IT TAKES TWO!
Try our ideas here to help improve your doubles play in badminton, table tennis and tennis.
No Smash Doubles
To get use to the different angles, depth and width when
playing doubles it is a good idea to play without allowing the
smash shot to be played. This will encourage you to have to
focus on finding the spaces on court.
Alternative hits
Use the table tennis rules in badminton and tennis, by making
partners play alternate shots. This will encourage players to
think about where to place the ball (i.e. making the opposition
move).
2 becomes 4
On one court play two half court singles games. When one of
the half court singles games concludes those two players
shout “doubles” and the four players then play a doubles game
with the remaining ball/shuttle (5 points for winning a singles
game, 10 for the doubles).
My half, your half
To get used to having specific responsibilities on court the
players can only play shots from their own half of the course.
Hit and move
To get used to playing with a partner and appreciating that
sometimes it is good to leave the shot for your partner
(obviously you have to do this in table tennis). So, after you
play a shot you have to go and touch a cone outside the court
(away from the table) before coming back on court.
SEPTEMBER 2008 : SPORT IQ 14-16 41