Mixed Doubles Service Rules

Discussion in 'Rules / Tournament Regulation / Officiating' started by Wyung Wup Wong, Aug 3, 2019.

  1. Wyung Wup Wong

    Wyung Wup Wong New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2017
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    UK
    I've been playing on a club level for the a few years but just recently realised that the positioning of the man and woman during the start of a game (Thai Open 2019).

    I was told (in my club) that the woman would be on the right at the start of set for both sides.
    (so both receiving/serving)

    However, during my viewing game Semifinals MD, the man was servicing while the (other pair) woman was receiving. (Obviously both on the right).

    So my question is

    Is there any rules of service/receiving in MD of which gender at the start of the match?

    Or can any player serve and receive regardless of gender?

    I tried to look up the official rules and could not actually find anything
     
  2. phihag

    phihag Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2014
    Messages:
    1,008
    Likes Received:
    730
    Location:
    Germany
    There are only two rules governing the positioning of the partner during the service:
    In other words, the woman must not be between receiver and the shuttle, and must be somewhere on court.

    The precise positioning of the partners – left, right, behind or before the server, feet etc. – is a matter of tactics, not of law.
    In particular, a mixed team is allowed to play normal doubles strategy, or even mixed with switched roles, or some other strategy entirely, if they so desire.

    Before the match, the umpires conducts the toss. The team winning the toss chooses between serving, receiving, left, or right ends. The team losing the toss picks from the remaining options. For example, if the team who won the toss chooses to receive, then the other side can chose to be on the left or right side.
    Then, the umpire will ask the serving and receiving teams to declare who is serving and receiving. (Experienced players tend to say that without the umpire having to ask). Teams are free to select anyone to serve and receive. Many mixed doubles prefer the woman to serve and the man to receive, but preferences vary.

    At the start of each later game, the doubles players (irrespective of their sex, by the way) again have to declare who's serving and receiving. Again, they are completely free to pick any player. It does not have to be the same as before.

    If it's clear who is serving and who is receiving, good umpires just take note and start the game. The umpire will ask if it is unclear, for example when two players stand in the receiver's box. Inexperienced umpires tend to ask every time, and that's players used to play at state or national levels often tell the umpire before every game. You are free to tell the umpire who's serving or receiving, but it is only necessary at the start of the match, not in later games.
     
    stradrider likes this.
  3. stradrider

    stradrider Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Messages:
    664
    Likes Received:
    313
    Location:
    Norway
    The rules leave the decision of who is to serve and receive totally to the players. One common mistake is that the players often think that they have to keep the same starting formation in all games of the match. There is actually nothing in the rules that would prevent you from choosing any formation that you like at the start of every game.

    The reason often woman serve and men receive in XD is that it is easier to keep the attacking formation that way, but only if players actually use man in the back/ woman in front roles... It would be totally reverse if woman is better and stronger than the male partner, but main idea usually stays the same - net player is better to serve and smashing player is better to receive.
     
    #3 stradrider, Aug 3, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2019
    phihag likes this.
  4. psyclops

    psyclops Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2017
    Messages:
    117
    Likes Received:
    30
    Location:
    ger
    When you are writing MD, and also man and woman, it is not clear what you mean to inquire.

    MD is Mens Doubles
    XD is Mixed Doubles.

    The other is 'both on the right.' Do you mean both are on their respective right courts?
    If so, recall, at the start, the score is 0-0, the service will be from the right court, so shall the receiver.

    Note that, if the woman in the team wants to start on the left side, there is nothing in the law she is breaking. Same argument for both sides. There have been many hundreds of matches in mixed doubles where the woman in the team has started on the left, Thai Open 2019 was not the first.
     
    Cheung likes this.

Share This Page