Maybe Mixed Isn't So Bad . . .

[Cindysphinx]

I think maybe I am finally getting the hang of playing 8.0 mixed.

A few years ago, I almost ditched 8.0 mixed completely. I couldn't return serve. Male returners fired my serve back at me so I could never hold. My attempts to do anything at net were quickly foiled, and coming to the net against the guy was a non-started. The guys sliced me to bits. Lobbing for two hours wasn't going to cut it.

Well . . . Things are looking up. I've played some social mixed lately, which has helped me get used to the pace and build some confidence. I have a new 4.0 partner who is supportive and a good net player. My groundstrokes are better so I don't get blasted off the court. If I force a defensive reply with my serve or get a couple of quality balls deep crosscourt, my partner will take advantage. I can slice a little my own self, which definitely helps.

My net play is still pretty poor, but it seems I have a lot of company there in the 4.0 female mixed sisterhood. Gotta keep working on that bit.

Mixed. Maybe someday I will actually prefer it?

[LeeD]

Mixed can be fun, if the level of the players are somewhat similar.
Nobody needs to blast the ball, but they do need to hit low, up the middle, and dipping shots.
Returns of big serves can be lobs DTL, or short volley angles.
Serves only need to get to the stronger player's weaker side, whether weak in consistency or weak in pure power.
I play some version of mixed at least 1 out of 3 days. Usually in some version of 3.8-4.2 tennis levels, if such a thing exists.

[r2473]

Maybe Mixed Isn't So Bad . . .

No, it sucks.......

[r2473]

There is only one thing that men and women CAN do well together.














(And that is dancing)

[LeeD]

Doesn't HAVE to suck.
When I was a rising 3.5-4.5, I played some mixed with my normal partner (No2 for CityCollege of SanFrancisco, and one 7.0 woman and her sister, a 5.5.
Matches were really fun, new problems to be solved, and egos to be manipulated. I did the worse, of course. And no clear cut winner with the teams rotated every set.
More lately, our 4.0 men's twosome can rotate thru with a former No1 NorCal 5.5 woman, and another female, a former No.4 UCBerk woman's varsity player. The sets are fun, ego's crushed, and lots of problem solving. Once again, I come out on the bottom. But it's still fun.
Certainly better than rotating IN, two other 3.5 level guys.

[LeeD]

Yes, live a happy life together.

[goober]

Social mix is fun and I play it all the time. Competitive mix is another bird which I prefer not to visit any time soon again.

[LeeD]

I'll tend to agree there....

[bobbything]

I played 9.0 mixed for the better part of the last 5 years. I never really liked it at all. It really is a different brand of tennis.

That said, I got roped into playing 8.0 next summer. I'm immediately regretting the decision. I have to play with a 3.5 woman and I'm told that it's not much fun.

[LeeD]

Mixed, or any doubles, works better when all the players can defend as well as attack, even if the actual level is not the same.
Playing doubles with 3 4.5's and one 3.5 doesn't work well. Or, in my case, 3 4.0's and one 3.0.
And I've been awestruck being the only 4.0 in doubles with 3 5.0's. That was tough to get through.

[atatu]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Doesn't HAVE to suck.
When I was a rising 3.5-4.5, I played some mixed with my normal partner (No2 for CityCollege of SanFrancisco, and one 7.0 woman and her sister, a 5.5.
Matches were really fun, new problems to be solved, and egos to be manipulated. I did the worse, of course. And no clear cut winner with the teams rotated every set.
More lately, our 4.0 men's twosome can rotate thru with a former No1 NorCal 5.5 woman, and another female, a former No.4 UCBerk woman's varsity player. The sets are fun, ego's crushed, and lots of problem solving. Once again, I come out on the bottom. But it's still fun.
Certainly better than rotating IN, two other 3.5 level guys.

let me guess, you used to hang with Peanut Louie and her sister in between sessions of surfing with Russ Francis ? Love you Lee ! I'm for sure going to look you up when I'm in SF so I can hear more stories from back in the day !

[LeeD]

Watched Russ go surfing at Kelly's with RayWershing. Russ cannot surf, but can wallow in typical Florida surf. Ray was pretty good, a good SoCal surfer. Neither came close to handling Kelly's or anything at OceanBeach. I'm one of the crew from the late '60s thru the early '80's, one of the big wave riders.
Good guess. I went to dinner with Pea at least 4 semi dates, Marissa was the hardhitting 5.5, DexterLee of CCSF the other guy.
Marcie didn't date. Marna was kinda mixed up. Mareen was cool, and Mom made me promise to act a gentleman. Dad was a martia arts instructor, at the very end of his career. Marissa was the most messed up person I ever met.
Ronnie was the coolest, but almost gay cool. He was a solid low level A player, though rankings have him at higher level B's.
I actually hit for close to half an hour with CeciMartinez. She lived at 32nd and Clement/California, right next to Dupont courts. We have hit a few times since.
If you're an old timer, check this... I taught Jeff and Jerry Jue to swim at BerkeleyHigh in 1964.

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

My net play is still pretty poor, but it seems I have a lot of company there in the 4.0 female mixed sisterhood. Gotta keep working on that bit.

Mixed. Maybe someday I will actually prefer it?

I absolutely love playing mixed ... all levels. My only pet peeve is when I hit a good serve that elicits a weak return and instead of putting away the ball my partner taps the ball back to the guy at the baseline.

If you are playing mixed with me ... I dont care if you make an error 3 out of 10 put away volleys ... the other 7 better put them on the defensive.

[LeeD]

Oh, MattWarshaw wrote and helped produce a book called "Mavericks" with a blue cover. It was printed around '85 or so. It recounts a story of the biggest day ever at OceanBeach, one with LarryMcGraw photo'd (4x6") with at least 6 times over his head, the height of the wave he almost made to the bottom. I was mentioned by name as one of two guys who should have been out that day (Dec 1980). I'm not BS'in about anything here.

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by dizzlmcwizzl

I absolutely love playing mixed ... all levels. My only pet peeve is when I hit a good serve that elicits a weak return and instead of putting away the ball my partner taps the ball back to the guy at the baseline.

If you are playing mixed with me ... I dont care if you make an error 3 out of 10 put away volleys ... the other 7 better put them on the defensive.

Please, take pity on me, kind sir.

I'm *trying* to put that volley away. But the opposing guy is really fast so he gets to my shot that would have been a winner in ladies play.

Besides . . . besides . . . you guys don't make it easy on us damsels. Half the time you are unhappy that we didn't put a ball away, and the other half of the time you are telling us to lay off balls because you're there. It makes a damsel hesitate and freeze and second-guess herself.

And tap the sitter back to the other guy at the baseline.

[LeeD]

Gender doesn't matter, as many weak player's are also men.
All the stronger player asks for is....hit the shots you normally can handle, don't go for anything you've never done, and don't poach on low or high backhands, if you can't at least hit it low up the middle.
Overheads, just hit it moderate deep and low up the middle.
Volleys, try to hit to the opponent's feet, between them.
Nobody is asking the weaker player to serve like Milos, volley like Edberg, and crush overheads like Sampras.
Just play your NORMAL game, stay within yourself.
That's what everyone is asking of me, and I don't bother to listen..

[Mike Y]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Please, take pity on me, kind sir.

I'm *trying* to put that volley away. But the opposing guy is really fast so he gets to my shot that would have been a winner in ladies play.

Besides . . . besides . . . you guys don't make it easy on us damsels. Half the time you are unhappy that we didn't put a ball away, and the other half of the time you are telling us to lay off balls because you're there. It makes a damsel hesitate and freeze and second-guess herself.

And tap the sitter back to the other guy at the baseline.

The best advice I can give you on that is to hit your winner toward the other lady, never toward the other guy. Even if the court is open on the guy's side. Also, it helps if you keep the ball low. No floaty stuff.

[LeeD]

If a 4.0 woman hits her normal deep volley at the feet of a 4.0 man, she will win that exchange more often than not.
Only when she pops it up, trying to hit too hard, does the man get the advantage.
A solid shot to the feet of the opponent just sets you up for the putaway. It is NOT the putaway.

[NTRPolice]

Mixed for me is probably the hardest of all to play competitively. It's really fun to play mixed socially, especially if your team is mixed and the other team isnt, haha.

As a 4.0 woman playing 7.0 you will have to be really strong at net and you will probably not be allowed to many (if at all) errors. The dynamics here are so great since the ability range of a 3.0 is much wider than a 4.0.

As a 4.0 woman playing 8.0 you will have to be able to keep the ball low at all times on volley exchanges, put away balls close to the net with overheads, or at least push/cut the ball deep or at angles that will close the point at least half the time.

As a 4.0 woman playing 9.0 you're probably not a 4.0 and you probably know what you're doing.



As the woman they will probably pick on you, but I think you like that. I can actually see you doing better in time at mixed (with a good partner) than in womens.

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by NTRPolice

As the woman they will probably pick on you, but I think you like that. I can actually see you doing better in time at mixed (with a good partner) than in womens.

Nope, exactly the opposite.

My strength in ladies play is spin, as most 3.5/4.0 women hit flat and are not used to dealing with spin. I hit slice and topspin serves, only. I hit topspin moonballs. I stand in close for weak serves, hit sharp topspin angles, and hit the approach volley in the gap.

None of this -- not one bit of it -- works in mixed 8.0. Guys are quite used to spin and they have overheads.

It ain't pretty, my friend.