A good source for learning doubles?

[HappyLefty]

I have several books about tennis but none specialized in doubles.
I´m looking for practical tips and drill to practice with my partner.
Any advise will be appreciated.

Book, ebook, site, etc.

[nyc]

www.operationdoubles.com

[HappyLefty]

www.operationdoubles.com

NYC,
Do you own the booklet "9 Steps to diminating doubles"?
http://www.operationdoubles.com/allproducts.htm#9steps
Any opinion?

[fuzz nation]

One thing you can try with your partner is to play one-on-one doubles against each other. Play everything crosscourt and cover the half of the court that you serve or receive on, including the alleys. Extend an imaginary centerline all the way to the baseline and play anything that's close to it. Serve & volley, chip & charge, etc.

I also saw a good extreme crosscourt drill where you hit with your partner from sideline to sideline while both of you are at the intersection of the service line and sideline. Heavy on the control! As it gets comfortable, both of you can back up half way to the baseline and hit with a little more gas. Try it on both your forehand and backhand sides - that shot is essential for staying away from the opposing net player.

My favorite drill with fledgeling doubles players that gets them comfortable at the net in a hurry is what I like to call "fireballs". If you have a bucket of balls, set up at the service line as the feeder and your partner positions himself in a typical "at net" position across from you. Keep your feeds at only moderate velocity, but feed at quick frequency so that the hitter has to make a quick reaction volley and recover immediately for the next one. As the feeder, it's your job to challenge the hitter - occasionally put the ball down low or out near the edges of the hitter's reach, but keep them coming. Watch out for strays rolling under the hitters feet! I hold my racquet up on the throat to feed well for this drill and just pop-pop-pop. No hard hits here; just lots of quick reaction and recovery. You can even add other hitters on each side of the net. When a ball goes out of play, the feeder stands ready to pop the next one into the mix.

[Bungalo Bill]

I have several books about tennis but none specialized in doubles.
I´m looking for practical tips and drill to practice with my partner.
Any advise will be appreciated.

Book, ebook, site, etc.

Kathy's site at www.operationdoubles.com (http://www.operationdoubles.com) is excellent. I have her stuff and it is top notch. You will have plenty to work with before playing against the Bryan brothers is in your sights.

The following book is excellent as well to get your arms around doubles and has a slightly different slant on doubles and that is THE ART OF DOUBLES.

If you really want to get into it, you can purchase Doubles Tennis Tactics DVD by Louis Cayer here at TW. http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageKINETIC-DTTDVD.html this is an excellent one and is more geared to advanced levels. However, getting an idea of advanced doubles as you develop is good for you.

For drills:

1. You want to really improve your crosscourt return. I would have your partner stand between the service line and the baseline and pump some serves to you. Get your crosscourt block down and follow it in.

2. First volley is the most important volley as that sets up nealry every point. Hit a good one and you will have a better chance in owning the point.

3. Work on your sprints for fast forward movement.

4. Work on your split-step for your approach and net play.

5. Practice your volleys against a wall for quick exchanges and to develop strength in your forearm wielding the racquet.

6. You can do this volley drill. Get a basket of balls and have your partner feed you balls to each side of you. He will move the ball out wider and wider till you are very stretched but still can get a racquet on it. You will work on NOT crossing over, keeping your feet apart, and stepping to the ball iwth your inside foot. You need to complete 30 of these and then switch.

7. Mini-tennis crosscourt volleys. Get within the service court and execute a crosscourt exchange with your partner - volleys only. No half-volleys. You ned to control the exchange and work your way up to 30 balls.

8. The middle is the most important place to hit to in doubles. Your serves should mostly go up the middle keeping the ball between you and your partner. Set up cones at the T and develop your serve so it is second nature.

[Fay]

This might have been covered in one of the web sites. I prefer singles, but a clinic that I attend every week has lots of doubles drills .... my favorite one needs four people. We hit cross court very deep until one person makes a mistake and hits out or the net, and the first to notice calls "DOUBLES" and then the remaining ball in play is played like a doubles game. You really have to know where both balls are at all times and where all 4 people are while hitting deep cross court to do well. I enjoy this one!

Of course if one person hits a short ball, the cross court parter must move it to keep the ball in play and dodge the other cross court ball. Really helped my overall court awareness!

[HappyLefty]

Thanks everybody for your valuable advices.
I hope to practice your recommended drills next week with my partner.

[LuckyR]

I have several books about tennis but none specialized in doubles.
I´m looking for practical tips and drill to practice with my partner.
Any advise will be appreciated.

Book, ebook, site, etc.

Some learn better with books, others with video etc. For books, The Art of Doubles (first edition) is a good introduction. Stan Smith's book is a good followup to it, and will take you well into intermediate doubles. To be honest, with the amount of knowledge you will have at this point, I am unaware of a single book that will do a good job of reaching the advanced ranks. I have taken a tidbit here and there from various sources and would like to know if there is a single resource others have found.

[Rafael_Nadal_6257]

This might have been covered in one of the web sites. I prefer singles, but a clinic that I attend every week has lots of doubles drills .... my favorite one needs four people. We hit cross court very deep until one person makes a mistake and hits out or the net, and the first to notice calls "DOUBLES" and then the remaining ball in play is played like a doubles game. You really have to know where both balls are at all times and where all 4 people are while hitting deep cross court to do well. I enjoy this one!

Of course if one person hits a short ball, the cross court parter must move it to keep the ball in play and dodge the other cross court ball. Really helped my overall court awareness!

Yep, my clinic does the exact same thing occasionally. For clarification, the drill starts out with two balls. You are teamed with the player on your side of the net. You exchange shots with the player crosscourt across the net from you. Your partner does the same...until one of you four people misses the ball.

Then that one ball is played out as a doubles point, including alleys. I think in the first part where you hit crosscourt, it is the teaching pro's decision to include doubles' alleys or not.

[burosky]

Check out Dynamite Doubles: Play winning tennis today! by Helle Sparre Viragh. I've read the book and seen her explain the concepts during a live seminar. Very useful and a great light read. I highly recommend this book.