Moonballers in doubles:

[ferrari_827]

One thing that annoys me in doubles is the moonball strategy to avoid the net man.

It's like this. One side gets a deep ball, so to avoid the netman, a moonball is hoisted, then on the other side, same thing to avoid the netman, another moonball, and then another. All the while the netman is ready to take a nap since there's nothing he can do.

Also the moonballs land deep enough and bounce high enough that it's a higher percentage shot to moonball back than to blast a hard passing shot and risk the netman volleying a winner.

Especially if the netman has any kind of reputation of being a good volleyer, there's alot of moonballs.

[Camilio Pascual]

You told us how it is an excellent strategy, but I didn't quite get the part of how it is annoying you.

[kevhen]

Have the netman back up a little more off the net and take the moonballs in the air if possible to discourage future moonballing and/or to force them to hit even better moonballs. Moonballs are a good strategy if you lack the means to put them away.

[ferrari_827]

The problem of backing off from the net is that the net defense is weakened and the opponent will try to blast a groundstroke winner (that's what I would do anyway). And if the moonballs are virtually within one foot of the baseline, it's doesn't do much good to take it out of the air (!)

Pascual, it is very annoying to be at net and hardly get a chance to volley while the people at the baseline are moonballing away. Trust me.

[ferrari_827]

Technically, this moonballing could go on for a very long time, except impatience and embarassment sets in and things change (!)

[Thomas]

I can't stand it, but it wins. :-/

[Grimjack]

The problem of backing off from the net is that the net defense is weakened and the opponent will try to blast a groundstroke winner (that's what I would do anyway). And if the moonballs are virtually within one foot of the baseline, it's doesn't do much good to take it out of the air (!)

Pascual, it is very annoying to be at net and hardly get a chance to volley while the people at the baseline are moonballing away. Trust me.

If the moonballs are virtually always within a foot of the baseline, you're playing out of your league. Give Ms. Austin my regards.

[kevhen]

If moonballs annoy you then back up to the service court line and make them beat you with passing shots and work on your low volleys. I would get bored and impatient too and would probably retreat to the baseline if my partner and the opponent were only throwing up moonballs so that I don't become a target if my partner hits one a little too short. I would charge back in if I saw he was hitting a deep one though but would be ready for the reverse moonball coming back and would be positioned near the center of the court close to the T to hit the overhead. This is good practice for your overhead too. You should always be active in doubles and not falling asleep watching the moonballers. Change what you are doing if you partner is losing the moonball rallies.

[Ryoma]

How about increasing the pace and spin of the groundies. Just make it impossible to moonball. If the first deep ball isn't strong enough, the opponent may moonball back. But I can't imagine how your opponent can moonball with style if you give them enough pressure of the groundies. Or you can try hitting groundstroke at their legs, backhand side or the back foot. If you opponent can moonball back with his backhand off his back foot, you definitely need to work on the pace/spin/angle of your groundies.

[papa]

Yeah, get your netman to back up to around the service line and at the same time move in yourself to a similiar position - its tough to "moonball" a team when they are positioned near the service line.

[Camilio Pascual]

The problem of backing off from the net is that the net defense is weakened and the opponent will try to blast a groundstroke winner (that's what I would do anyway).
And if the moonballs are virtually within one foot of the baseline, it's doesn't do much good to take it out of the air (!)

I agree with the others, you are making a defender's choice that encourages the moonballing instead of the passing shots. Evidently, you fear the passing shots more than the moonballs. I suspect you are right with (n)either choice if you have one particular foe in mind, you have mentioned moonball shots landing within a foot of the baseline and the foe being able to blast passing shots. This player, if you have one particular in mind, is just too good. There might be nothing you can do. Good luck.

[ma2t]

You might try hitting the moonball back low and short to encourage your opponent to come to the net. Then lob.

[ferrari_827]

At the baseline, I rarely moonball, it's the other people (!) Off a moonball, I drive it down flat, get a very good angle, slice it, or something that makes it difficult to moonball the return.

[Jack Romeo]

At the baseline, I rarely moonball, it's the other people (!) Off a moonball, I drive it down flat, get a very good angle, slice it, or something that makes it difficult to moonball the return.

i agree with slicing it. if you have a real good slice, it is very difficult to hit an effective moonball off a very low skidding slice. problem is, it is also very difficult to slice effectively off a very good moonball. maybe you just have to be willing to take the risk, concentrate on the ball, keep your feet moving and hit it on the rise.

[proxemo666]

All you have to do is just have the net man back up and just smash it a couple of times towards the opponents net guy. It doesnt matter if it goes in or not. That will scare him and he might talk to his partner about not doing that.

If your opponent is lobbing during your poach, that means that your giving away your poach too soon.

If it is their strategy to just lob whenever someone is at the net, you and your partner should just stand on the baseline and hit ground strokes all day. I know I would rather hit ground strokes than serve in volley and then run back to the baseline to chase the lob. Less work for me. Chances are if they like lobbing, they are uncomfortable at the net. Just hit "crappy drop shots" or short balls to bring them at the net and implement the same strategy at them or just hit it at them.

[Fatmike]

I often use the moonball when playing in double, especially when playing older players that are good at hitting the ball but can't run a lot.... I use a high topspin ball over the netman and the guy in th back don't have time to run and hit the ball....

[jkhtennis]

I don't like those moonballs either. I have a tendency to take all of them in the air and smash them away, but I do make a lot of errors especially when those moonballs are deep. Fortunately not many people I play with can hit those moonballs consistently against fast paced balls. That's actually something I desperately want to improve when playing doubles. If you are on the run and in defensive mode, you can hit those slice lobs high, deep and consistently, I will just have to applause for you coz I can't do that. If your opponents' serve or return or groundies are not so fast, you can occasionally hit lobs to surprise them, but most of the times I would attack and follow up to the net.
IMO defensive lob on the run is not a high percentage shot, at least not for me (I am a strong 4.0 player). It is a one segement shot because you cannot get your hip and shoulder rotation into the ball and you have to hit the shot using your arm. It is difficult to get it consistently high and deep. If you hit it short, the netman can put it away easily; if you try to get it deep on the run, it can go long easily. If you know any tips to practise those moonballs, I would appreciate it.