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The defensive formation in mixed defence is the same as for levels. Both pairs stand side by side in the midcourt to cover a wider area of potential attacking directions from the opponent.
In mixed defence, the wedge formation is more commonly used. The main aim is to look for counter-attacking opportunities to regain the attack. I have covered this in detail in my other doubles series which I have linked here. In mixed doubles, there are some other differences which are not typical to level doubles. We will focus on these differences below.
Female Will Be The Main Target
In mixed doubles, the female is often the target of the opponent’s attack. They are considered to be weaker defensively and so more likely to give away an opportunity to win the rally.
As we mentioned in part a this is not necessarily the case. At higher levels of play, there is very little difference between the defence of males and females. The female is often more creative as she will be looking to move forward.
However, this strategy still persists especially among club-level players so it’s important for mixed partnerships to accept this inevitability. The best way to counter this is for the female to have a solid defence. This prevents her from becoming an easy target.
If the female is particularly weak in defence, this exacerbates the problem because there’s very little her partner can do to help this situation. Even if his defence is excellent.
Options In Mixed Defence
We already know lifts, drives and blocks can all be used as defensive shots. With lifts, in particular, there are certain nuances to this shot in mixed doubles.
Female Lifts To The Male Side
When the female is
This is very important because the cross-court, as we’ve mentioned many times takes longer to travel to its intended destination. Also, because of the aerodynamics of the shuttle, the drag on the shuttle means it will be slower when a cross-court is played vs a straight smash. The female can take advantage of this to play a defensive shot which allows her to move forward into the front court.
Male Lifts Straight
If the male is forced to lift the shuttle in his defence, he should lift to the same side that he is on. This means that a straight smash would be directed at him and the cross-court at his partner. This is to produce the same outcome as above.
It’s been argued that the male lifts straight because his defence is better. I am sure in some partnerships this is true. But as mentioned previously, there’s very little difference in the defensive capabilities of the two at higher levels. It’s much more important to lift straight to give the female the option to retrieve the cross-court smash and potentially move back into the attacking formation.
Female Usually Takes The Net On Defensive Blocks
If a block or drive has been played, for example, the person who played that shot usually follows that shot forward. However, in mixed doubles, it’s usually the female player who will take up the net position, even if the man played the block.
In some circumstances, the male player can also follow his own defensive shot forward too! This is usually when he anticipates a reply back to the net that he is moving forward to kill. In other circumstances, he will leave it for his female partner.
When The Opposing Female is Attacking
When the attack is coming from the female (female in rear court), it’s in your best interests to keep her there. Continuously lifting to her helps to minimise the opponents attacking power as she is not as physically strong as the man. This may result in more counter-attacking opportunities as there is less pressure.
Common Mistake – Women Staying In Front
Many club male players request the female stays at the front of the court the whole time, even in defence. They basically insist they play singles in defence covering the whole court. Likewise, there are some females who will not move back from the net themselves and will attempt to defend smashes by intercepting at the net.
Obviously, it’s not the most optimal place to be. Aside from the increased risk of getting a shuttle in the face, there’s a very small chance of them successfully intercepting a smash from the front of the cour. Even if they get a racket to the shuttle, the chance of it being an effective shot are pretty slim.
Likewise for the guy, unless the shuttle is played to him, it will be harder for him to manufacture an effective counter-attack. This is assuming he has a good defence in the first place! Particularly against strong players who will be able to move him out of position before playing winning shots.
If the female is weak in defence, she will never get better if she’s not exposed to these situations. Granted, it’s up to her to want to improve her defence as well. This should be pursued outside of matches, whether it’s in casual games at club night, or she gets coaching. This is because it’s new for her so it’s better not to develop this skill in an actual match, at least initially.
If you (as the female) feel like your male partner isn’t allowing this experience to you, talk to them. They should understand if they are decent partners. If not then you need to play with someone else who will give you this opportunity. It’s not worth playing with someone who doesn’t understand your need to get better!
Conclusion
In mixed doubles, as with levels, the main concern is how to turn their defence into attack. The little differences above, such as ensuring the female takes the cross-court ensures that she is always in an optimum position to play a good counter-attacking shot to move forward and put the partnership in their preferred attacking formation. Mixed defence, therefore, is fundamentally the same as level doubles. It’s just how the strategy is implemented that is different.
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