Faced The I Formation Today

[Austinthecity]

I saw I-formation being used a lot at the NCAA tourney as well.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I played doubles today. I personally got off to something of a slow start -- wasn't doing much damage on the return, my returns were somewhat cautious, and I missed more than I wanted. Still, my partner and I were winning.

After that, they did not line up I formation for the remainder of the match.

That got me to wondering. Is the I formation of any use at all in league doubles? I never see it in mixed or ladies 3.5/4.0. What did these ladies do wrong that caused it to be so ineffective?

Originally Posted by larry10s

i formation is great if the team knows how to play it

Bingo!

Originally Posted by Ripper014

This is how I line up when I used the formation... and yes it does work well but you need to deliver a serve that is more effective than a puff ball in the middle of the service box. Also a lob deep into the back of the court over the on rushing server is effective in any formation.

Exactly... have to have a decent serve for any of the special double formations to be effective. Otherwise, returner can blast the ball to any location on the court... not to mention simply put up a nice, stress-free lob (as you did).

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I don't know why they decided to use the I formation on me. My partner has a much better return. Maybe they figured that my returns were already shaky so this would make me fall completely apart?

The opposing team felt overwhelmed (i.e. losing) and were simply trying something different to probe the waters. They identified the weakest returner on your team and decided to give it a shot. They should have tried it more than once, however... as their one-time failure sends a strong message to their opponents.

[chatt_town]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I played doubles today. I personally got off to something of a slow start -- wasn't doing much damage on the return, my returns were somewhat cautious, and I missed more than I wanted. Still, my partner and I were winning.

Imagine my surprise when my opponents suddenly lined up in I formation to serve to me in the first set. Not Australian, an actual I formation. So I had one lady with a very weak serve at the baseline, and her partner crouched down low at the net straddling the center line. I'm receiving in the ad court.

Now, I've read about the I formation in "Art of Doubles," so my brain started firing to remember what it had said. Oh, yeah. Take a step back so you can process which way the net player is going. Consider blasting your return right up the middle, which is the one place you know neither of them will be.

The net player made a signal, which her partner acknowledged. First serve was up the middle, but out. Second serve was in the middle of the box and slow. As it bounced, I saw the net player move over to the traditional net position in front of me. I also saw the server running toward me. I lobbed the net player and wandered into the net myself, while the server tried to apply the brakes and run down the lob. Point for us.

After that, they did not line up I formation for the remainder of the match.

That got me to wondering. Is the I formation of any use at all in league doubles? I never see it in mixed or ladies 3.5/4.0. What did these ladies do wrong that caused it to be so ineffective?

I personally think it's relatively useless especially if your serve is average on it's best day. Those moves are made for two people with kick@$$ serves and the ball should mostly be served down the middle. I've never understood why people try to play I or Austrailian with second serves falling a foot over the net. I'll never forget my wife wanted to do this on this guy that was teeing off on forehands on her serve. I didn't want to because the guy was in such a rythm and the serves were so short that all he was going to do(which is what I would do) is attack the net person. So we split sets and as we are walking out for break one of my teamates came up with the same wonderful suggestion. So that really got my wife up and going again after I'd convinced her we didn't need to do it. so we go back out and on her first serve to him he hits me in the chest and the ball I swear bounces off my chest and out of the court and had to be retrieved 3 courts down. I've never figured out why anyone would teach people to play this way with a lolly pop serve. People can pick and choose where to go with a bull***** serve. I always watch the server because they have to move first to get into position and I just go the way the server runs most of the time. It's much easier to catch them running than to hit to a spot where a person is already standing....or lob over the backhand of the net person, but my favorite is to go right back at the net person until they show me they can volley what I'm bringing just like that guy did me. Now for the record on the very next point his partner leaves up a lolly pop return and I hit and overhead and drill him right in the shoulder. I think as hard as I hit it he still got the best of that exchange. It did show me though that as long as you don't take one in the jewels or the face you'll be okay because I never hurt from it.

[Cindysphinx]

^I think playing I formation with a poor serve isn't all that wise.

The Australian, however, is very useful even with a weak serve. The reason is that many returners have grooved their crosscourt return but are less confident going down the line. So you can try Aussie on these returners without taking much risk, while forcing them to take more risk (unfamiliar return, changing direction of the ball, over higher part of net, court geometry).

[rosenstar]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I played doubles today. I personally got off to something of a slow start -- wasn't doing much damage on the return, my returns were somewhat cautious, and I missed more than I wanted. Still, my partner and I were winning.

Imagine my surprise when my opponents suddenly lined up in I formation to serve to me in the first set. Not Australian, an actual I formation. So I had one lady with a very weak serve at the baseline, and her partner crouched down low at the net straddling the center line. I'm receiving in the ad court.

Now, I've read about the I formation in "Art of Doubles," so my brain started firing to remember what it had said. Oh, yeah. Take a step back so you can process which way the net player is going. Consider blasting your return right up the middle, which is the one place you know neither of them will be.

The net player made a signal, which her partner acknowledged. First serve was up the middle, but out. Second serve was in the middle of the box and slow. As it bounced, I saw the net player move over to the traditional net position in front of me. I also saw the server running toward me. I lobbed the net player and wandered into the net myself, while the server tried to apply the brakes and run down the lob. Point for us.

After that, they did not line up I formation for the remainder of the match.

That got me to wondering. Is the I formation of any use at all in league doubles? I never see it in mixed or ladies 3.5/4.0. What did these ladies do wrong that caused it to be so ineffective?

The I formation is HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE unless the server has a huge serve, or the returner is a mental wreck. If the serve isn't big, the returner will (or at least should) rip the return right at the net player. If the net player has to move to the left or to the right, ripping the ball down the middle leaves the net player with no where to go.

Another way to beat the I formation is to play two back. Doing this takes the net player's target away, and essentially removes him from the point (barring a weak return). It's very hard to put away a ball when there's two players on the baseline. This often cause frustration for the net player and forces him to attempt to hit a low percentage show in an effort to end the point.

Anyways, no, you rarely see the I formation in advanced tennis. The only teams that do this are teams with a great server and a great net player. Without that combination, it is quite challenging to correctly execute.

[SlapShot]

I saw this yesterday in mixed. I don't usually face the I, due to the fact that I play on the ad side 90% of the time and have a strong up-the-line FH. Yesterday, however, I was playing duece side and was really finding my return game.

The problem, as people have mentioned, was that the male server had a strong but VERY erratic first serve and a less-than-effective second serve, so I just shifted my target up the middle. I was trying to freeze the net person as much as possible, and it seemed to work.

[WBF]

The I-formation can be effective in various situations. Poor tennis - not shifting directions to get a lob when approaching, or not running back for a lob - speaks nothing of the I-formation.

In general, it will be helpful with a quick, talented net player. A 'huge serve' is absolutely not necessary - perhaps a serve that is not easily attackable. An opponent without a good return would make it even better.

[rosenstar]

Originally Posted by WBF

The I-formation can be effective in various situations. Poor tennis - not shifting directions to get a lob when approaching, or not running back for a lob - speaks nothing of the I-formation.

In general, it will be helpful with a quick, talented net player. A 'huge serve' is absolutely not necessary - perhaps a serve that is not easily attackable. An opponent without a good return would make it even better.

If the serve is the least bit attackable, the I-formation fails. If the opponent doesn't have a good return, there is really no need for the I-formation The worst the serve is, the better the net player must be. There's a reason this formation is almost never used in professional/college tennis. Aussie formation is much more effective, and much more common at higher levels.