How to do a cross court overhead badminton smash?

Question: How can you take an overhead shuttle and smash it straight on the other side of the court?

Answer:
Hi Tusha, thanks for asking us a question.

The rule of thumb to execute an overhead badminton smash is to get behind the shuttle first. Position yourself behind the shuttlecock while it is still high up in the air.

By performing an overhead badminton stroke when you’re behind the shuttle, the forward swinging motion of the racket will naturally direct the shuttlecock downwards.

A smash to the other side of the court is called a “cross court smash“.

The technique to hit a cross court smash is exactly the same as performing the normal smash.

Take the shuttle at the Highest Point Possible

You won’t be able get a steep angle with a cross court smash.

To see why is this case, we’ll compare the cross court smash against the forward smash.

The Forward Smash

When you hit the forward smash, the shuttlecock travels a shorter distance before it reaches the ground.

In other words, the shuttlecock will travel a shorter distance to reach the net. In order to get a steep angle, smash while the shuttle is still high.

The Cross Court Smash

The cross court smash requires a longer distance before the shuttlecock reaches the ground.

In other words, the shuttlecock will travel a longer distance to reach the net.

So, to get a good angle for your cross court smash, take the shuttle from the highest point possible!

Otherwise, your shot will not pass the net. If your shot is too flat, your cross court smash will go wide.

Think twice if you want to hit a full cross court smash from your baseline (or anywhere too far back of your court). The angle will be VERY tight!

Jumping Smash as a Solution

If you can perform the badminton jump smash, you will be able to take the shuttlecock from a higher point.

If you haven’t master this shot, I highly advise that you learn it because it will definitely help you produce high quality cross court smashes.