use when in front with an unknown partner is that I keep my racquet head flat against the back of my head until I see the shuttle crossing over the net.
That’s the whole point in a tournament. The priority is to win. The inexperienced player has to listen and follow instructions. Of course there isn’t much to do in the front - that’s why the inexperienced player is out there!
