for your info, I used to take those kind of serves using overhead and smashing right into the centre. Because those days, we were told backhand was a weak and defensive stroke. For years, I had never learn how to use my back hand until only a few years ago when I tore my left leg ACL. As such, I have to switch my play and learn using backhand in order not to overload my left leg doing overhead fore hand to replace my backhand stroke. Otherwise, for those who are trained, it is not an issue smashing or retrieving such a serves. You can check out on youtube, the last one I saw was LYD's former partner doing that almost 90 degree smashing a return with full body bended.
It's a viable serve when done once in a while. The point is to change angles and to make the opponent produce a return of serve that can be taken advantage of.
Returning these serves are quite easy really, if you position yourself and your feet properly as discussed on first page. You don't need to smash, just a downward angle block or drop to the empty space away from the server. Then again if you're serving to someone who doesn't know the proper stance and position to receive this serve, you'll score a few easy points in a row.
I am not sure from what point you are talking about. in doubles, best way to score point is if you can tap or get your way which ever right from when your opponent serves isn't it. By just returning, I am not sure it is so easy to score. It depends on the level of play. You can see for yourself how many of them from youtube, those international players if possible, try to kill the shot from the serve, else, set up a return to their advantage. Partners of player with such serve would usually already covers the angle for the server. When in such play, players are likely understand the spaces created and where to cover each other. So it may not be so easy point score. I did this during my recent tournament in July. Opponent initially wasn't sure how to retrieve my serve, but soon found a way counter. But he did what you said which I had those angles covered so much that both of them soon resorted to sending every single shots to my partner (mixed doubles). If the shot is in good position for smash, why not and score an immediate and certain point. However, for leisure game, this may not be so. I learn a lot of this stuff watching my dad play in his heyday and I could say, he could cover those spaces with ease. In fact, as a school boy, he was the one who covered me playing doubles and still doing those serves sparring with player higher than my standard then.
The point, as I understand it, is that the opposition are in such a bad position, it is easy to play a safe return of serve that will set you up to win the rally. Smashing may win the rally, but any kind of downward shot will set up the next lift. The goal when receiving is to come away with the attack, not to score a point. At a high level, winners just don't come easily. Your point about being able to cover the shot is irrelevant: when I hit a shot, I expect you to get to it or "cover" it because I assume you are competent and can cover the court. As long as I come off with the advantage, you can reach as many shots as you like: I will eventually break down your ability to retrieve the shots, or I will be inconsistent and lose. Visors point is that, by serving from your position, you give him a very easy, no pressure way to start the rally to his advantage where he is on the attack - you give him no problems by serving from there, even if you manage to get to his return, or otherwise win the rally. You have failed, with your very first shot, to put him under pressure - so why bother with that serve? However, as you point out, some players cannot handle it. Against them, use it as much as you can! So you all know: we have an ex danish national player who plays for our club. He is mid 70s now, but still plays matches for us. Even against county players in division 1 of the mens doubles, he serves from very wide. But you have to put him with a singles player who can cover the court otherwise it doesn't go so well! If the quality is good, it can be viable- but it doesn't really achieve much!
I guess I understand where you are coming from now. Because from your initial reply, my perception is that that is rather casual way of play. At high level, player don't often do that unless they find it advantages. Current games, most uses the back hand serve However, in my dad case, he does it so often and was able to do so. So lots depends on the players and understanding. But he belongs to those yester-years which was so different from now "at high level, winners just don't come easy" All the most when you have the chance to kill off a shot, best position will means a lot regardless of how you hit it. If it is a smash, then be it, just take and kill off a rally. There is this thing call fancy shot when you have all the time to make a quick short and sharp kill, you choose to simply do it casually? I don't see this at international games. A kill is simply a kill.
I had a coaching instructor use this shot as an example in a coaching seminar. Note that he wasn't trying to teach the shot itself, instead he was using it to teach how to adjust strategies using a fundamental understanding of game tactics. From the conventional service position, the wide short serve and the down-the-centre flick serve can be intercepted with minimal lateral movement, due to the proximity of the receiver which cuts down on the angle. From the wide service position, the amount of lateral movement to intercept the shots is significantly greater - you can't just reach across with a half step to get to it. However, the threat of the short serve to the T or the diagonal flick serve is lessed because of the greater initial distance. Now let's consider the receiver position. Conventionally, we position our feet to be able to get to the short serve to the T and the diagonal flick serve. However, as explained above those two serves are not the main threats when the server is in the alley. What most players do is simply keep doing the standard serve return position they always do, which is weak at the lateral movement that they need for this serve return. What they should do instead is rotate their foot position by 90 degrees, to be able to cover those two serve options much more easily, while still being fast towards the T serve and only slowing down the ability to cover the diagonal high serve, which is a poor serve option from the alley.
Great strategies. I agree that one can just stand at the green triangle. Put 50% of your focus to his/her potential shot to your left. Most difficult part: Always be prepared to use overhead and correctly judge whether the service lands or not. If your position is right, any shots that you can't reach will really just go out. Anything but the overhead shot can be dealt with easily. You may be a bit slow in reaction. But, as many have already pointed out, you just need to keep the shuttle below the net not killing it with one shot, so that should not be a problem. Once you get used of this shot, that server will get killed every time. In my club, we have a player that serve this way. At first it's difficult, but once you punish him enough, he would try to change his serve Same for those who always do flick serve. You just ought to practice and not chicken out.
