Best doubles tactics for 1 match!

[blip]

Ok TT Gurus, need some doubles pointers. Playing a team we've played before and we have split the series.

We play pretty much singles style with us trying to get to the net. Our volleys are pretty good but we get stuck with 1U1B too much.

If it's pretty even, so what do yall do to turn it to your favor? We don't want to mess up anything either but perhaps add a few things we can use to gain an advantage.

:twisted::twisted::twisted

 

[merlebo02]

I agree that doubles is won at the net but you can't charge the net just to be at the net… You must make a good approach shot before coming in, if not you will get passed, lobbed or a difficult ball to volley.. Its also important to keep moving forward to gain the angles when at the net.. don't camp out just in front of the service line and take volley after volley at your feet, keep moving forward!!

Also as the net man be very active at that net after your partner hits return of serves, this is a great opportunity for you to cut balls off and allow your partner to move in to the net..

 

[Captain Ron]

If you can't follow your normal cross court shot in, there are a couple other approaches to try:
1 short cross court slice and follow in. You need to force them to come forward and hit the ball up to get it over the net. Then you are there to volley down.
2 lob the net man and come in, only if they don't have good lobs/overheads.
3 low net clearance slice and come in. Try to create confusion and make the opponents decide who is going to play the ball by hitting to the edge of the net man's range down the middle. You are trying to get one or both of them out of position for your reply.
All of these have risks and will work better and worse against different opponents and depending on your team's strengths.
For me I have great volleys, anticipation and range at net. When I have a mobile partner I can be very aggressive at net and come in behind low slices. If my partner doesn't cover the court well, I have to play topspin deep balls and force a week reply before coming in. Hope this gives you some ideas for your game

 

[blip]

Thanks guys. We don't want to change much just enough to get us the W.

I think last time we got less aggressive and made it too easy on them.

Gonna throw in some 'I' formation to keep them thinking.

Appreciate it guys! Keep it coming!

 

[blip]

Barely pulled it off in a tie break.

We found the right mix of aggression, shot selection, placement and luck.

Learned a lot with these guys. Bash when possible but placement is key.

 

[AtomicForehand]

If you can't follow your normal cross court shot in, there are a couple other approaches to try:
1 short cross court slice and follow in. You need to force them to come forward and hit the ball up to get it over the net. Then you are there to volley down.
2 lob the net man and come in, only if they don't have good lobs/overheads.
3 low net clearance slice and come in. Try to create confusion and make the opponents decide who is going to play the ball by hitting to the edge of the net man's range down the middle. You are trying to get one or both of them out of position for your reply.
All of these have risks and will work better and worse against different opponents and depending on your team's strengths.
For me I have great volleys, anticipation and range at net. When I have a mobile partner I can be very aggressive at net and come in behind low slices. If my partner doesn't cover the court well, I have to play topspin deep balls and force a week reply before coming in. Hope this gives you some ideas for your game

I do all three of these suggestions as forcing plays. There is nothing so frustrating as executing them well and having a partner who fails to recognize that we now have the upper hand as a result and to act accordingly.

 

[LuckyR]

Barely pulled it off in a tie break.

We found the right mix of aggression, shot selection, placement and luck.

Learned a lot with these guys. Bash when possible but placement is key.

Glad you got the W but the OP didn't have enough info in it to advise you intelligently. Namely, how most points end: your error, their poaching winner, what?

 

[mightyrick]

Ok TT Gurus, need some doubles pointers. Playing a team we've played before and we have split the series.

We play pretty much singles style with us trying to get to the net. Our volleys are pretty good but we get stuck with 1U1B too much.

If it's pretty even, so what do yall do to turn it to your favor? We don't want to mess up anything either but perhaps add a few things we can use to gain an advantage.

This is actually a really good question. Not nearly enough doubles questions get asked around here. I play a lot of doubles (as well as singles) and I have ways I approach trying to "get the upper hand". Of course, I'm no expert... so this is only opinion. But it is how I approach both new and old opponents.

I treat it a little like business. The first thing you and your partner must do is take care of your bread and butter -- holding serve. Each of you needs to take inventory of exactly what each of your service game strengths are and consciously execute those strengths. Be conservative and do not go for too much -- ever. If you are at net, do not poach your partner's shot if they have a stronger shot. Make your opponent try to over-reach, over-hit, and over-execute. If you cannot hold serve, you lose. That is how doubles works.

Now, when me and my partner are receiving serve, we mix it up a lot. On two consecutive points, we may play 1U1B... and the receiver will come to net right after serve. Highly aggressive. But on the next point... we might play 2B... play total defense... and force our opponents to come up with a totally different shot to win the point. You cannot allow your opponents to get a rhythm on you. On your opponent's serve is when you can experiment. As long as you hold your own serve, you can afford to do a little bit of gambling to see what seems to be working.

Good luck in your next match!

 

[blip]

Glad you got the W but the OP didn't have enough info in it to advise you intelligently. Namely, how most points end: your error, their poaching winner, what?

Generally, our points end on our offense (win or lose), be it volley or baseline. We hit pretty decent returns from the baseline so it's usually harder for them to get to the net. We don't get poached that much but obviously a good poach wins.

Like the saying goes, if they are at the net and we aren't, we lose more.

We concentrated more on placement rather than power and aggression and that helped this match for sure.

mightyrick, our serves are usually ok. Not the best, esp mine, but I can move it around enough to get the net man free shots. I agree, if you can hold serve easy it puts tons of pressure on the opponents. I always think of Isner...

I'd say we are middle of the road 4.0 doubles BTW.