In "traditional" (i.e., up-and-back) mixed doubles rallies the woman darts to and fro along the short service line, trying to cut off cross-court drives and half-courts, while her male partner plays behind her, trying to make the opponents lift the shuttle so that she can put it away. When a mixed team is forced to clear, the up-and-back formation must be modified since it leaves the alleys wide open. This companion article to Al Allott's describes how to defend in traditional mixed doubles.

Source: Washington State Badminton Association Newsletter Newsletter, Spring 1996

Few things in badminton is as impressive as the sight of a doubles team thwarting a leaping, yelling smasher by calmly returning the hardest smashes high in the air, daring the smasher to hit through them. However good this looks, the defenders are at the mercy of the smasher. Since hitting downwards is the most likely way of winning the rally, doubles players should avoid using great defenders as role models and instead play doubles aggressively.

Source: WSBA Newsletter Winter 1998

If you do not have trouble with boy - girl relationships, mixed doubles is the most challenging of the three doubles played in badminton. It combines the power and ability to cover a significant amount of court for the man, and the finesse and touch of a woman.

Mixed doubles is sometimes referred to as "singles with interference." This is because of the impression that the woman cannot compete in the back court or on even terms with the man. The man controls the play so that most of the birds are returned in his direction. The woman is allowed an occasional shot at the net just to say she is playing the game. THIS IS NOT MIXED DOUBLES.

Source: Washington State Badminton Association Newsletter Newsletter, Winter 1996

The offense in doubles is more than smashing and dropping your way to victory. There are things the attacking team can do to minimize their vulnerability to counter-attack and induce the defense to hit a weak return. Gaining the offense while shots in the rally are still low and flat is also an important part of playing attacking doubles. This article will focus on tactics in doubles offense rather than on how to develop rally-winning shots.

Source: WSBA Newsletter Summer 1998

Once when I was young and athletic I and my partner were ahead 14-3 in the third game against two old guys. I forget the tournament but it was a big one for me; our opponents were from another state and had been playing a long time. They won the serve and we, foolishly, relaxed a little. The server, with nothing to lose, stood wide in the alley to serve and started to serve long. Pretty soon it was 7-14 and we said to each other it was time to stop fooling around. At 10-14 we began to get a little worried. At 12-14 we started to look at each other wondering what was going on. At 14-14 we didn't exactly panic, but now we doubted we were fated to win.

Source: WSBA Newsletter Summer 1998

 Wales’s Richard Vaughan went out in the second round of the All England Super Series qualifying to Scottish Open winner Tago from Japan.

 In the first set it was point for point up until Vaughan opened a lead at 16-14, where he put a net kill in the net after a crucial long rally. Tago then seemed to step up the pace closing a tight set 21-19.

The 2nd set Vaughan controlled throughout opening a 20-16 lead. However he could not close out the set despite 6 set points and went down 25-23.

Vaughan said "Today was incredible frustrating, I should never have lost the 2nd set. I was in control of large parts of both sets and was not that tired. I was really ill the past 10 days with a bad chest infection and I am still not recovered. I will have to get that sorted before playing another tournament. My chest is bad, and is It’s far too much of a distraction in a tough match."

The history of badminton shows that it had its roots in an old children’s game in England known as battledore and shuttlecock. British Army officers in India played a grown up version of this game. Known in its early days as ‘poona’, it was played with many people who tried to keep the ‘bird’ in air. A net came to be added later and badminton in its present form was born. This sport derived its name from Badminton House in Gloucestershire where the game was played at a lawn party. The International Badminton Federation (IBF) that was started in 1934 now has more than 130 member countries. The Asian countries now dominate the badminton scene and they continue to rule the roost as far as tournaments go. Badminton matches draw thousands of spectators in Malaysia, Indonesia and China.

Top class badminton returns to Mid-Glamorgan this coming April, the 2008 edition of the Sue Noake Mid-Glam Open Badminton Championships are being held at the University Of Glamorgan Sports Centre on April 12th 2008, this season sees the tournament being part of Welsh Badminton's 'Welsh Senior Series', and Badminton England's 'Carlton Orbital' circuit.

 

Tournament organiser and WSS player Vaughn Tovey commented 'The Sue Noake Mid-Glam Open tournament this season is offering £600 in prize money, which is one of only 2 I can think of which offer prize money in Wales, this is only possible with the help of generous sponsors: Carlton, Richard Vaughan badminton academy, FD Systems, Alzak and the University Of Glamorgan, - I'd like to thank them all for their involvement with the tournament, without them, prize money would not be possible.'

 

Vaughn went on to say 'This season the tournament is the only tournament in the UK to hold dual circuit status, we are part of the WBU's Welsh Senior series, and Badminton England's Carlton Orbital circuit, I am hoping having players from both series at one event will make for a popular and strong entry, previous years the entry has been phenomenally good, and I am hoping this year will be no different. As with previous tournaments, I am sure it will remember Sue Noake in a fitting manner'

 

Entry forms for the tournament can be downloaded from the WBU and BE websites, in addition - an online entry form has been created.

 

Entries for the Mid-Glam WSS/Orbital have to be submitted by March 22^nd 2008 – please get your entries in ASAP

 

Online Entry form: http://www.richardvaughan.net/midglamopen/entry.html

 

Tournament enquiries: midglamopen@gmail.com or tel: 07866 561366