Birdievents.com

The badminton smash is one of the fundamental badminton shots and the main way of winning rallies, particularly in badminton doubles.  So you need a good smash return to keep you opponent from winning easily.

This will increase the number of mistakes he makes and open up opportunities to win rallies through well-placed counter-attacking shots. If you both return smashes well then the rallies last longer and the overall quality of your game will improve!

I've been playing regularly for over a decade and as my standard has improved, I've played against tougher opposition with better smashes.  I've learned the hard way different ways of increasing your odds of returning those smashes.  Don't forget that this advice applies to situations where you expect a smash - but even if your opponent plays a different shot, if you follow my advice you'll be on balance and in a good position to retrieve drops shots and clears too.  Read on, and you should improve both your skills and your enjoyment of the game.

I'm going to talk mainly about the fundamentals - grip, position, stance and anticipation, and then outline the different returns you can play.   If you get the basic techniques right then you'll find yourself returning smashes you never would have thought possible before.

Before I get onto the basic techniques, here's two golden rules to keep in mind:

• Don't give your opponent an easy smash.  The success of your smash return will depend on where your opponent is smashing from.  However good your smash return is, if your opponent's in the mid-court then you're in trouble.  If all your clears and lifts keep your opponents at the back of the court then you should return their smashes.
• Anticipation is key.  The best way to returning a smash is to correctly predict where your opponent will hit the shuttlecock and be in the right place for it before he does so.  If you predict correctly then the return will be much easier.

The Basic Techniques

To return smashes well you must prepare yourself in those moments before the smash.  These are the elements you need to get right before the smash is hit....

Grip

A backhand grip is best, as you'll be forced to use your backhand to return smashes to your body..  You'll find with practice you can return smashes on your forehand side with a backhand stroke too.

However, if you anticipate a forehand shot then by all means hold the racket forehand - just be ready for surprises.

Court Position

The best place will depend on where, and from what height, your opponent is smashing from.

Assuming your opponent is smashing from the back third of the court, you should be standing in the mid-court, as most smashes land in this area.  If your opponent is  closer or he jump smashes then the shots will be at a steeper angle and you may want to stand further forward.

In doubles you also need to be aware of your partner's position so you are covering the maximum amount of the mid-court between you. 

Stance

This is key as you will react and move faster if your balance is good.  You do not want to be moving when your opponent hits the shuttlecock - even if you're not standing where you want to be, stop moving just before he hits it and get your stance right.

Face the direction the smash is coming from.  Your feet should be a shoulder-width apart.   Have your knees bent so your centre of gravity is low - this will help you move quickly.   Bent knees and a wide stance also gives you more scope for twisting and leaning your body so you can return shots to your body.  Having one foot (usually your racket side foot) slightly in front of the other makes it easier to spring forward and back.

Relax your muscles and your mind, this will help your reaction time.  Focus on your opponent's racket to help you anticipate the direction he'll hit in.

Your racket should be in front of you , to help you return body shots.  Slightly above the waist is about the right height though this will depend on where you're standing and where your opponent is hitting from, and where you anticipate your opponent will hit the shuttlecock to.

Anticipation

One significant advantage more experienced players have is their ability to anticipate where their opponent is going to hit the shuttlecock.  Although you can't get more experienced overnight, if you keep thinking and trying to predict where the shots will go then you're anticipation will improve more quickly.  Here are some pointers....

The main clue is the direction your opponent's body is pointing, as most of the time he'll smash straight in front of him.  Watch his racket carefully as he prepares and swings, and try and anticipate the direction the shuttle will fly, the angle it will come down at, where it will cross the net, and how high it will be as it gets within your reach. This aspect of your game will improve with practice, so keep working at it!

Before your opponent hits the shuttlecock you should always decide where you're going to try to return it to - you'll find you hit it better if you have visualized the shot in advance.  Obviously you may have to adapt in the heat of the moment if it's hit faster or differently to how you expect.

If you can judge the height it should be when it reaches you then you can have your racket ready at that height.  Your racket should be no higher than the net, and should generally be above your waist (show pic), unless you are expecting it to be coming down very steep, because your  opponent is further forward or jump smashing.  In this case, also widen your stance and bend your knees more.

If he's further back your stance and racket can be higher, and you have the option to play more aggressive shots in return than a lift to the back.  Which brings me onto the different returning shots you can play.

Types of return

You have a few options when you return the shot, here's some advice on which one to play.  Foremost, play it safe - it's never easy returning a smash so don't be too ambitious.  But try not to be too predictable either - mix it up occasionally, just pick your moment well.  Finally, as I've said already, while your opponent is getting ready to smash, decide which shot you want to play and you're more likely to hit it right.

The key returning shots are the lift, the block and the drive.

Lift

A high, deep lift to the baseline should be your default smash return.  It's unlikely to win you a point directly but if you can lift deep even when the shuttle's coming down fast then you'll be able to keep your opponent at the back, and it'll be hard work for him to score points.

If you have the chance you can lift cross court and move your opponent around - but in doubles bear in mind that the next smash will probably be at your partner so only do this if you have confidence in your partner's smash return.

Plus if your opponent's expecting a lift then they'll hang back after the smash so you're more likely to catch them out when you block to the net.

Block

This is the most common way to turn your defense into an attack.  If you block low to the net then your opponent will not be able to smash again, giving you the initiative.

In singles, your blocks should loop up so the shuttlecock falls close to the net.   In doubles your priority is to keep the shuttlecock low and place it so the opponent at the net can't attack your block.

In either singles or doubles you should follow up a block by moving closer to the net - in anticipation of a possible net shot return.  In doubles your partner should move back to cover the shuttlecock being lifted, driven or pushed past you.

Drive

A more ambitious shot, but if you can hit the shuttlecock while it's almost level with the net, then you can hit it hard and flat to the back of the court then it puts your opponent on the defensive.  Particularly effective if your opponent smashes at you down the line is the cross-court drive, whipping the shuttlecock past the front-court attacker, so that the back-court attacker has to run across....which should get you a weak return and the opportunity to start attacking yourself.

Next Steps

If you can put some of this advice into action then you should find your returns improve quickly.  It's a lot to remember so best to focus on getting one aspect at a time - grip, positioning, stance and anticipation.

Practice by following a half-court singles drill with a friend who has a consistent smash - lift  to him repeatedly while he smashes at you,, until your preparation gets more fluid and natural.  Once you can consistently lift to the back after his smashes then get him to vary the pace and direction of his smashes so you can work on your skills of anticipation.

Article was quoted from badmintondoubles.com