Forecourt Shots
– Net Shot: dropping the shuttlecock into the opponent’s forecourt, as close to the net as possible.
– Net Lift: playing upwards towards the back of the opponent’s court.
– Net Kill: the shuttlecock is aimed steeply towards the floor of the opponent’s court, close to the net.
Midcourt Shots
– Smash: when the shuttlecock comes to you at a high level in the midcourt area, hitting it aggressively towards the opponent’s floor, to finish the rally.
– Drive: when the shuttlecock is at the net height, at the side of your body, hitting it with sufficient pace to the opponent’s midcourt or backcourt area.
– Push: hitting the shuttlecock softly into the opponent’s forecourt or front midcourt area. This shot too is played in the same situation as a drive.
– Lift: playing upwards towards the back of the opponent’s court, in response to a smash or a push shot.
Backcourt Shots
– Clear: hitting the shuttlecock high to the opponent’s backcourt. Clear shots are of two types – defensive clear and attacking clear.
– Smash: hitting the shuttlecock steeply towards the opponent’s midcourt, at high spee.
– Dropshot: hitting the shuttlecock downwards towards the opponent’s forecourt.
Advanced Shots
– The purpose of an advanced stroke is to introduce an element of spin into the shot catching your opponent unawares.
– Slicing, hitting the shuttlecock with an angled racquet is a technique commonly used for advanced strokes. Slice shots veil the direction in which the shuttle is going to hit and to make the disguise powerful shots by making them travel slowly.
– Double motion is another useful technique to deceive your opponent. It involves making an initial movement towards the shuttlecock and then changing the face of the racquet and hitting it in a different direction.
