Trick shots in badminton are used to trick your opponent. They help to confuse your opponent under pressure situations and serve as an advantage for you if executed properly. It can easily help you to win a rally.
Many trick shots have been used over the years by elite players like Lin Dan, Tai Tzu Ying, and many more which have inspired other players to learn those shots. However, these trick shots come up with practice and experience.
In this article, I have explained a few trick shots which will be helpful in your game in both singles and doubles. So, read about all of them and try using them in your everyday practice sessions.
Badminton Trick Shots
Check out the following video to watch how to play all the trick shots. Then, read the article to learn more about these shots.
Lin Dan Baseline Trick
This trick is inspired by the badminton legend, Lin Dan. In this, you have to run towards the backcourt and hit the shuttle just before it touches the ground by rotating your forehand and body while hitting.
Remember, you will not be facing the net while hitting the shuttle. You have to hit the shuttle pretty hard so that it travels over the net to the opponent’s court.
This is a trick shot because your opponent will either feel that you won’t be able to hit the shuttle or won’t be able to predict where the shuttle would land. Moreover, he/she would reach the shuttle a little late. While hitting the shuttle, bend your wrist to make the shuttle go crosscourt.
Cross Net between Legs
This trick shot is like moving for a normal net shot towards the net with a lunge but hitting the shuttle from between your legs. You make a double-action, first pretending to hit the shuttle like a normal net shot, which confuses your opponent as he/she will be prepared for a normal net shot.
At the very next moment, before the shuttle touches the court’s surface, you step in front of the shuttle and aim for a cross net shot between your legs. You need to be quick enough to step in front of the shuttle and hit the shuttle with a small push in the fingers grip.
Peter Gade Signature Shot
As the name suggests, this trick shot is inspired by the living legend, Peter Gade. It is used when the opponent aims a backhand net shot at you. The trick here is that you pretend a backhand net shot action to confuse your opponent, and in the next moment you hit the shuttle aiming for a cross-court net shot with the racquet head pointing downwards.
For this, you have to rotate your forearm from the outside of the shuttle. Again, your action needs to be fast so that it can be done before the shuttle reaches the ground.
Double Defence Tricks
This trick is used when you are being attacked with smashes. In your first defense, you can hit the shuttle in the normal way. However, to confuse your opponent when he/she smashes again, you can defend the shuttle by hitting it behind the back and between the legs. A small jump while hitting it makes it better.
This trick shot is just to have fun and use small strokes and your fingers to generate power. It can also be hit from behind your back and the side of your body.
Tennis Top Spin Backhand
This trick shot is used when the shuttle reaches your backhand midcourt area at a slightly greater height. The trick here is that you hit the shuttle to the crosscourt area of your opponent.
This is done using the thumb grip which helps you to get a swing from down to get a spin. You then rotate the forearm and swing over with big topspin.
This will trick your opponent as he/she will not be prepared for the return. This shot requires a full rotation of the forearm as well as your shoulder.
Return with the Grip
This shot is similar to hitting a normal net shot very close to the net. However, the only difference is that instead of the shuttle being hit with your racquet, it is hit with the grip of your racquet. This allows the shuttle to fall very close to your opponent’s net, sometimes making it difficult to return.
The trick here is that while your opponent thinks you will hit the shuttle with the racquet, your trick it by playing with your grip, which your opponent is unprepared for. Make it look like a normal return and bend the racquet backward, hitting the shuttle with the bottom of your grip.
Cut with the wrong strings/ Slice Return
Use this trick shot when you receive the shuttle at the backend of the court. Make it look like a normal shot and then slice it using the wrong strings of your racquet. This return will go as a surprise to your opponent as he/she would not be prepared for it.
A slice return confers a spinning movement to the shuttle using the thumb grip. It also changes the angle of return to the opponent. In this, the racquet head is angled inwards or outwards depending on your position at the last moment of hitting the shuttle.
So even though the racquet head seems to make a forward motion to the eyes of the opponent, it travels cross court. Importantly, a slice return makes the shuttle travel in a curvilinear path which makes it difficult for your opponent to face it or to return it. Remember to hit the shuttle high and in front of your body.
Sukamuljo Spin Serve
This service is inspired by the doubles legend, Kevin Sikamulji. You have to hit the edge of the shuttle without touching the feathers as it would consider a fault.
Instead of hitting the shuttle straight, you have to change the angle a little bit towards your body so that you can hit from the edge of the shuttle. Secondly, do not hit straight with the racquet. Hit in the opposite direction, i.e. hit away from the direction you want to serve, which will produce the spin.
This makes it tricky for the opponent to return. Also, allow the racquet to go a little bit under the shuttle on impact. A perfect serve will have the feathers going over the net first.
Forehand Crazy-Cross
You can use this trick shot when you receive the shuttle at the forehand net corner of the court. While return, start with a normal forehand grip and position.
Immediately rotate the forearm outwards so that it can bend properly. Then hit the shuttle from the outside so that it crosses the net on the other side of the court. This shot will come as a surprise to your opponent.
Magic Spin Serve
This is a forehand serve trick. In this, hit the shuttle on the side with a downward curved swing. This will spin the shuttle and it will be difficult to return for your opponent. This is one of the easiest and commonly used trick shots.
Fake Smash
This trick is predominantly used in men’s singles. Here, you pretend to clear the shuttle with a jump smash. This will picture a smash in your opponent’s mind. However, instead of hitting a smash, you hit a straight or cross-court drop.
As a result, your opponent will think of the shuttle coming as a smash but a drop will come as a surprise. Either your opponent will reach the shuttle late, or sometimes might be not able to return it.
Check out the following video to see it in action.
Final Thoughts
All trick shots look very amusing but they require a lot of practice and confidence to do it correctly. So, therefore, keep practicing and push your limit every day.
Also, you might have heard of doing things correctly at the right time. Well, you need to execute a trick shot at the right opportunity to take maximum advantage of it.
I hope these tricks will help you to keep up your game in your favor. If this article was helpful, do share it so that others can find it as well.
If you want to improve your game by practicing badminton drills, check out this article.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy the game!
