After reading the previous posts on net lifts, it’s time you learnt the net kill or net tap. At a basic level, this is nothing but smashing the shuttle into the opponent’s court. Sound interesting? The net kill is a front court stroke where the shuttle is hit hard in a downward direction from the front net area to the opponent’s mid court area or on the body. It can only be played if the shuttle is hit when it’s above the net cord or tape.

This stroke is used to either finish a rally to win a point, or to ensure a weak return from the opponent. The opponent will have very little time to react and return this stroke. To start off with, we’ll focus on the backhand net kill and how to go about executing it. That means following the right technique.

Adopt a thumb grip for this stroke. Raise the racquet with bent elbow and arm rotating inwards for the backswing. Now for the forward swing, straighten the arm and hit the shuttle hard in a downward direction, with the arm moving outwards. Return to a ready offensive position immediately. In case your opponent manages a weak return, you should be ready to finish off the rally.

When it comes to improving your backhand net kill, there’s only one practice exercise that you really need. For this, get a sparring partner or coach to help you with a multi-shuttle hand feed from the opposite side. Focus on your grip, posture, position and technique as you play each shot. You’ll find the stroke gets easier to execute and more powerful as well.

Having learnt the backhand net kill, you must have easily guessed what’s coming next. That’s right, the forehand net kill. It packs quite a punch and can help you bring in the points in a match scenario. Keep reading, training and learning badminton.