Botching The Really Big Poach

[Cindysphinx]

I had a weird thing happen today.

I was playing against two 3.5 women, one with a 1HBH that can get kind of floaty. I would be at net. On many occasions, we would get them in trouble deep. They were good at keeping the ball sharply cross-court, but sometimes they didn't get much pace on it.

I would take off across the net and reach the ball when it was almost into the doubles alley. Even though the ball was still higher than the net and should have been an easy volley, I dumped 2 out of 3 into the net.

The problem on the two missed volleys was that I was feeling like I was running out of real estate because I was already so close to the doubles alley. So I tried to hit a sharp angle in the opposite direction. I guess my momentum wasn't forward or something, which led me to get nothing on the volley so it went into the net.

The general rule when poaching is that you hit in the direction of the poach and don't hit behind yourself. When you're doing a poach where you're covering a lot of ground and are close to the alley, where are you supposed to put the poach? Up the middle seems like a bad idea because the deep person will have a play on it. Playing it in the direction I'm moving seems risky given how little court I have left and I'd be hitting over the high part of the net. Should I continue trying to hit behind myself for the angled winner in front of the deep player or is there a better approach?

 

[fuzz nation]

Remember that when you poach, you still want to be moving diagonally forward through your shot even though you're going a long way. It will keep your volley more energized.

If I don't have a putaway up at net, I typically want to put the ball on my opponent's feet and force them to cough up a defensive shot. I've definiately burned myself (and my partner) in recent history by volleying behind myself and leaving the door open for my opponent to bunt an easy winner. It's good that you understand the game enough to try to avoid that.

Basically, I like to keep it under my opponent's strike zone unless I have an open door of my own to punch the ball through.

 

[Kaptain Karl]

Hitting an extreme angle behind you is not the percentage shot. Close on the net and hit into the alley ... or deep at the feet of the opponent.

P.S. Even a flubbed poach is effective. It lets the bad guys know you *will* go for it....

- KK

 

[Bagumbawalla]

To poach into, or almost into your partner's doubles alley conjers up some questions.

Was this a signaled poach?
What was your partner doing while you were dashing about? If the ball "floated" as you describe and was that far into your partner's side, why wouldn't your parnter have time to get to the net and put it away?

Well, anyway. You got there and you hit the ball, your partner should see what's happening, switch sides and go to the net. You should place your volley between the two opponents, into open space, at their feet (something fairly difficult for them to deal with)and then (with both of you there at the net) prepare to put away the (hopefully) weak response.

 

[Off The Wall]

Poach

Poaching is a good thing. But it needs to be effective. The 3.5ers were probably playing 'both back.' In that position, a poach needs to be emphatic. Not finesse.

You traveled a long way to poach. Too long. Your partner should have been the in better position to return her floaty shot with something on it.

 

[Cindysphinx]

To poach into, or almost into your partner's doubles alley conjers up some questions.

Was this a signaled poach?

No.

What was your partner doing while you were dashing about?

Standing at the baseline.

If the ball "floated" as you describe and was that far into your partner's side, why wouldn't your parnter have time to get to the net and put it away?

This is 3.0-3.5 tennis. There are a lot of players who set up a hammock on the baseline, and the only thing that will move them forward is a drop shot. Had I not crossed and volleyed, my partner would have bounced the ball and hit a groundstroke and remained at the baseline.

Well, anyway. You got there and you hit the ball, your partner should see what's happening, switch sides and go to the net.

True. We'll never know what she did because I botched the stupid shot. Doh!! And on the ones I don't botch, I still don't know what my partner would have done.[/quote]

You should place your volley between the two opponents, into open space, at their feet (something fairly difficult for them to deal with)and then (with both of you there at the net) prepare to put away the (hopefully) weak response.

That's where it gets tricky.

First, there won't be any "both of you there at the net". Let's take that out of the equation. Not gonna happen.

I'm trying not to volley to the feet of opponents if I have options because I'm finding many of them are good at blocking such balls back. I'm trying instead for more angles and open court shots.

In this case, the poach took me in front of the opposing net person. So I can go for her feet or the alley, but it seemed tough to try and thread the needle to the alley. There was no gap to volley into because the deep person was still deep, so volleying up the middle would give the deep person a shot up the middle that I might not be able to cover.

Maybe this is a time when I have to go for the feet and hope it's good enough?

 

[Bagumbawalla]

Well, yes, sometimes you just have to do the best with the situation at hand, but still, in doubles you shuldn't have to do it all by yourself.

In fact, part of the reason you hit into the net 2 out of 3 times may have been the the feeling that you can't count on the partner and have to overcompensate for her lack.

If there is virtually no angle or hole, then another option (to hitting at the feet) would be to hit right at the net person- since you are right there, anyway. If nothing else it would make them think twice about lofting floaters and they might start to make more errors trying to hit a more perfect shot. Obviously you wouldn't be trying to hurt them, just placing the ball to a spot their racket won't reach will usually do it.

The real problem, however, (as usual) seems to be your own partner. I have played in some league doubles last year- some where I was the more experienced player, others where I learned a lot from my partner. In all cases, I feel, the more experienced player needs to sort-of take charge and give the less experienced player some direction, set up strategies, and control the elements of teamwork when they are lacking.

For situations, as you described (where the server lags at the baseline), there are other options you might consider (other than a poach with a frozen partner) such as an "Australian" or possibly "I" formation- likewise these need sone co-ordination and understanding.

But really, the best thing is just to say to the partner, "Let's try this, when you see me poach, don't hesitate, get to the net and prepare to put away a weak response".

 

[oldhacker]

Hi Cindy - a couple of thoughts:

1. If this is a planned poach and so your partner has covered quickly to the side of the court you came from you have more options.

2. But if you are flying over there solo and she is a spectator standing directly behind you (thinking that ball was mine !) then any attempt at an angled shot behind you will most likely present your opponents with a sitter of a shot into a massive open gap you have left in your wake.

3. So I would go for the shot at the feet of the opposing net man standing in front of you.

4. But in general, if this is not a planned poach, then you should not be going for a ball hit into the alley on your partners side of the court. So if you notice the opponents hitting there regularly you need to have a teamtalk and get your parnter ready to move up to deal with the ball.

 

[Nellie]

EVen if your partner is not coming up to the net, you were right to call for a switch and go after the floater.

As Fuzz nation says above, it sounds like you were going sideways, backwards and not imparting any forward motion to the ball (since there is no swinging on volleys, right? )

Anyhow, you should be poaching forward and diagonally, or at least stoping at the last millisecond and pushing forward.

 

[Rui]

Hit Down

Hitting at the feet of opponents is always a good option. It doesn't matter if they block a few back. Usually, you're right there to end the point the second time.

Just envision people standing at the net hitting down at your feet. It's not a pretty picture. So, keep painting it to your advantage.

 

[Geezer Guy]

I guess if both opponents were on their baseline you could have tried a drop volley. No matter what you hit, though, I think you should keep the ball in front of you, and your partner should switch to cover the court you just vacated.

 

[Fred132]

"This is 3.0-3.5 tennis"

Regardless of the outcome, your willingness to commit to a poach like that is a great thing. I don't see it much in women's 3.0-3.5 tennis. You should keep it up.

Whether you win the point or not, it's likely your opponents are thinking "Wow, that crazy woman is poaching again!" and if they think too much they will throw in some return errors.

If you mix in some fakes it should put more pressure on their returns.