Badminton Singles Tactics #01, Forcing Movement Pressure on the Opponent

The basic strategy of badminton singles is to force maximum movement pressure on the opponent which makes them cover more distance quickly and change the direction of movements.

When forcing the opponent to move quickly around the court, the player can create situations where the opponent will reach the shuttlecock late and have difficulty playing an effective shot. Once the opponent plays a weak shot, the player has the choice between making him even further out of position or attempting to win the rally immediately.

Example play: The player plays a clear.

The opponent is forced to move into the rear court.

The opponent plays a drop shot.

The player plays a net shot. The opponent is forced to move into the forecourt.

When the opponent is forced to move into the rear court, then back to the forecourt, it makes some pressure on his movement ability.

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Singles Tactics #2, Flexible Base Position

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Non-Tactical approach:

A normal player thinks that he can win a singles rally by applying smashes. This is a fundamental mistake. When defending a smash, the player doesn't have much time to position the racket and it’s easy to lose control of the shot.

In singles, forcing movement pressure works more effectively than smashes which force shot-making pressure on the opponent. The player has no partner to cover the net, so a doubles-style smash is less effective here.

Verdict: Force the opponent to move around, from rear to forecourt or cross courts to feel the movement pressure which makes the opponent lose control, then take advantage to win the rally.

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