1. Singles With Interference
This is the term that's sometimes used for badminton mixed doubles, which is actually the incorrect way to look at the game. When badminton mixed doubles is called singles with interference, it usually means the men and women don't play on equal terms as they should. Instead, the man controls the play because of a perceived playing incompetence of the woman. When singles with interference is played, the woman rarely gets to hit the birdie.
2. Gals in the Front, Guys in the Back
In traditional mixed doubles badminton games, the woman covers the front court area and the man plays the mid and back court area. This is assuming that the woman has equal playing skills but not equal strength. The allows the woman to cut off any weak shots off the net and the woman to powerfully smash from the back. When the woman is in front, she needs to be careful not to reach behind her to hit shots. She should make sure her racket is always held up so that she's always prepared to hit the birdie close to the net with short jabs. The man's role is to hit shots that are difficult to return by the opponents and most importantly cannot be smashed by them. The woman should keep her eyes on the opponent and not look to her partner because by keeping an eye on her opponent, she'll be able to know where the birdie will go on the return shot. It also helps her figure out the type of return her opponents will hit.
3. When Not to Play in Traditional Positions
Women are not always physically weaker. If the woman is stronger than the man, then it makes more sense for her to cover more of the court instead of assuming the traditional front position. If both the man and the woman have equal strength and equal skills, they should take turns in each position.
4. Serving in Mixed Doubles
Regardless of who is serving, the man always stands behind the woman. But traditionally, the man serves since his responsibility is the back court. When the man serves, the woman stands in a position that doesn't block the opponent's view of the birdie. She'll always stand to left and just before the T, regardless of which court the man is serving. This allows the woman to be close to her base and quickly attack any return close to the net.
5. Play Strategies
Usually the man try to get the opponents to cross-court or lift the bird by hitting half court shots with horizontal or downward shots. The woman plays net kills and tight net shots. The ultimate goal of both players is to hit the birdie low over the net and somewhere in the mid-court area.
Member Comments