Drop short from rear court

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by PeterPanPan, Nov 10, 2015.

  1. PeterPanPan

    PeterPanPan Regular Member

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    Recently, 2 different groups of players told me that if I do a drop shot from the rear court when playing double, I should be the one going to the net quickly because my partner does not know that I do a drop shot. However, I always think that my partner should cover the net because (i) we probably are in the front/back formation if I can do a drop shot from the back and (ii) it is very difficult for me to rush to the net from the rear court after doing a drop shot. Please help to share your experience. If I am correct, are there any special situations that I should go to the net after doing a drop shot from the back?
     
  2. Arrowken

    Arrowken Regular Member

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    In my experience, if you drop from the back, you should be prepared to rush forward. The reason is that, like you said, your partner will be the last on the court to know you dropped. His/her first indication of your shot would be the movement of your opponents.

    If your drop shot was good, your opponent cannot rush to the net to kill it. Therefore your partner is able to stay at the front (since your drop is good and below the net by the time opponent reaches, forcing a lift).

    If your drop is not good, your partner will see the opponent rushing forward to net kill. Your partner will have no choice but to try and rotate out in order to stand a chance with defending what would probably be a smash in the face. If your partner decides to rotate, they are always correct and you should rotate to sides also.

    The problem comes when some people think their drop shots are good (but are not, and used at inappropriate times), then tells their partner to "stay front". This happens so often at my university club but guys dont realise they should not dropped in the first place.
     
  3. kaki!

    kaki! Regular Member

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    By then it's probably too late to rotate to sides.

    When I'm in the front and my partner covers the back, if I see the bird goes high to opponents' back court, I retreat to my closest side; otherwise I stay in the front.

    The one situation/exception I learnt from this site is, when the opponents are lifting to alternating corners, thus tiring out my partner, it is then when my partner drops from the backhand side, he should run up to cover the front and I switch to cover the back. But this requires proper communication and coordination.
     
    #3 kaki!, Nov 10, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2015
  4. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    If you have the shot lifted to you at the rear court, you can play a smash or a drop. In either scenario, your partner comes to the front of the court. If he isn't, then this is the problem. You can help by playing the smash or drop down the centre line of the court.

    However, you must be playing a decent quality dropshot. Not one that goes across the net 6 feet above the tape!

    You are probably playing with people who don't have much experience of competitions.
     
    #4 Cheung, Nov 10, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2015
  5. raymond

    raymond Regular Member

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    Wow... have I been playing incorrectly all these years?
    If your side is defending, whoever blocks to front court area should follow up to occupy the front. Both you and your partner are at roughly the same distance, but you know about your shot first.
    If you play a drop from a decent depth, your partner would find that out by watching the other side and react. As he's much closer to the net, he's in a better position to cover that, and should move forward/towards the placed shot.

    The only time you come forward is if you smash from mid-court. Then you follow your attack forward.
     
  6. junclot

    junclot Regular Member

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    Assuming we are not talking about beginners here and MD, drop shot will mean front/back attack formation I guess.

    If so, the only time ever the front player should retreat is when the back player clears, which should be minimal
     
  7. latecomer

    latecomer Regular Member

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    In order to understand double rotation in badminton, one only has to watch few woman doube matches on BWF TV. Rarely or never saw the player from the back ran to the front after a drop shot.
     
  8. Arrowken

    Arrowken Regular Member

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    It comes down to the quality of the drop shot and when its used. For pros, this is not an issue.
     
  9. sebZeroToHeroes

    sebZeroToHeroes Regular Member

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    Yup, that's what should happen in most of the cases. You're in attacking position, so your partner moves to the net to put pressure on your opponents' return.

    It should even be automatic. Opponents clear -> whoever is going to get it should attack and the other covers the net for pressure. You can then adapt your position depending on what the guy at the back does, but that's for more advanced players

    Yup, that's one of the exceptions, but probably best left for when you are comfortable with the basic front / back positioning.
    There are quite a few rotation tricks and techniques that you can (and should) use at a higher level to let both players attack and avoid arm exhaustion, but it's usually something you can ignore until you grokk MD positioning.
     
  10. junclot

    junclot Regular Member

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    yeah, thats right

    the only time when u drop and run to the front is when u have been raining smashes at the back but it kept returning (doesnt work), u are tired and wanna rotate to the front when ur partner moving to the back to smash

    but this involves great deal of chemistry between the 2 (LYD/YYS totally exemplifies this attack rotation) on when should the rotation start and requires good quality initial drops/drop smash/drive/block to keep the attack going
     
  11. latecomer

    latecomer Regular Member

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    If the quality of the drop shot is not good, then it is not a drop shot. No need to discuss further.
     
  12. junclot

    junclot Regular Member

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    better duck under the net real quick if ur partner "sets u up" like this
    =P
     
  13. latecomer

    latecomer Regular Member

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    Run to the front and eat the birdie yourself.
     
  14. Vishnu

    Vishnu Regular Member

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    I agree that when a drop shot is made from the rear court it is difficult for players to rush to the forecourt. Quality of drop shot is very critical for its success. When a shuttle is lifted partner in the front or middle needs to be anticipating a smash, drop or clear shot from their partner and the moment they know that a drop shot is played need to get prepared for the return as well. When I am playing in the front and my partner is putting a drop shot I generally anticipate one of the three shots i.e. smash/drop/clear and accordingly position myself for the return
     
  15. MSeeley

    MSeeley Regular Member

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    This seems like an odd discussion.

    If I play a drop shot from the back of the court, and my partner expects me to run to the net and cover it as well, then WHAT THE HELL is my partner doing? If they want me to play singles then get out of the court and leave me to it.

    Its easy for the guy at the net to tell if his partner played a drop shot. Its the sound. If he hears a booming sound, its a smash or a clear. If he hears nothing much, its a drop or a leave because the shuttle is going out. Regardless, the net player should be READY. The net player has PLENTY of time to decide what to do - they stand ready for a smash (which means hey are already in the mid court) and if its a drop shot they take a few steps forwards to threaten the net. Its really not that complicated.

    What about if someone plays a bad drop shot? should they be moving forwards to cover the net. No. Absolutely not. They need to stop playing terrible shots. Rushing forwards isn't going to help the situation - you have already lost the point!

    Special situations that are exceptions? Mixed doubles, where the lady is playing her second overhead from the back of the court (but not the first one). If she played a drop shot on this second overhead, she should come forwards and switch positions with her male partner, so they achieve the optimal attacking formation.

    This is a weird thread! :)
     
  16. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Hence my suggestion


    I did play a game like this.

    Each time I was cleared to, I hit a smash or a drop from the back of the court. My partner (who could run) stayed absolutely rooted to the his spot and never attempted to run to the net for the next shot. This happened for about 6 points (of course losing the points) - I mean, it's bl***y obvious it is his area to cover. Eventually, I couldn't contain myself and shouted out "yours" the next time. He wasn't pleased.:eek:

    Usually, I am very nice but this was just something else!
     
  17. MSeeley

    MSeeley Regular Member

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    Yes, your suggestions were spot on. And I sympathise - I have played games like that too. I just cover it all anyway.
     
  18. Charlie-SWUK

    Charlie-SWUK Regular Member

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    I trust your placement was consistent and wasn't confusing for him :D

    Sometimes I don't know where my partner is going to play and I get a little rooted at the front.

    I don't know if either you or Matt get this, but there are times where I'm challenging at the net on my far backhand (side trams), my partner is more towards the centre covering any pushes, (maybe a step back from the service T) and sometimes my opponent will play a very steep/close crosscourt. I feel like in this situation I can't move all the way across the net to get a shot so close, but that my partner should move in to challenge, and then I can move back a little and cover them the same way.

    (By a close crosscourt, I'm talking one of those brutal ones that just brushes the tape.)
     
  19. MSeeley

    MSeeley Regular Member

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    I know the situations, but it depends on several factors.

    If you are really far over, then your partner should cover. But you would only be really far over, needing your partner to cover, if they have played a shot very far out wide, you are challenging at the net AND you have given the shuttle straight to them, allowing them to play such a nasty shot.

    Sometimes, you don't have a choice (except maybe you could lift it) in which case, let your partner get it. However, my experience is its rarely true that you were forced to play the shot you played and leave yourself so far out of position. You should have played a cleverer shot that didn't leave you and your partner exposed. You could have played the cross net shot. You could have played a push. You could have played a lift.

    Furthermore, in order for them to play the shot, do we need to consider the quality of your shot? It sounds like they are able to take it quite high? A cross court played from low down should give you time to cover the net.

    Anyway, I will stop there. Lots of factors - but basically you should be able to control the situation better. If you can't then your partner should be helping you out. But your partner probably doesn't have the option to attack the net. If you are that far out of position and they have to retrieve this crazy cross net shot, the best choice they have is to lift it and alleviate the pressure that has been allowed to build up!

    Simple!
     
  20. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Charlie going off topic here :p
     

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