What is The Hardest Shot in Badminton?

Badminton is right behind soccer as the second-most popular sport worldwide and the fastest racquet sport, where the shuttles can attain a speed of over 200mph! While playing this sport, there are different types of shots that the athletes master; however, some are truly challenging. 

Now, you must be wondering which shot is the hardest. The answer may differ from person to person, but the majority agrees that the most challenging shot to master is the backhand smash and the perfect serve and toss.

This article will delve deeper into which shot is the hardest, different types of shots, and much more. So, continue reading this article!

Hardest shot in badminton:

The smash shot is one of the hardest to master as you need to ensure that the angle and technique are perfect and do not allow the opponent to send a counter smash. In addition, you lose a certain level of balance when delivering a smash, so you should ensure that you do not place yourself at a disadvantage when playing this shot. 

Furthermore, the perfect serve is also very hard to master as you set the tone of the rally with your serve. The serve should have the right angle and height to give you an advantage. 

Different types of badminton shots:

Defensive shots:

Forehand clear shot: Also called lobbing, this shot is the first shot that any beginner needs to master. You play this shot when you want some time to get back in your position on the court. 

When you play this shot, you hit the shuttle with the center of your racquet so that it goes high and forces your opponent to fall back. However, it is a fairly easy technique to master and helps you to play long rallies. 

Drive shot: When you play this basic flat shot, you hit the shuttle right over the net as a counter-attack. This technique causes your opponent to play an upwards shot, giving you time and an opportunity to return the shuttle. 

It is played on both forehand and backhand. The drive’s fast pace and flat nature cause the opposition to hit a weak counter shot. As a result, it is a relatively easier shot to master but requires practice.

Offensive shots:

Drop shot: You can use this technique when you see that the shuttle is the first half of your court. The shuttle is thrown such that it reaches the opponent’s forecourt, just barely over the net. There are two types of this shot: Fast drop shot and slow drop shot. 

It is a strategic shot that you can play to confuse the opposition as they might anticipate it as a clear or drive stroke. You force your opponent to give up their position on the court and dash forward when you play this shot.

Smash shot: This shot is the most notorious as it requires immense technique and is also referred to as the ‘winning shot’ in badminton. It is the most powerful shot in badminton and is the hardest to return by your opponent due to its pace and direction. 

You can play this shot when the shuttle is high in the air and return it like a downward drive, making it hard for your opponent to retaliate. You can also jump and deliver a smash; this is known as the jump smash and is the most powerful shot in badminton. 

It takes rigorous training and practice to perfect this shot and can be played by both forehand and backhand but, forehand is most common. 

Conclusion:

When playing badminton, the shot that you might find the trickiest to master is the smash shot. This technique requires high-end skills and almost always ends up as a point if you execute it correctly. Badminton has several other types of shots, like drive, clear, and drop shots.

All these techniques require rigorous practice and consistency to master. You must disguise your shots so that your opponent is not able to predict which shot you are going to play. This will give you an advantage as it would confuse the opposition and, it would be hard for them to retaliate.