Ad player vs Duce player

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by floridatennisdude

Hmmm, I do everything except choke up an inch. What's the theory on that? Gain a little control in exchange for a loss of reach?

Reduces the effective swingweight and allows you to swing a bit faster, often with a bit more power. Give it a try.

[Mongolmike]

Originally Posted by TonyB

However, since we're basically talking about doubles here, try this as a hint: Wait for the service return holding your BH grip, choked up slightly (maybe 1 inch), with your body rotated slightly towards the backhand side as if you are expecting a backhand return. If the ball comes to your FH, you have to change grips, but that's the price you pay for anticipating the BH return.

If you're not waiting for the BH return, you're really at a disadvantage, especially if you have a one-hander. Give it a try.

Sorry to butt in, but that sounds like good, practical advice. My one hand BH return is decent, but any advantage is good advice. Thanks.

[floridatennisdude]

Originally Posted by TonyB

Reduces the effective swingweight and allows you to swing a bit faster, often with a bit more power. Give it a try.

Nice, ill give it a whirl.

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Mongolmike

Sorry to butt in, but that sounds like good, practical advice. My one hand BH return is decent, but any advantage is good advice. Thanks.

Yeah, unfortunately I had to figure it out for myself. I realized that it was tougher to find the proper BH grip on such short notice during the return, but it was easier to find the proper FH grip, so I just started waiting with a full BH grip all the time. My returns dramatically improved. But now, I tend to try to "pick" my opponents serve a bit more, so sometimes I wait with a FH grip. If the ball comes to my BH, then I generally decide to slice it back, as it's easier for me to find a continental grip on my BH in a pinch. Besides, as a deuce-court player, sometimes I slice a lob down the line for a return in doubles, which puts pressure on a right-handed server, as he has to backpedal into the corner of the ad side to retrieve the lob. So it actually works out in my favor most of the time.

Anyway, it's helpful to be prepared with a BH grip before actually receiving the serve to save time on the grip change, especially if you're a one-hander. It helps to anticipate the BH return. Expect it. You'll be much better off.

[Vcore89]

Anticipating with a Rgoer-like BH grip doesn't need a change of grip to a forehand grip if one executes a Roddick-kind-of ''biceps curl'' forehand.

[floridatennisdude]

Originally Posted by TonyB

Reduces the effective swingweight and allows you to swing a bit faster, often with a bit more power. Give it a try.

Finally ran up against an opponent this morning with a big enough 1st serve to try this. Felt like I could time it better, but a little tricky to generate pace and drive the ball. I think I can work with it though and figure it out. Thanks!

[chatt_town]

I agree with the coach that won the arguement. This is why. I was a 3.5 and was playing a 4.5 doubles tourney with a guy in fla. I was just learning how to hit through my backhand. So me and the guy(who was clearly the stronger player) agreed that I would return better from the ad side(cross court) with my backhand as opposed to trying to hit it inside out from the deuce court. The thing is this though. I also knew how to be smart returning from the ad side. So that helped us and we won the tourney. Guys tried to serve to my backhand but you couldn't tell I was a 3.5 the way I returned that day. They both had pretty good serves but if it kicked up too high...I just lobbed it back into play giving us a chance. So the other girl may not be as strong of a player all around but the bottom line is this. As long as you are getting points on your side(deuce) then they can still never win the game. If she can't return well....then she should be on the deuce side, but if you are both 4.5 then I would think she can't be garbage. So i don't know that it really matters at that level which side you all play. I would play to the strength of the return and not persay the strength of the player. I'm clearly a stronger player than my wife but she plays the ad side a lot because she can get on top of the kick serves with her two hander as opposed to me with a one hand backhand. When we play teams where the guy's serve is no threat then I play the ad side. So I think it can vary from match to match depending on who you play.

Originally Posted by tnnisfan

Our two pros were "arguing" this morning. I thought I would bring it to the board and find out your thoughts/experiences...
Here is the situation. We are a 4.5 ladies club team. Our pros are setting up this year's doubles combination. They were "stuck" on what to do with me and my new partner. One pro said I should be on the Ad side as they think I am the overall stronger player and solid at the net. The other pro said I should be on the Duce because I have a stronger forehand than backhand and my partner is more consistent in her returns even though she doesnt hit hard. This pro feels its more important to get the point started, but the other pro is worried my partner's softer returns will be punished and thinks its better to lose points from the Ad side than Duce. It was fun listening to their debate and in the end the pro putting me on the Duce side "won". Does it really make that much difference at this level? Curious to hear of others experiences

[LeeD]

Lots of players choke up the grip a bit for return of serves. Often, it's more important to just get your racket on the ball than it is to hit that perfect groundstroke return of serve, and percentage play favors getting the ball back over textbook form strokes.
Now if you face only powder puff serves, keep stroking from the butt.
Against hard serves, it's often just as important to defend your body as much as reach out wide.