Doubles positioning question

[LeeD]

I think, if a net person, belly up to net, allows a lob to go over his head, he cannot run all the way to the baseline on the other court, even diagonally, due to the distance involved.
Better to stop at the service line, around 4' from the center line.

 

[5263]

I think, if a net person, belly up to net, allows a lob to go over his head, he cannot run all the way to the baseline on the other court, even diagonally, due to the distance involved.

Why should he have to if his partner is still back? Plus, many can run back for overheads if you do it right, AND it tends to force a lob, which good net players like to do. I like to press them into lobs, because I'll do it when they have a ball that is tough to lob well and I like hitting overheads...especially off of poor lobs, but even off pretty good ones too. Heck, half the time they miss long anyway trying to be sure they get it past me.

 

[LeeD]

Coaching32 years recommended to run from net all the way to the opposite side baseline, a run longer than I can make on a good dayl

 

[GBplayer]

real good answer here-





always amazes me, but look at what you see in this thread...lots of different approaches, where most are not wrong, but just take 2 working the same idea.

I didn't like GBplayers comments, as they didn't take into account matchups or partner capabilities. Imo he is very wrong about being aggressive at net by getting close and I believe there are quite a few times to crowd your opponents by crowding net. Shame to not take advantage of those chances to push the issue. Few reasons not to be as tight as you can execute if your partner is still back.

I'd prefer you to switch and go back to defend if my partner, since if my overhead is solid, then you can retake the net as you see me bang it off (and it is likely over anyway), but otherwise you are now back to help cover if my rtn is weaker or defensive.

I would agree that you try different things, that is absolutely right.

If you crowd the net, you are challenging the opposition to do something about it. The answer is to lob the net player. If the service reciever is unable to do this, then the player crowding the net picks up easy points.

Nothing wrong with that at all!

Really the forward player should be 4 foot in from the service line and move forward when the ball passes them and back again when the ball goes past them, then in again etc. Most stand stil with little movement.

 

[LeeD]

Net player starting in the center of service box is close enough.

 

[5263]

I would agree that you try different things, that is absolutely right.

If you crowd the net, you are challenging the opposition to do something about it. The answer is to lob the net player. If the service reciever is unable to do this, then the player crowding the net picks up easy points.

Nothing wrong with that at all!

Really the forward player should be 4 foot in from the service line and move forward when the ball passes them and back again when the ball goes past them, then in again etc. Most stand stil with little movement.

Net player starting in the center of service box is close enough.

good points

 

[GBplayer]

Net player starting in the center of service box is close enough.

If the net player stands in any closer than this they are restricting the angles open to the server.

Another aggressive position too be close to the net would be the I formation with the net player crouched or kneeling at the net, ready to pop up.

I have not seen that done with us older players, not sure how many times the legs would do it? :sad:

 

[LeeD]

Problem with "aussie" formation, or I formation on serve, is that the lob return basically neutralizes the serve, at levels lower than 4.5.