A serve that barely skims over the top of the net and lands near the short service line
When done correctly, it does not give the opponent an opportunity to attack and limits the type of shots on the service return
Short serve will immediately start dropping in a downwards flight path after it crosses the net, and continues to just land across the short service line, which forces opponents to lift the shuttle if they wait too long before returning the serve
The defensive badminton clear is performed to get you out of trouble. In many instances, you'll be under tremendous pressure by your opponent. This happens when your opponent plays at a faster pace and isfiring continuous attacks on you
A clear or lob is a good way to get yourself more organized while you're under pressure and buys you some time to work yourself back into the rally
The badminton drop shot is semi-offensive. It's performed from the back of the court and is usually used to maintain the pace of the game
The defensive clear (explained above) slows down the pace of the game– because it keeps the shuttle in the air for quite a while
The drop shot, on the other hand, maintains the pace of the game. A drop shot performed at a steep angle lands on the ground quicker, compared to the clear or lob. Your opponent has to rush forward to Retrieve it
Hit the drop shot ONLY when you're comfortable with the pace of the game. In other words, perform a drop shot when you're playing at a similar pace or a faster pace than your opponent. If you can't keep up with your opponent's pace, clear (or lob) the shuttle instead
The smash is often known as the 'winning shot' in badminton. It's used with the intention to end a rally
The smash is one of the most powerful badminton shots (apart from the jump smash) that is fired from a steep angle. However, when you decide to smash, you're taking a risk. Smashing causes, you to lose a certain degree of balance