When Your Male Partner Goes A'Huntin'

[pc1]

Originally Posted by NadalDramaQueen

Just ban mixed doubles from recreational leagues and save everyone the headache.

Hey I used to played mixed doubles with my wife and she complained to me that a doubles partner of mine (female also) was targeting her face at the net when my friend played on the other side. To this day my wife can't stand it when I call her up for doubles. Fact is that she wasn't targeting my wife's face but just aiming at the weaker player.

On the other side my friend used to be a top women's double's player on the college level so we never hit at her when she was at the net. She's deadly with the volley.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by pc1

Hey I used to played mixed doubles with my wife and she complained to me that a doubles partner of mine (female also) was targeting her face at the net when my friend played on the other side. To this day my wife can't stand it when I call her up for doubles. Fact is that she wasn't targeting my wife's face but just aiming at the weaker player.

On the other side my friend used to be a top women's double's player on the college level so we never hit at her when she was at the net. She's deadly with the volley.

Uh, playing mixed doubles with a spouse/significant other isn't a great idea..

[NadalDramaQueen]

Originally Posted by pc1

Hey I used to played mixed doubles with my wife and she complained to me that a doubles partner of mine (female also) was targeting her face at the net when my friend played on the other side. To this day my wife can't stand it when I call her up for doubles. Fact is that she wasn't targeting my wife's face but just aiming at the weaker player.

On the other side my friend used to be a top women's double's player on the college level so we never hit at her when she was at the net. She's deadly with the volley.

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Uh, playing mixed doubles with a spouse/significant other isn't a great idea..

I dislike playing mixed doubles with my wife, but I would never tell her that.

Fortunately, our levels are too different to compete in leagues, so the issue doesn't really come up. Some casual mixed every now and then isn't too bad.

I really have much more fun either playing singles or regular doubles, and I don't see why anyone would willingly step down to the mixed league.

[tennis tom]

Speaking from a female perspective, competitive doubles is all about hitting at the ladies. If you can't stand the heat--stay in the kitchen.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by NadalDramaQueen

I dislike playing mixed doubles with my wife, but I would never tell her that.

Fortunately, our levels are too different to compete in leagues, so the issue doesn't really come up. Some casual mixed every now and then isn't too bad.

I really have much more fun either playing singles or regular doubles, and I don't see why anyone would willingly step down to the mixed league.

I couldn't agree more. The difference in mobility between me and my wife is huge. So in the match I was writing about my wife was serving to my friend who was the top college player and she was hitting sharp angled crosscourt returns that my wife couldn't reach but I knew I could reach. So I decided to move over and I hit a half volley down the line winner. My wife scolded me that it was her shot to hit. She was upset. So I figured it's better to lose the battle and win the war. Incidentally we lost.

There was another time we were playing doubles in which we were the far superior team. I decided to fool around a bit with some angled volleys that I missed. She didn't like that I did that and told me in very certain terms. I had to really concentrate in a match that I thought I could enjoy. We won every set at love.

My wife isn't a bad player but I don't play doubles with her anymore. I don't mind losing but there are inherent problems with playing with your spouse.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by tennis tom

Speaking from a female perspective, competitive doubles is all about hitting at the ladies. If you can't stand the heat--stay in the kitchen.

Speaking from a guy standpoint competitive doubles is hitting at the weaker player. Like I wrote I used to play doubles regularly with an excellent former collegiate woman player and she was better than just about all of us. You tried to avoid her at the net. She rarely missed a volley and her volleys were very strong. I used to joke that when I played with her my job was avoid errors and let her put everything away. She used to have this little grin just before she put a shot away. Used to annoy some of the guys.

[blakesq]

Your friend is right. When one plays tennis, you are supposed to hit the ball where your OPPONENTS want the ball hit!

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I was talking with a 4.0 female friend who plays 8.0 USTA mixed. She was saying she was deeply unhappy with her 4.0 male partner in a recent match because he kept trying to hit through the opposing lady at the net with his groundstrokes.

My friend was feeling like her partner's targeting of the opposing female meant it would be open season on her and the opposing male would feel free to retaliate and hit at here. My friend also said it was rude and unsporting for her partner to do what he did.

Now, I know we have had many threads here where many guys say they would never hit at the woman. I am asking about the female perspective: Do you actively discourage your male partner in league mixed from targeting the opposing female with volleys/groundstrokes? If he started doing this, would you tell him to stop?

[TennisCJC]

I play lots of mixed in the winter and summer seasons. It is ALTA but it is equivalent of 4.0 to 4.5 USTA. I have no problem hitting at the female partner. I don't hit at her with the intent of hitting her as I will try to direct volleys to her feet or slight to her side. From the baseline, I will hit a hard topspin shot at her and from this distance, it could hit her if she is not quick enough to volley it. My female partners generally like me to play the women.

As long as you are not head hunting - intentionally trying to hit the female, I think it is fair play in competitive matches.

[Cindysphinx]

Do you think I should come right out and tell my friend to reconsider her position?

See, she plays a lot of contract time and club tennis, so of course it is more genteel.

I now know that the guy's goal was to hit more up the middle near the woman, not to send her home on a stretcher.

[Cindysphinx]

Never mind. We talked about something else, so I brought it up.

I decided to make the point with a story. I started off saying her partner probably figured that doubles is won by targeting the weaker player. I said a lot of guys are very reluctant to win points off the woman, though.

I remembered a match I had in which my male partner in the deuce court was getting crushed by the opposing guy. My guy was just not strong enough in the rallies, and we were getting destroyed. I had observed during warmup that the opposing woman had zero BH volley.

I told my guy to take a ball up the line into the alley she was hugging so desperately. He said he was worried he would hit her. I said, "Don't worry about hitting her. Don't hit it hard. Don't even look at her. Just guide it down her alley so that you 100% make the shot. If she hits a winner, she hits a winner."

He did it, she botched the volley. He did it twice more, and she botched each volley.

Her partner then pulled her back to the baseline. This allowed us to send every ball to her and win the match.

The best part about that story is that it is 100% true.

[blakesq]

what did your friend say?

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Never mind. We talked about something else, so I brought it up.

I decided to make the point with a story. I started off saying her partner probably figured that doubles is won by targeting the weaker player. I said a lot of guys are very reluctant to win points off the woman, though.

I remembered a match I had in which my male partner in the deuce court was getting crushed by the opposing guy. My guy was just not strong enough in the rallies, and we were getting destroyed. I had observed during warmup that the opposing woman had zero BH volley.

I told my guy to take a ball up the line into the alley she was hugging so desperately. He said he was worried he would hit her. I said, "Don't worry about hitting her. Don't hit it hard. Don't even look at her. Just guide it down her alley so that you 100% make the shot. If she hits a winner, she hits a winner."

He did it, she botched the volley. He did it twice more, and she botched each volley.

Her partner then pulled her back to the baseline. This allowed us to send every ball to her and win the match.

The best part about that story is that it is 100% true.

[Cindysphinx]

She did not say much. I think she took it on board.

We are going to do a practice match, and her partner can do all the headhunting against me that he wants. I could use the practice!

[Alchemy-Z]

I'm married to my mixed doubles partner and we play for fun and that's the most important part.
No match is worth looking like a tool to win in mixed doubles.

[dunlop_fort_knox]

this sounds like a very fun tennis swinger's party. film at 11.

[jswinf]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

She did not say much. I think she took it on board.

We are going to do a practice match, and her partner can do all the headhunting against me that he wants. I could use the practice!

But your title says he's into "A" hunting...

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by NadalDramaQueen

I dislike playing mixed doubles with my wife, but I would never tell her that.

Fortunately, our levels are too different to compete in leagues, so the issue doesn't really come up. Some casual mixed every now and then isn't too bad.

I really have much more fun either playing singles or regular doubles, and I don't see why anyone would willingly step down to the mixed league.

Yeah, I wouldn't tell her that unless you want to sleep on the couch in your living room...

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by tennis tom

Speaking from a female perspective, competitive doubles is all about hitting at the ladies. If you can't stand the heat--stay in the kitchen.

Ummmm.................. that's an odd statement coming from a female...

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by pc1

I couldn't agree more. The difference in mobility between me and my wife is huge. So in the match I was writing about my wife was serving to my friend who was the top college player and she was hitting sharp angled crosscourt returns that my wife couldn't reach but I knew I could reach. So I decided to move over and I hit a half volley down the line winner. My wife scolded me that it was her shot to hit. She was upset. So I figured it's better to lose the battle and win the war. Incidentally we lost.

There was another time we were playing doubles in which we were the far superior team. I decided to fool around a bit with some angled volleys that I missed. She didn't like that I did that and told me in very certain terms. I had to really concentrate in a match that I thought I could enjoy. We won every set at love.

My wife isn't a bad player but I don't play doubles with her anymore. I don't mind losing but there are inherent problems with playing with your spouse.

Yes, that's absolutely true. I personally don't like playing mixed with anyone because I feel that I'm a stronger player in singles. Sure, you can pick up ladies from playing and winning matches, but you know.. there can be issues at that..

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by Alchemy-Z

I'm married to my mixed doubles partner and we play for fun and that's the most important part.
No match is worth looking like a tool to win in mixed doubles.

You don't have to be a tool to win in mixed doubles...

Playing for fun? Sounds like a meager motivation.

[Larrysümmers]

cant take the heat? stay out of the 8.0mixed doubs kitchen. thats my motto.