Doubles tactics and winning strategies

[rrhstennis]

Hey all!

My partner and I will more than likely be playing #2 doubles this year but unfortunately he is not much of a thinker so he put me in charge of everything but his service games haha

Anyway, my idea is that we can start with basic strategies like I serve wide and he attempts to poach, etc. On their service games we can play one up one back mostly and chip and charge sometimes, maybe in very rarely throw in a 2 back point to throw them off a little and make them try to hit dropshots they may not be capable of at our 3.5 level.

However, the problem comes in when I suggest that once in a while I serve and volley and we play two up on our serve. He doesn't understand that two up is very effective if you cover up properly and frankly I'm not good enough to explain it or show him on my own either. He thinks we'll get 'lobbed to death' and I can't convince him that at our level their lobs aren't going to be any better than our ability to get to them.

So I'm asking for help with two main things:

-How to effective employ two up in doubles and explain its strengths to someone who hasn't done it

-Other tips, tactics, and doubles strategies you think we might use well

Thank you!

 

[Solat]

A similar thread

 

[LuckyR]

Wow, where to start? I guess maybe a doubles primer like The Art of Doubles. Clearly you are correct that your team will improve if you get your partner on board, but there is a lot in that book for you as well.

Good luck.

 

[kevhen]

Probably easier to poach on serves up the T, at least he can pinch more to center then. When you serve out wide, if your opponents are good enough they will hit behind the poacher.

Does your partner not volley well or is he too slow to chase down lobs. 2 up is great if you have good vollies, overheads and keep your shots low so that it's difficult for your opponents to lob. Tell your partner that you will run down all lobs.

 

[spot]

http://www.operationdoubles.com/

 

[Cindysphinx]

Oy. That's a huge question.

Both of you have to read "The Art of Doubles," especially the early chapter on lateral movement. Hurry! Time's a-wastin'.

Serve up the T is the better bet for an inexperienced doubles team, BTW. Your team can cover more of the court that way, and you don't pin your partner in the alley.

Regarding serve and volley, you can't force him to serve and volley if he doesn't believe in his skills. What you can do is serve and volley yourself (and chip and charge when you return). This will mean you will have two at net for half the points anyway, which is better than nothing. Just make sure you partner doesn't scurry back to the baseline!

Don't play two-back without a reason. It's not a good way to mix it up. If you want an easy way to mix things up, lob the net man from time to time.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

Does your partner not volley well? Why is he (or she) staying back.

What is the logic of having someone on a #2 doubles team who won't come to the net.

Work with your partner on volleys and serve and volley. Practice hitting hundreds of volleys, and follow hundreds of serves to the net-- until your partner is completely comfortable doing that.

If you play one up- one back, you will consistantly lose to players who take the net.

Beyond that (in addition to skill), doubles is, as you say, a game of strategy. You need to go to the bookstore and find some books that are devoted to doubles. The one mentioned, above is good. There are others.

B

 

[Trainer]

Learn to hit a good overhead so they are scared to lob you.

Learn to cover you partner if he gets lobbed by running back to get it. And vice versa.

Get your partner to watch some doubles matches from the #1 doubles teams and see how they play. Play against them too. Sometimes seeing is believing.