J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Then why does it have the longest season?
J
J
If Mixed doubles is the most universally disliked format of league play
- Thread starter J011yroger
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Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
I think its a special TTW hatred and doesn't reflect general public opinion. Kind of like the love for 90 inch players frames, 1HBHs, and ATP style FH's.
OnTheLine
Hall of Fame
I played mixed for the first time in 25 years this last weekend (my tournament saga). I didn't hate it the way I did back in my 20s. But it seems to be a different sport.
The mixed seasons here are the same 10-12 weeks as any other league in terms of the regular season. Could be the playoff season is longer?
The mixed seasons here are the same 10-12 weeks as any other league in terms of the regular season. Could be the playoff season is longer?
esgee48
G.O.A.T.
More teams, more partying, more socializing [sometimes] before and after matches. Can't be a Cave Man all the time, Mr. Rogers. There does seem to be a cutoff around 7.0 and 8.0 though [at least IIRC.] Up to those levels, more social. At 9.0+, definitely 'I have come to play' attitude. 3 cents worth of opinion and enjoy the cocktails post match. 
time_fly
Hall of Fame
I was thinking of renaming the mixed team I captain "Poly Amorous" but I don't think I'm quite that brave. The ladies wouldn't get the tennis pun anyway. *puts on flame suit*
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
That team name is tame compared to some of the team names I've played with.
time_fly
Hall of Fame
Do share!
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
Most mixed leagues have the most lewd names.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
Then you are missing out on most the fun of mixed doubles.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Topspin Shot
Legend
Most social people enjoy mixed. But many TT posters aren't exactly social...
tennis tom
Legend
"If Mixed doubles is the most universally disliked format of league play"
Never knew that--maybe it's a regional thing. I think if you like the opposite sex, and can appreciate their abilities, it can be quite exhilarating, satisfying and could lead to some enjoyable extra-curricular activities.
Never knew that--maybe it's a regional thing. I think if you like the opposite sex, and can appreciate their abilities, it can be quite exhilarating, satisfying and could lead to some enjoyable extra-curricular activities.
chatt_town
Hall of Fame
It's naturally going to be a larger league just because its men and women...numbers, but it is generally the least liked by men because it's more work in many cases.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
In the tennis world out here, mixed is by far the most fun. Especially 8.0. There is no greater satisfaction on a tennis court than when your 4.5/3.5 team works together in beautiful harmony to out-strategize the opponent.
This is the problem with mixed. A 4.5 and a 3.5 have no business being a pair.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
I agree with what you are saying to a degree. If you don't like the opposite sex or feel uncomfortable with the playing styles of the other gender then don't play mixed. Both genders can be equally unpleasant on the court so it is important to remember that one unpleasant person does not represent the whole gender.
I have played quite a bit of mixed at various levels. My preferred partner is a man who does not try to "direct" me from the minute we step on the court. I have come across quite a few men who feel the need to instruct and direct women on the tennis court without bothering to observe how they play. (Many do this off the court as well, but lets not get into that discussion.
) Of course I don't mind discussing strategy such as "lets try to lob over the woman and get the guy off the net", or "they are letting balls go through the middle so lets target the middle of the court". But I don't need a male partner who doesn't know me to try to give me a tennis lesson. I know my strengths and weaknesses. For example, I have a hard time returning 5.0 level men's serves because I rarely face them. It doesn't help me to have some random male partner tell me to how to return the serve. I have to figure out what works for me and what doesn't. Once I get a feel for the serve I can usually block or slice it back and keep it really low.....which is often not a bad return for doubles.
time_fly
Hall of Fame
Exactly, there's no greater satisfaction then when the 3.5 guy serves up 20 aces in one match but he's computer-rated so nobody can complain.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
I agree with what you are saying to a degree. If you don't like the opposite sex or feel uncomfortable with the playing styles of the other gender then don't play mixed. Both genders can be equally unpleasant on the court so it is important to remember that one unpleasant person does not represent the whole gender.
I have played quite a bit of mixed at various levels. My preferred partner is a man who does not try to "direct" me from the minute we step on the court. I have come across quite a few men who feel the need to instruct and direct women on the tennis court without bothering to observe how they play. (Many do this off the court as well, but lets not get into that discussion.
What about when you are a 5.0 guy and the opposing 5.0 guy aces your 4.0 partner with a 115mph serve on the line that hits the side curtain 5' up and she turns to you and says "how do I return that?"
J
eelhc
Hall of Fame
Step up and take it early. [emoji1] [emoji1] [emoji2]
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
Say those three words that men have such a hard time saying. "I don't know."
Actually, your answer should depend on your partner and how much you have observed about their level of play. All 4.0 women are not the same. Male players tend to lump all women into one category and fail to recognize the ones who can actually step in and block it back and the ones who are probably not going to be able to do that. There is a vast difference between a 4.0 women who played other sports and a 4.0 woman who never played a sport and took up tennis very late in life.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Say those three words that men have such a hard time saying. "I don't know."
I usually say I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out.
Hasn't seemed to increase break point opportunities.
J
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Say those three words that men have such a hard time saying. "I don't know."
I'm very guilty of lumping women together. I think the level is very similar from the bottom of 5.0 to the middle of 4.0 for women.
The differences could be very evident when they play each other in women's but in mixed, not as much.
J
texasleaguer
Rookie
Where I play we have a large mixed doubles program. But to keep the ultra competitiveness to a minimum, for the first 2 weeks we draw random partners. After that, we have the option of choosing. The catch is those first 2 weeks wins and losses count. I like the random drawing because it creates a new adventure everytime I take the court. And I'm here to tell you, I have never been let down by any female court partner. I just tell them to have fun and don't get frustrated, cuz that's what I'm going to do. I never coach (unless asked), never suggest strategy (unless asked), and never ever yell. Ok, sometimes I yell, "Duck" but that's when I've hit a bad return and my partners chances of getting hit at the net is100%. Sure I could probably win a few more matches with the 'quote/unquote' right partner, but to my way of thinking, the right partner is whoever happens to be on my side of the net during a match.
SeeItHitIt
Professional
Where I am the pre match instructions from the 4.5 to the 3.5 (woman) are universal: stay in the alley.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
It's funny because the only time I've been frustrated by a female partner was when I was in the ad court and the opponent hit a soft ball down the middle I was coming up to hit the forehand putaway. My female partner reached over and tried to hit a stab volley and netted it. She looked back and said "oops I guess middle balls should go to the FH." It was a pro set and we were at 7-7 and this was game point. It went to deuce, we lost the game, then the next game. And all I can think is "who dives for a weak middle ball with their BH when they have a better player right behind them with a FH" So the stay in the alley certainly rang true for that moment. Hell I even know to stay in the alley when I'm playing with a superior men's partner.
ChaelAZ
G.O.A.T.
More opportunities to drink and be merry.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
I coach my 3.5 mixed partner to crowd the center line, standing 3 feet from the net, and go after any ball she can reach without backing up. You'd be surprised how easy it is for a 3.5 gal to hit loads winners from there and make life easy for her partner and difficult for the opponents. Granted, some of those winners are shanks off the frame, but winners nonetheless.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
bobbything
Rookie
I've played 8.0, 9.0, and 10.0 Mixed. 10.0 is by far the best as most of the women are doods, so they can handle pace and spin. They also move with their parter more cohesively. 9.0 is tolerable so long as you don't take it too seriously. It's just a different game. It's sort of slower and most of the women, in my experience, merely cover their half of the court. I actually like playing the 5.0/4.0 (women/men) combos the best. But, it's just an odd way of playing doubles.
8.0 is unbearable.
8.0 is unbearable.
eelhc
Hall of Fame
Herein lies the problem with mixed... Do that around my parts and all of sudden you're a jerk for telling the woman what to do. No matter how how nice you are about it and how much you're successful with it.
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BeyondTheTape
Semi-Pro
Fixed this for you. You would consider drinking bleach instead of getting on a 7.0 court. Seriously almost sold all my gear after a year of 7.0.
I haven't ever played mixed USTA. I play mixed ALTA here in Atlanta but most of our women are 4.5 and most of our men are 4.0. We'd have to play 9.0 mixed and we'd probably get our butts kicked playing against two 4.5's or a 5.0/4.0. I don't mind mixed though, it's just a different game than men's.
Traffic
Hall of Fame
This seems to be the underlying reason to gather. I didn't even get to play last match because opponents defaulted. But I had my two beers, pizza, chips and dips...
Seems like a way to get away from the daily grind more than anything else. Plus, it's mixed company so it's more like a social gathering.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
I think mixed should remain in the realms of the 3.0-4.0 players personally. It's a different game when you throw 4.5+ men into the mix. Rec intermediates aren't hitting with violent intentions.
I play 7.0 mixed all the time with my wife and have plenty of good fun matches.
1) Don't take it too seriously
2) have beers after and get to know the other couple
3) be complimetary and polite
I'd hardly say it's unbearable if everyone is an intermediate player. Throw one advanced player into the mix and it gets unfun fast.
I'd say in general, poorly balanced mixed is unbearable. These 5.0 men playing with 3.0 women in 8.0 is the worst thing to watch.
I play 7.0 mixed all the time with my wife and have plenty of good fun matches.
1) Don't take it too seriously
2) have beers after and get to know the other couple
3) be complimetary and polite
I'd hardly say it's unbearable if everyone is an intermediate player. Throw one advanced player into the mix and it gets unfun fast.
I'd say in general, poorly balanced mixed is unbearable. These 5.0 men playing with 3.0 women in 8.0 is the worst thing to watch.
Traffic
Hall of Fame
I was watching an 8.0 mixed match. There seemed to be a 5.0M/3.0F combo Vs a 4.0M/3.5F combo. The one thing that we picked up on in the viewing area was the 3+ service tosses of the 3.0F. I think the 4.0M got in a work out just jumping forward with a split step on each toss. She also frequently foot faulted by a foot when her toss was "good." We had more fun counting tosses and foot faults than anything else.
The 4.0M/4.0F team was pretty exciting to watch.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
PMChambers
Hall of Fame
On the line is out.
PMChambers
Hall of Fame
On the line is out.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
USTA thing? I'm from Canada where rankings are far more loosely applied.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Yes, maximum difference between partners is 1.0, and you can't join a team unless you are within 0.5 of half the level.
J
texasleaguer
Rookie
Had a mixed doubles league tonight, and I thought about this thread. We're done with the random partner matchups, and have moved on to picking partners. Since I'm late all the time, the last female standing is stuck with me. While we're waiting she asks if I want her to hug a baseline alley like the other guys told her to do so we'd have a better chance at winning. "That been fun for you?" I asked. She said it hadn't, but she understood why they did it. I just smiled and told her if she wanted to hug something she could hug me.
