There is truth to that. I do get a lot of heat from my club members who are used to playing against/with me knowing that I almost serve to the T or at their body (about 80%/20%). It's probably worth the risk of flicking a serve to lessen the pressure and to avoid being predictable. I think the issue with my flick serve is lack of consistency. I usually aim for the line that's directly over their non-racket shoulder (No real thought other than I assume that's where it is the most awkward for the returner). My misses are usually wide right (from my perspective) or not high enough. What should be my goals when flicking the serve? Should I just attempt to hit it high and deep along with keeping the same motion as my short serve?
The goal of the flick serve is to catch out your opponent who is ready to attack the low serve. The service action does not necessarily need to be 100% identical (which is difficult), but it must not be easy to see coming. A high flick serve gives the opponent too much time, and is easily attacked. A very flat flick serve risks being intercepted early and punished. A standard flick serve is "medium flat" -- high enough to get beyond their immediate reach, but low enough to take time away. Typically flick serves are played wide to the corners, as this is the farthest distance. Flick serves near the middle line are less common, as they allow the opponents to attack from the middle and cover all angles of counter-attack. Nevertheless flick serves to the middle are worth using sometimes, as your opponent may find it hard to cover that direction. You will likely find that specific opponents are vulnerable to different heights or angles.
Sounds good to me. After some "soul searching" as a result of this thread, I realize that I may be guilty of being lazy by having relative success with my smashing against lesser opponents. Up against higher quality opponents, I think I need to be a little patient and play more building shots and have to dig in a little more psychologically and expect more resistance and be more prepared to tussle for the match. Thanks all for all the helpful pointers.
High and deep is a bad idea. Gollum has already given you a few ideas. I will give you some more: My most common flick serve is down the middle. I do not have to go "over" my opponent in this way and as such I can hit flatter. My goal is t get it past my opponent quickly. Another observation is that generally people struggle more to get to their deep forehands than their deep backhands - it requires more steps typically and people tend to get lazy with it because its their forehand and that is a corner they feel safer in. So, any height of flick serve to the forehand corner of the opponent is a winner. This works especially well for tall players who toe the line - their movements are slow and they tend to just "reach" rather than move, so exploiting the weakness in the forehand deep corner in terms of movement is good - again, I prefer to hit fast, rather than high. Finally remember, most players will leave a good flick serve assuming it is out. Its a good way to score aces, especially down the middle, as long as you get the line and length correct. Note: some players you face will be very very well trained and will smash all flick serves. This is not a problem unless they are winning the points because of this smash. However, their smash is normally going to be a bit slower and a bit flatter than "normal" - and this should not be considered a bad way to start the rally assuming you can defend competently. If the opponents win points when you flick, then don't do it too often (but experiment with forehand/backhand, high and flat etc). However, if the opponent smashes it but its an easy smash to return, then I consider this a safe start to the rally, which stops them rushing my short serve. I can easily counter attack most of the time. Good luck!
Mark, I am on board with most of your suggestions but I want to double check on the concept of the flick serve down the middle where the objective is not necessarily going over your opponent. I want to make sure I am not confusing it with a drive serve. I typically punish my opponents' drive serves so I am a little nervous about serving the shuttle that's within my opponents' reach while above the net. I get the emphasis is on quickness, but when I am returning serve I don't let my opponents get away with the "drive" serve. They stop pretty quickly after getting the shuttle blasted back a few times since it's rare they can serve it fast enough to get by me.
A serve needs to be chosen based on opposing receiver's ready position, and thus space left behind, as well as their possible responses you may anticipated. E.g. if they're not too close to the service line, you may want to stay with your low serves, just varying among the 3 front targets and timing delay. If they stand farther from the center, and close to the front (or have been aggressive), the center looks inviting, esp. if you can anticipate where the return would go.
If you think of it as a flat lift (or a very high drive serve) then that is about right. It travel a few feet above your opponents head - easy intercept height if they have their racket very high already, but most people: 1. do not get their rackets up quickly enough 2. move backwards as a first priority because they can see it going past them (and hence do not necessarily get their racket up quickly enough) A drive serve tends not to prompt players to move, whereas a flat flick normally requires some movement (but not to the back of the box). Remember that this serve (down the middle) is useful if: 1. players like to rush short serves 2. its down the forehand 3. players stand wrong (either wrong place to stand or in the wrong stance)
It's a work in progress. We haven't played those same opponents yet, but I did try to incorporate some of the concepts raised on this thread. 1. Vary the smashes. My most effective change-up was hitting it steeper by using a little hop to get a higher contact point. I also tried to attack the middle more, but realized I am so accustomed to trying to vaporize the opponent in front of me that I keep smashing straight. Also need to practice my drop shots so they aren't as predictable. Btw- I was curious to see what happens when I hit a clear when a smash is available. The result was disastrous and as expected. I cleared while my partner was moving up to cover the net (he was expecting me to smash or hit down). He subsequently got blasted and now he no longer trusts me. 2. Flat smashes. They seem effective but my opponents that night were good defenders and still got a racquet on them, but partner (different player) didn't go in an "I" formation (he stayed at the T) so they escape the attack. I'll keep this up with my normal partner who lines up in front of me when I smash. Should expect some good results. 3. Flick serves. Haven't played too much of these servEs since my opponents weren't crowding the service line. However I did try a few failed flat lifts just for fun. They ended up being drive serves and got destroyed by my opponents. User error. My takeaway was to keep hitting the flat smashes and to focus to hitting the smash other than straight. I also realize that in the heat to the game my ego can take over. On one point, I was smashing at this new opponent and he kept returning them. I remember my mindset then was that I need to break this guy's defense down. I finally did after spending a lot of energy, but I wonder if that was the smart play since that was the original reason for this thread.
good. and I think you should really keep up with direction changing, better if you change direction with each shot, never place a shot in the same place twice. for the attacking clear, I think maybe you didn't do it high and deep enough, and place it to where the opponent should move (corner or middle). best to do it after a drop as the the opponent has moved forward before.
Well done for trying some stuff out! Good work! Some comments on your progress: 1. Well done on introducing variations. But you tried the clear at the wrong time and your opponent should not have been able to smash it. It should be a variation after you hit a few other shots, not played as your partner is moving forwards. And you may not have hit it flat and low enough to get it past your opponents quickly. You could try doing it down the middle - it causes lots of confusion! 2. Good work. As long as your opponents are not attacking the smashes, then they are working! Even if that partner was not able to kill the returns (as you say -wait for your regular partner). 3. Keep up the practice! Finally - the ego - this is normally the problem. The difference between you and me, is that when I think "I need to break this guy's defence" I am not talking about hitting smashes at him until he can't get them back anymore - I am talking about hitting slices and variations and moving him and smashing at him until he can't get them back anymore. There is so much more to a players defence than how they defend smashes - its the foundation of their entire game and how they absorb ALL the pressure you can put them under. Good luck! Keep practising!
This thread has given a lot of good advice. Thanks to OP for stirring this up and more so to all the contributors. Really appreciate it. I will/am putting a lot of this in practise.
Yes, my ego is the problem . I still think I am in my twenties/early thirties. Where did the time go? :crying: Thanks for reminding me about the slice smash. I don't remember playing it. That should be a nice change of pace. It usually gets my opponents when I hit them by accident. Now if I can only hit them intentionally.
Never say never... If your opponent figures out you'd never place a shot in the same place back-to-back, then he would be able to eliminate one corner from his game! Playing to the same place twice, occasionally, actually is a valid tactical move!
Exactly. It's a common misconception that a clear needs to be deep and high. Not so for attacking clear. Its goal is to get past your opponent. Of course, if your opponent is already standing deep, such a shot might not be appropriate, esp. if you hit it back to where he's.
Well said! Attacking clears are best used when your opponent is worried about your smashes and drops and has shifted their weight forwards slightly. Or if you see them 'rooted' to the spot expecting a smash (but a stop drop also works here!)
