Badminton doubles is a fast-paced, high-energy game where smashes come at you faster and more frequently than in singles. A well-executed smash can seem impossible to return, especially when it’s backed by the power and speed typical of doubles play. But no matter how strong the smash, it can be defended with the right tactics. Good smash defense isn’t just about getting the shuttle back over the net—it’s about turning that defense into an advantage.

While having a powerful smash of your own is crucial in doubles, it won’t help much if you can’t return similarly powerful smashes from your opponents. So, how do you defend smashes effectively in doubles—not only returning them but turning them into opportunities for smart, strategic shots that keep your opponents on the back foot? The key lies in mastering the right technique, positioning, and decision-making under pressure.

In this guide, Greg and Jenny from Badminton Insight will walk you through 6 essential steps for defending powerful smashes in badminton doubles. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your doubles game, these strategies will help you defend with confidence and keep your opponents guessing.

 

Step 1: Body Positioning

The foundation of any successful smash defense in badminton doubles is your body positioning. Proper positioning not only helps you react quickly but also allows you to return powerful smashes with control and precision. Let’s break this down:

• Footwork and Stance: Your feet should be placed just wider than shoulder-width apart, giving you a stable base. Bend your legs slightly, as this keeps you light on your feet and ready to react to any shot. A low, balanced stance enables faster movement, crucial when facing powerful smashes.

• Stay Relaxed: While it’s important to maintain a stable lower body, the upper half of your body—especially your arms and shoulders—should stay relaxed. Tension in your upper body can slow down your racket speed and mess with your timing. Relaxation is often overlooked but extremely important, especially during high-pressure moments in a match. When you know your opponent has a powerful smash, it’s natural to tense up, but staying loose will help you react faster and more efficiently.

• Court Positioning: So, where should you be positioned on the court when defending a smash?

  • If you’ve hit a straight lift, you should cover the straight tramline. This gives you the best chance to intercept a straight smash from your opponent.
  • If you’ve hit a cross-court lift, move towards the center of the court, slightly closer to the middle. This is crucial because one of the most common mistakes in doubles is not adjusting your position based on where the shuttle has been lifted. In this scenario, if your opponent decides to return with a cross-court smash, the shuttle will need to travel the longest distance across the court, giving you more time to react. If your opponent does play a cross-court smash (a risky shot for them), you can respond by playing it straight down the tramline into the open space.

By mastering your body positioning and staying relaxed, you set yourself up for success in defending even the most powerful smashes. Let’s move on to the next step!

 

Step 2: Racket Positioning

Racket positioning is just as crucial as body positioning when defending smashes in doubles. Getting this right can be the difference between successfully returning a powerful smash or missing the shot entirely. Let’s break it down:

• Grip: Start with a backhand grip, placing your thumb on the widest part of the racket handle. This allows for better control and leverage, especially when you need quick reactions. For defensive shots, this grip is ideal for shots across a wide range of angles.

• Hold the Racket Higher: Grip the racket slightly higher up on the handle. This creates a shorter lever, which helps increase your control over the shot. Imagine trying to hit a controlled shot with a racket that’s 4 meters long—it’d be extremely difficult! By shortening your grip, you have more precision, which is crucial when returning fast smashes.

• Racket Head Position: Your racket head should be positioned in front of your body, anywhere between knee and chest height. However holding it too far outstretched will slow down your reaction time. By keeping it centered and ready, you’re in a better position to react quickly and defend effectively against those powerful smashes.

• Backhand vs. Bevel Grip: Should you use a backhand grip for all your defensive shots? For the majority of your defensive play, the answer is yes. Use the backhand grip for shots from your backhand side all the way to your forehand side up to one arm’s width. Beyond that, you’ll need to switch to a bevel grip. The bevel grip is faster to switch to from a backhand grip than a forehand grip, and it still allows you to play effective shots. This combination of grips ensures you’re ready to cover a wide range of shots efficiently.

By refining your grip and keeping your racket positioned correctly, you’ll find yourself able to return smashes with much more control and accuracy.

 

Step 3: Have a Short Swing

When it comes to returning powerful smashes in doubles, having a short swing is a game-changer. This step is all about hitting a good shot—which you can only really achieve by mastering a controlled, compact swing. The best defenders do this effortlessly, and here’s why it’s important, what a short swing actually is, and how you can do it.

• Why is a short swing important?
  A short swing helps with your timing. The bigger your backswing, the less control you have over your racket. With a compact swing, you’ll also have a faster recovery, which means you can quickly get back into position for the next shot, keeping you prepared for the fast pace of doubles.

• What is a short swing?
  A short swing refers to a compact motion where, from your starting position, your racket moves back only slightly, close to your body, and then follows through to an outstretched position in front of you. It’s a minimal movement designed to keep you in control while allowing for quick, efficient returns.

• Can you still generate power with a short swing?
  Absolutely. When defending a powerful smash, you can use the speed that’s already on the shuttle to generate power. Think of it like throwing a ball against a wall—if you throw it hard, the force makes it bounce back hard. Similarly, the incoming speed of the shuttle can be used to your advantage. With a short, controlled swing, you’re redirecting the shuttle’s energy rather than trying to create all the power yourself.

• How do you execute a short swing?
  The key is to lead with your elbow and then use your forearm, fingers, and thumb—not your entire arm. This focused movement gives you more precision and control. To generate power, stay relaxed in your grip, and as you strike the shuttle, squeeze your thumb and index finger. Your other three fingers act as support, adding extra control and power. Think of your grip like a team effort—the thumb and index are the leaders, and the rest of your fingers provide backup.

• How to practice a short swing?
  There are many ways to practice and perfect this technique:

  1. Wall hitting: All you need is a shuttle and a wall. This drill forces you to use a short, controlled swing to keep the shuttle in play against the wall. Focus on continuous hitting using only a short swing, which helps you build muscle memory for match situations and improves your control and reaction time.
  2. Shuttle toss drill: Get someone to toss shuttles from the side of the court. Start slow, focusing on compact movements, and gradually increase the speed. This practice will train your swing to stay short and efficient, even under pressure.

Mastering the short swing will allow you to return smashes with control and precision, turning defense into attack with minimal effort.

 

Step 4: Don’t Move Back

If you’ve been practicing the short swing but still struggle to defend against powerful smashes, the issue may be that you’re moving backwards too much. This step is crucial because moving back excessively can limit your ability to return the shot effectively. Let’s break down the three common ways players tend to move back too much and how to avoid them:

1. Don’t Defend from Too Far Back
   While it’s important not to stand too close to the service line when defending smashes (as this gives you less time to react), moving too far back can also be problematic. A common mistake is retreating all the way to the back of the court to give yourself more time. While this might help you return the smash—assuming it’s not too steep—it limits your ability to play a good shot. You’ll likely end up hitting the shuttle from a low position, making it harder to control and giving your opponents more time to react.

2. Stop Moving Back Before Your Opponent Smashes
   Another mistake is still moving backwards as your opponent is about to hit their smash. This makes it difficult to play a controlled return because your momentum is going in the wrong direction. Instead, you should stop moving backward just before your opponent strikes the shuttle. This allows you to stabilize and get into your ideal defensive position.
   To practice this, you can do a drill with a partner. Start by hitting to your partner, they drop it, you play a short lift, and then move back. As they prepare to smash, stop moving back and position yourself for defense. You can even imagine an invisible line on the court to remind yourself not to cross too far back.

3. Avoid Leaning Back When You Hit
   The third common mistake is leaning back when you strike the shuttle. Leaning back makes it harder to time your shots correctly, leading to mistimed or weaker returns. Instead, your body weight should be going forward as you strike the shuttle. This will improve both your power and control, and help you recover more quickly after your shot. By moving forward after your shot, you can transition from defense to attack faster, putting pressure back on your opponents.

Learning to avoid moving backward too much will make your smash defense more stable and allow you to play more controlled, aggressive returns.

 

Step 5: Improve Your Previous Shot

Improving your previous shot is key to defending smashes effectively. If you constantly lift short or place the shuttle in the middle of the court, even the best defensive techniques will struggle to fend off a powerful smash. So, the fifth step is all about making your lifts smarter and more strategic.

• Place Your Lifts Deep and to the Corners:
  One of the best ways to limit your opponent’s ability to execute a strong smash is to send your lifts to the back of the court, ideally to the deep corners. This forces your opponent to cover more ground, making their smash less effective. Avoid lifting to the same spot twice in a row, as predictable placement makes it easier for your opponents to time their smashes.

• Add Deception to Your Lifts:
  Mixing in deceptive lifts can also throw your opponent off balance. If your opponent is slightly off-balance or forced to hit the shuttle later, it will take away a lot of the power and angle from their smash. This means their smash is less likely to come down sharply by your ankles, and instead, you can prepare to intercept with your racket held higher, ready for a more controlled and effective defensive shot.

• Practice Your Lifts:
  A good drill to improve your lifts is to have someone drop the shuttle to you, and practice lifting with different heights, both straight and cross-court. You can make this more fun by turning it into a competition with your partner—see how many lifts you can land in a designated box or target on the court. Practicing this will help you master accuracy and consistency with your lifts.

• Don’t Lift Unless Necessary:
  Perhaps the most important takeaway here is that you shouldn’t lift unless you absolutely have to. This is a common mistake in doubles—lifting unnecessarily gives your opponent opportunities to smash. If you’re playing against someone with a powerful smash, or using fast shuttles where every smash is threatening, be selective with when you lift. One way to practice this is by playing practice games where no one is allowed to lift. This forces you to find alternative shots and reduces the likelihood of feeding your opponent smashes.

While there are, of course, times when lifting is necessary in a match, improving the quality and strategy behind your lifts will give you a better chance to defend against those powerful smashes and gain control of the rally.

 

Step 6: Play the Right Return Shots

The final step in defending against powerful smashes is choosing the right return shots. This is an area where many players go wrong. It’s not just about getting the shuttle back, but about making sure your return is both effective and strategic.

• Avoid High-Risk Shots:
  Two of the hardest defensive shots to execute are the soft block and the relift. Even at the professional level, these are high-skill, high-risk options. A soft block can easily land too high, setting up your opponents for an easy kill. A relift, on the other hand, risks giving your opponents another chance to smash. For these reasons, it’s generally best to avoid these shots unless you’re confident in your ability to execute them well.

• Go for Easier, More Effective Shots:
  Instead, we recommend playing shots that are both easier and more reliable under pressure. Focus on deeper blocks or drives. These shots are not only easier to control, but they also keep the shuttle low and force your opponents to work harder to regain the advantage. Deeper blocks make it harder for your opponents to follow up with another smash, while drives can push them back or force them into awkward positions.

• Set Yourself Up for Success:
  To consistently play these return shots well, ensure you’re following all the previous steps: maintain the correct body and racket positioning, use a short swing, avoid moving backward unnecessarily, and try to have hit a good lift before your opponent’s smash. The more you practice these techniques, the less powerful those incoming smashes will seem.

• Play Cross-Court When Possible:
  A final tip is to try and play your defensive returns cross-court. By playing away from your opponents, especially when you can force them to move diagonally, you reduce their ability to continue the attack. Cross-court shots give you more space to work with and can open up gaps in your opponents’ positioning, turning defense into offense.

By mastering the right shot selection under pressure, you’ll not only defend against smashes but also put yourself in a better position to take control of the rally.

That’s the final step! Does the whole guide feel good, or would you like to add any changes? Feels free to comment below.

Happy Badmintoning!