In "traditional" (i.e., up-and-back) mixed doubles rallies the woman darts to and fro along the short service line, trying to cut off cross-court drives and half-courts, while her male partner plays behind her, trying to make the opponents lift the shuttle so that she can put it away. When a mixed team is forced to clear, the up-and-back formation must be modified since it leaves the alleys wide open. This companion article to Al Allott's describes how to defend in traditional mixed doubles.

Source: Washington State Badminton Association Newsletter Newsletter, Spring 1996

Few things in badminton is as impressive as the sight of a doubles team thwarting a leaping, yelling smasher by calmly returning the hardest smashes high in the air, daring the smasher to hit through them. However good this looks, the defenders are at the mercy of the smasher. Since hitting downwards is the most likely way of winning the rally, doubles players should avoid using great defenders as role models and instead play doubles aggressively.

Source: WSBA Newsletter Winter 1998

If you do not have trouble with boy - girl relationships, mixed doubles is the most challenging of the three doubles played in badminton. It combines the power and ability to cover a significant amount of court for the man, and the finesse and touch of a woman.

Mixed doubles is sometimes referred to as "singles with interference." This is because of the impression that the woman cannot compete in the back court or on even terms with the man. The man controls the play so that most of the birds are returned in his direction. The woman is allowed an occasional shot at the net just to say she is playing the game. THIS IS NOT MIXED DOUBLES.

Source: Washington State Badminton Association Newsletter Newsletter, Winter 1996

The offense in doubles is more than smashing and dropping your way to victory. There are things the attacking team can do to minimize their vulnerability to counter-attack and induce the defense to hit a weak return. Gaining the offense while shots in the rally are still low and flat is also an important part of playing attacking doubles. This article will focus on tactics in doubles offense rather than on how to develop rally-winning shots.

Source: WSBA Newsletter Summer 1998

Once when I was young and athletic I and my partner were ahead 14-3 in the third game against two old guys. I forget the tournament but it was a big one for me; our opponents were from another state and had been playing a long time. They won the serve and we, foolishly, relaxed a little. The server, with nothing to lose, stood wide in the alley to serve and started to serve long. Pretty soon it was 7-14 and we said to each other it was time to stop fooling around. At 10-14 we began to get a little worried. At 12-14 we started to look at each other wondering what was going on. At 14-14 we didn't exactly panic, but now we doubted we were fated to win.

Source: WSBA Newsletter Summer 1998