doubles player playing singles, help!

[blakesq]

Hi,

I am a doubles "specialist" nowadays, but my usta team needs a singles player today. I filled in last week at singles, and got creamed (0 and 1). Last week, i completely had a mental breakdown, double faulted like crazy, felt nervous, knew the guy I was playing had previously beat our no. 1 singles.

So, today, I am playing singles again (no. 2). Any advice for this doubles specialist? I am in my early 40's, can stand to lose about 50 lbs, if that helps. Thanks.

blakesq

 

[goober]

If you are 50 lbs overweight and you don't play much singles you are going to be in trouble for a USTA singles match. Your best bet for today is take advantage of your net game which I presume is your strength. Serve and volley and chip and charge. Don't get into long baseline rallies and try to keep the points short.

In the long term if you are going to be playing singles you need to lose weight and play a lot more singles matches because as many people have noted, it is a completely different game from doubles.

 

[Sandy40]

I asked the same question, and someone said basically (and sorry if this is too simplistic) - act, instead of react (ie, have a plan) and also generally try to hit deep to his backhand. I just tried to hit deep in the corners and alternate, and I was able to win a few matches just doing that. Before, I was just trying to hit the ball hard, which didn't get me anywhere because my opponent could place the ball and I was starting to run all over the place and got outrun. good luck!

 

[penpal]

Deep to the backhand, deep to the backhand and deep to the backhand ... unless his backhand is stronger than his forehand

If I were you, I'd just keep hitting to the same corner, over and over and over again. And if you get a short ball, hit it to the same corner and follow it to net. Make your opponent feel like he has to change up the rallies. That's probably your best bet.

 

[jfmcdowell357]

I'd like to add that you should be hitting your winners more often down the line instead of cross court as in doubles. Definitely keep those points short by hitting deep to the backhand, or deep and low to the feet of your opponent and finish the short ball with a volley.

 

[blakesq]

doubles player playing singles

Thanks for the advice, i did much better, losing still, but a much more respectable 7-5, 6-2, with lots of deuce games in both sets. I hit lots to the guy's backhand, and probably did it less in the 2nd set, hence the bigger loss in the 2nd set.

 

[TenS_Ace]

Hi,

I am a doubles "specialist" nowadays, but my usta team needs a singles player today. I filled in last week at singles, and got creamed (0 and 1). Last week, i completely had a mental breakdown, double faulted like crazy, felt nervous, knew the guy I was playing had previously beat our no. 1 singles.

So, today, I am playing singles again (no. 2). Any advice for this doubles specialist? I am in my early 40's, can stand to lose about 50 lbs, if that helps. Thanks.

blakesq

I'm assuming that you "come in" playing doubles?? Do the same thing with your singles, serve and volley..you just need to adjust your mental game with respect to the angles..GO FOR IT!!..

 

[Cruzer]

I am in my early 40's, can stand to lose about 50 lbs, if that helps.

blakesq

About all I can say is "good luck". Tennis is a game of running with some hitting, not a game of hitting with some running. If you need to lose 50 pounds you may have trouble doing the amount of running required to play an effective singles match.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Blake, I feel your pain. I also play doubles and not singles, and I just can't seem to make the adjustment. For some reason, I can't volley at all in singles. I guess part of the problem is that I am used to approaching cross-court, not down the line. Also, I am used to volleying the biggest angle I can, so I usually volley into the doubles alley. I also don't serve as well because I am just so rattled in singles.

So you did good!!

 

[penpal]

That's a respectable score blake ... sounds like the first set could have gone either way.

One more point to consider if you are ever forced to play singles again; at pretty much every level below 4.5 the name of the game is patience. It is very difficult for most of us to hit flat out winners for an entire match, so if you can consistently hit balls back deep you will begin to fluster your opponent, they will lose their nerve and begin going for too much.

Just don't be the one who gets flustered first

Easier said than done, and it requires some fitness, which might spell trouble for you. Still, it's a good general principle to keep in mind.

 

[LuckyR]

Get Pressure Tennis by Paul Wardlaw, quick!

 

[AndrewD]

For some reason, I can't volley at all in singles. I guess part of the problem is that I am used to approaching cross-court, not down the line. Also, I am used to volleying the biggest angle I can, so I usually volley into the doubles alley. I also don't serve as well because I am just so rattled in singles.

Cindy,

I would take a rough guess that you rush your volleys when playing singles. I find myself doing the same thing when I haven't playing singles in a while and feel it is merely due to a change in target (no net player to hit through, less width to hit to) and having a bit more court to cover.

Also, if you want to serve-volley or approach the net in singles, there's more thought required than in doubles. In 'dubs' your ppponent is returning to a smaller gap, whereas, in singles, down-the-line is a more viable option. So, you can't just serve, come in and know pretty well that the ball is going to be directed back to the part of the court you're moving in (as you can in doubles). You need to serve to a plan and work to get the return coming back to the place you want - ideally, a shot short that lets you hit an approach down the line, then hit your volley behind your opponent or a short angle (if they're behind the baseline).

If you can get that serve-approach-volley combo working, you'll win a lot of matches right through to the highest levels (just ask Brad Gilbert).