Men's and women's doubles: a fast game and a patient game
What the two level-doubles events share, where the BWF manual says they differ, and what to take from it for your own pair.
What they share
In both men's and women's doubles, the attacking shape is front and back and the defensive shape is side by side. Serving and returning well matters in both. For these shapes, see attacking in doubles and defending in doubles.
Where the manual sees a difference
- Men's doubles tends to be more explosive, and clearing the shuttle is relatively rare. The manual says the ability to serve and return effectively is crucial.
- Women's doubles is less explosive and relies more on patient rally building to break down the opponents' defences. The longest rallies in badminton tend to occur in women's doubles.
Small differences in the manual's advice
- Rear player's job. In the men's list, the rear player's responsibilities include hitting winners. In the women's list, they include setting up chances for the front player; clears are listed as a variation.
- Returning a flick that put you off balance. Women's advice: a half smash, a drop shot or a straight clear. Men's advice: a half smash or a drop shot. All give you time to regain your balance.
- Long defence. At the backhand side, the Level 2 manual says a long, high defensive reply off the body can be used in women's doubles as a tactic to tire the opponents.
What to take from this
These are tendencies, not rules. For a club pair:
- Look at your own pair. Are you fast and explosive, or patient and accurate?
- If rallies are long, practise steep drop shots and patient waiting for the right shuttle to attack.
- If rallies are short, practise the serve, the return and the first attacking shots.
- Try both styles in practice games, such as the seven small doubles games.
Limits
The manual describes tendencies and does not give numbers for rally length, speed or the share of clears. Mixed doubles has its own advice because the pair is not level in power: see mixed doubles: who covers what.
General practice advice: play within your limits and stop if something hurts.