Has Anyone Ever Died Playing 8.0 Mixed?

[Cindysphinx]

I'm looking around to join a 7.5 ladies combo team. So far, no luck, although it is rather early yet.

Instead, I got an e-mail to join a brand new 8.0 mixed team. Captain is a stranger, but this guy plays a *sick* amount of tennis. He has played on 19 teams so far in 2008. Apparently, he is recruiting by sending an e-mail to everyone on the available player's list who is the right level. The tone of his e-mail was warm and friendly and sane and all that.

Still . . . 8.0 mixed. Am I out of my mind? My record in 7.0 mixed was under .500 last season.

Think I should join up and let 4.5 guys bounce tennis balls off of my skull? Or should I pass?

 

[calamansi]

I'm looking around to join a 7.5 ladies combo team. So far, no luck, although it is rather early yet.

Instead, I got an e-mail to join a brand new 8.0 mixed team. Captain is a stranger, but this guy plays a *sick* amount of tennis. He has played on 19 teams so far in 2008. Apparently, he is recruiting by sending an e-mail to everyone on the available player's list who is the right level. The tone of his e-mail was warm and friendly and sane and all that.

Still . . . 8.0 mixed. Am I out of my mind? My record in 7.0 mixed was under .500 last season.

Think I should join up and let 4.5 guys bounce tennis balls off of my skull? Or should I pass?

I say go for it. The only way to improve is to play against better players. Also, quality over quantity always -- just because he's been on every team in the world this year isn't a testament to how good a 4.0/4.5 player he is. He could just be that enthusiastic.

 

[Topaz]

Do it. You'll find that the 4.5 guys in fact, don't bounce it off of your skull...much more likely to hit it somewhere in the court where you have absolutely not chance at getting it!

If they *do* bounce it off of your skull, you can accuse them of not really being a 4.5, since a 4.5 should have the skills to avoid decapitating their opponents!

 

[Cindysphinx]

I say go for it. The only way to improve is to play against better players. Also, quality over quantity always -- just because he's been on every team in the world this year isn't a testament to how good a 4.0/4.5 player he is. He could just be that enthusiastic.

He's a 3.5, actually. . . .

 

[Nellie]

I will tell you - I watched the 8.0 mixed districts and sectionals, and they hit very, very hard. You will get some great experiance returning serve.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Correction: Experience *not* returning serve.

 

[consistency wins]

I'm looking around to join a 7.5 ladies combo team. So far, no luck, although it is rather early yet.

Instead, I got an e-mail to join a brand new 8.0 mixed team. Captain is a stranger, but this guy plays a *sick* amount of tennis. He has played on 19 teams so far in 2008. Apparently, he is recruiting by sending an e-mail to everyone on the available player's list who is the right level. The tone of his e-mail was warm and friendly and sane and all that.

Still . . . 8.0 mixed. Am I out of my mind? My record in 7.0 mixed was under .500 last season.

Think I should join up and let 4.5 guys bounce tennis balls off of my skull? Or should I pass?

The only way to get better is to play outside of your comfort zone. Want to get better? There lies your answer....

 

[fridrix]

I have seen 8.0 mixed where they all smack the crap outta the ball at each other at every point. And serve way hard. You'll leave the court in tears.

 

[LawnChairGeneral]

the first thing you need to do is... ah, heck... let's face it, you're going to die!

 

[NLBwell]

As long as you have a 4.5 partner you will do fine.

 

[NLBwell]

Actually, 3.5 guys are more likely to head-hunt you than 4.5 guys.

 

[dpfrazier]

Think I should join up and let 4.5 guys bounce tennis balls off of my skull? Or should I pass?

Since you will likely be paired with 4.5 guy, be prepared to hit a TON of balls. Even ones you don't expect to come to you, will come to you.

Also, if you're playing another 4.5 guy / 3.5 gal team, hit everything to the gal! If not, the 4.5 guy will just crank it at you. He doesn't want to hit it to your 4.5 teammate, knowing that if he does, then his own 3.5 partner is going to get abused.

I make this mistake all the time in 8.0 mixed. I hit the "proper" shot for the situation, which sometimes means hitting it back to the other 4.5 guy, and then invariably my 3.5 partner (my wife!) gets a heavily-loaded groundie or volley at her feet. "Sorry, honey!"

 

[tfm1973]

+1 to dpfrazier. mixed doubles even at the 8.0 level is a lesson in HIT TO THE WEAKER PLAYER ALWAYS. any deviation from this formula rarely works.

you'll hopefully be paired with a 4.5 and yes you will see a TON of balls coming your way. you will be forced to play solid smart tennis. and you will constantly be looking to hit your shots at their weaker player so your partner can do his thing.

i'd say go for it. if you lose, you lose. no biggie. but if your eventual goal is to be as good as you can -- you might as well get used to the pace and spin and strategy of the 4.0 and 4.5's.

oh yeah - the bonus is that when you go back to your "regular" 7.0 mixed matches or even your 3.5 ladies leagues -- EVERYTHING will look slower.

 

[Xisbum]

I thought I died once playing regular 4.0 doubles. One guy had a monster serve, and one of them hit just long, bounced and struck me in absolutely the worst place a guy can be hit. When I finally caught my breath, I spent the next 3 games as an alto soprano instead of my usual bass baritone. Haven't fathered any children since, either. :-(

 

[fridrix]

One of these might help:

 

[SlapShot]

You'll be fine. My first USTA experience was 8.0 mixed, and while my team was losing most matches 0-3 and I was losing most matches 2,2 or something similar, it was good to learn the pace. This summer, I went something like 3-3 or similar at 8.0, and can hang in there just fine.

It's not the 4.5 man/3.5 woman that's tough - it's the 4.5 woman with the solid 3.5 man that is going to be a task to beat.

 

[samster]

I would avoid this situation like a plague.

 

[catfish]

I am a 4.0 female and play both 8.0 and 9.0 mixed. I also played 7.0 and 7.5 Combo mixed in the last year. Frankly, some of the 3.0 and 3.5 men worry me a lot more than the 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 men. The 3.0's and 3.5's can blast the ball just as hard as the higher levels, but they often have absolutely no control over where the ball goes. I find that the 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 also hit the ball hard, but they tend to "hit it where you're not". They have much more control and are not nearly as scary.

 

[duketennisgal]

It's not the 4.5 man/3.5 woman that's tough - it's the 4.5 woman with the solid 3.5 man that is going to be a task to beat.

Yep, honestly my team has never had one problem beating a 4.5 man paired with a 3.5 woman, those have actually been our easiest matches. I don't have one 4.5 man on my 8.0 team for that very reason, it just makes a very uneven pairing and one in which the 3.5 woman is going to see every ball come at her and is not going to be able to handle it (unless she's really a 4.0 sandbagger).

Our combos that work really well are the 4.0 4.0 combo or the 3.5 man, 4.5 woman combo. But on my team the women are all very strong, if you can get a combo with a really strong female and a good male you will have a good mixed doubles team. The women on my team pretty much exculsively hit with guys so we don't run into the problems of not being able to handle the 4.5 guy, sometimes we have more problems with the weaker stuff.

 

[SlapShot]

Yep, honestly my team has never had one problem beating a 4.5 man paired with a 3.5 woman, those have actually been our easiest matches. I don't have one 4.5 man on my 8.0 team for that very reason, it just makes a very uneven pairing and one in which the 3.5 woman is going to see every ball come at her and is not going to be able to handle it (unless she's really a 4.0 sandbagger).

Our combos that work really well are the 4.0 4.0 combo or the 3.5 man, 4.5 woman combo. But on my team the women are all very strong, if you can get a combo with a really strong female and a good male you will have a good mixed doubles team. The women on my team pretty much exculsively hit with guys so we don't run into the problems of not being able to handle the 4.5 guy, sometimes we have more problems with the weaker stuff.

The only time that my partner and I ran into a 4.5M/3.5W combo, the man was a PTR3 teaching pro (which means he's a minimum of 4.5) and the woman played on my partner's 4.0 women's team, and won 60% of her matches. He is probably closer to a 5.0 level player, and she should be bumped this year to 4.0. So it was a far sight closer to a 9.0 combo against us.

We lost 2 & 2, but I held serve every time.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

I'm looking around to join a 7.5 ladies combo team. So far, no luck, although it is rather early yet.

Instead, I got an e-mail to join a brand new 8.0 mixed team. Captain is a stranger, but this guy plays a *sick* amount of tennis. He has played on 19 teams so far in 2008. Apparently, he is recruiting by sending an e-mail to everyone on the available player's list who is the right level. The tone of his e-mail was warm and friendly and sane and all that.

Still . . . 8.0 mixed. Am I out of my mind? My record in 7.0 mixed was under .500 last season.

Think I should join up and let 4.5 guys bounce tennis balls off of my skull? Or should I pass?

I'm actually a bit jealous of your situation. Most tennis folks are usually always looking for someone "better" to play with, and as a 3.5 (you), playing in an 8.0 league, you are naturally in a situation to play with guys and girls at the 3.5+, 4.0, and 4.5 levels (eg. you don't run into, "i won't play with him, he's only a three-oh"). It would be a shame and lost opportunity if you didn't take up the offer, and use the experience to help raise your game from the 3.5 level.

Personally I get frustrated playing 8.0, only because my partner (a 3.5) naturally attracts 80-90% of the balls... and by the time my 3.5 partner gets good enough that our opponents can no longer pick on her for the easy unforced error, she get's bumped to 4.0!

 

[duketennisgal]

The only time that my partner and I ran into a 4.5M/3.5W combo, the man was a PTR3 teaching pro (which means he's a minimum of 4.5) and the woman played on my partner's 4.0 women's team, and won 60% of her matches. He is probably closer to a 5.0 level player, and she should be bumped this year to 4.0. So it was a far sight closer to a 9.0 combo against us.

We lost 2 & 2, but I held serve every time.

Yeah doesn't sound like an 8.0 team there! But when you do run into a legit 3.5 woman, 4.5 man combo it's usually a pretty easy match up unless you are also a 3.5 woman, 4.5 man team.

As for nytennisaddict, you should probably play 9.0, you wouldn't have the problem that you are running into now. Believe me 9.0 is so much fun, you rarely ever have a weak player on the court and the points are great!

 

[dpfrazier]

It's not the 4.5 man/3.5 woman that's tough - it's the 4.5 woman with the solid 3.5 man that is going to be a task to beat.

I agree - since it seems like guys are typically about 0.5 NTRP points stronger than gals, a 4.5 gal / 3.5 guy team is like a 4.0/3.5 guy team. Pretty balanced - no one to pick on!

IMO, since the 4.5 guy / 3.5 gal team is the most imbalanced, it's the easiest to beat if played correctly, notwithstanding the teams that don't add up to an 8.0...

 

[Cindysphinx]

Don't know whether this team will come together or not. The captain says he only has three people so far. We shall see.

I dunno. I look down the roster of people who are playing 8.0 mixed these days, and I see some 3.5 women I know. All but one is stronger than me. And if this is a new team, the chances that this captain will find 4.5 guys is kinda small . . .

 

[sphinx780]

Don't know whether this team will come together or not. The captain says he only has three people so far. We shall see.

I dunno. I look down the roster of people who are playing 8.0 mixed these days, and I see some 3.5 women I know. All but one is stronger than me. And if this is a new team, the chances that this captain will find 4.5 guys is kinda small . . .

What would you say your game's strengths are? Typically a 3.5 player has one or two parts of their game that are really well developed and if one of those is consistency at net, you'll have a solid chance of being competitive even with a strong 4.0 partner.

 

[SlapShot]

Don't know whether this team will come together or not. The captain says he only has three people so far. We shall see.

I dunno. I look down the roster of people who are playing 8.0 mixed these days, and I see some 3.5 women I know. All but one is stronger than me. And if this is a new team, the chances that this captain will find 4.5 guys is kinda small . . .

Are you joining the league to win, or to play better players? I started 8.0 because I figured I'd run the gamut from 3.5 to 4.5 level players, and have had great fun and learned a lot, even when getting stomped 0,1.

 

[Tarboro]

I'm looking around to join a 7.5 ladies combo team. So far, no luck, although it is rather early yet.

Instead, I got an e-mail to join a brand new 8.0 mixed team. Captain is a stranger, but this guy plays a *sick* amount of tennis. He has played on 19 teams so far in 2008. Apparently, he is recruiting by sending an e-mail to everyone on the available player's list who is the right level. The tone of his e-mail was warm and friendly and sane and all that.

Still . . . 8.0 mixed. Am I out of my mind? My record in 7.0 mixed was under .500 last season.

Think I should join up and let 4.5 guys bounce tennis balls off of my skull? Or should I pass?

Go for it, particularly if you've not found a combo team yet. You'll definitely hit a lot of balls, and you'll get a chance to practice S&V (which you'll want to do almost every point on your serve) and chip and charge (on their serve).

As a 3.5 woman paired with a 4.5 man, you'll have as good a shot as most teams out there. I agree with DukeTG and others that the more difficult teams to play are teams with stronger women.

Your volleying skills and serve will likely improve, and shots from your 3.5 opponents will be much easier to handle. There's really no downside for you other than the possible implications to your record.

 

[Cindysphinx]

What would you say your game's strengths are? Typically a 3.5 player has one or two parts of their game that are really well developed and if one of those is consistency at net, you'll have a solid chance of being competitive even with a strong 4.0 partner.

I consider myself stronger at the net than from the baseline. I don't think that means I should expect to do well in mixed, though.

Most of the women I know who do well at 7.0 mixed have big groundstrokes but don't volley well. They can slug it out crosscourt until their partner is able to do something, so they hold.

I do poorly in mixed because I don't do well hitting groundstrokes when someone hits hard groundstrokes at me. So I envision myself serving and having the next ball crushed at me. This happened many times in 7.0 mixed. Not to mention how crummy my service return is when the server is a high-end dude. All of that is why I didn't exactly go looking for an 8.0 opportunity. I feel I need more seasoning at 7.0.

 

[burosky]

When my wife and I started playing leagues, I was a 4.0 and my wife was a 3.0. We were both on a 7.0 and 8.0 team. We didn't expect to play on the 8.0 team we joined just to get practice time with the 8.0 folks who are friends. As it turned out, with people backing out, we ended up playing over half of the matches for our 8.0 team. To my surprise, we did very well winning a little over half the matches we played albeit those wins were all close matches that usually went to tie-breakers. We could easily have not won any matches at all. On the 7.0 league, we won all our matches. The experience we gained from the 8.0 including the loses were so instrumental in winning our 7.0 matches. I say, go for it!

On a side note, a while back I posted something about a Queen's doubles. This is no different from a mixed doubles league but with a slight twist. Instead of 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, etc... It will be like combos - 6.5, 7.5, 8.5. Here is where the Queen's doubles monicker comes from. The woman has to be the higher rated player in every pair. This will give mixed doubles better competition.

Just thought I'd bring this up again since someone mentioned having more difficulty playing against a 4.5W and 3.5M pair compared to a 4.5M and 3.5W pair. This is so true because the former is more balanced in skill.

 

[sphinx780]

I consider myself stronger at the net than from the baseline. I don't think that means I should expect to do well in mixed, though.

Most of the women I know who do well at 7.0 mixed have big groundstrokes but don't volley well. They can slug it out crosscourt until their partner is able to do something, so they hold.

I do poorly in mixed because I don't do well hitting groundstrokes when someone hits hard groundstrokes at me. So I envision myself serving and having the next ball crushed at me. This happened many times in 7.0 mixed. Not to mention how crummy my service return is when the server is a high-end dude. All of that is why I didn't exactly go looking for an 8.0 opportunity. I feel I need more seasoning at 7.0.

I think you might be surprised. My wife is a 3.5 and we started playing 8.0 before I was bumped up to 4.5. Her weaknesses are returning the mans serve, groundstrokes against pace and serving but she rarely misses a ball at net (albeit rarely puts the ball away). So, naturally, she's isolated the entire match. We lost our first match at 8.0 then went undefeated for two straight seasons. Keep your partner active at net and you should hold serve, your partner in 8.0 should have stronger skills there than a 7.0 partner would. Then get to net as often as possible and use your strengths, consistency wins out over power the majority of the time, you will find many guys over hitting off of the 3rd, 4th ball or going for an ill advised lob under pressure too, allowing you to switch and get your partner to take a groundie. It took me two years to convince my wife to try 8.0 with me but now that she has, she refuses to play 7.0 any longer. Your strategy will be very simple yet very effective, get to net and keep it in play. The opportunities will come.

 

[burosky]

I think you might be surprised. My wife is a 3.5 and we started playing 8.0 before I was bumped up to 4.5. Her weaknesses are returning the mans serve, groundstrokes against pace and serving but she rarely misses a ball at net (albeit rarely puts the ball away). So, naturally, she's isolated the entire match. We lost our first match at 8.0 then went undefeated for two straight seasons. Keep your partner active at net and you should hold serve, your partner in 8.0 should have stronger skills there than a 7.0 partner would. Then get to net as often as possible and use your strengths, consistency wins out over power the majority of the time, you will find many guys over hitting off of the 3rd, 4th ball or going for an ill advised lob under pressure too, allowing you to switch and get your partner to take a groundie. It took me two years to convince my wife to try 8.0 with me but now that she has, she refuses to play 7.0 any longer. Your strategy will be very simple yet very effective, get to net and keep it in play. The opportunities will come.

So true! Our basic strategy then was for my wife to get to the net at the earliest opportunity and if pinned at the baseline just keep the ball in play. On my part, any deep shots my wife hits from the baseline, my mentality was I have to do take advantage of it by poaching or putting pressure on the opponent. The majority of our points were won when my wife was successful in getting to the net. We played one match during districts where we played a pair who went 14-0 in their league. I told my wife to expect being targetted by the male opponent. Sure enough, in the first set, the male opponent kept on challenging my wife even when she was at the net. It took the whole first set but after realizing my wife was holding her ground, he completely broke down on those points where he sees my wife at the net. The first set was tough but the second was a breeze. By the second set, he didn't know what to do anymore.

 

[sphinx780]

I consider myself stronger at the net than from the baseline. I don't think that means I should expect to do well in mixed, though.

Most of the women I know who do well at 7.0 mixed have big groundstrokes but don't volley well. They can slug it out crosscourt until their partner is able to do something, so they hold.

I do poorly in mixed because I don't do well hitting groundstrokes when someone hits hard groundstrokes at me. So I envision myself serving and having the next ball crushed at me. This happened many times in 7.0 mixed. Not to mention how crummy my service return is when the server is a high-end dude. All of that is why I didn't exactly go looking for an 8.0 opportunity. I feel I need more seasoning at 7.0.

So true! Our basic strategy then was for my wife to get to the net at the earliest opportunity and if pinned at the baseline just keep the ball in play. On my part, any deep shots my wife hits from the baseline, my mentality was I have to do take advantage of it by poaching or putting pressure on the opponent. The majority of our points were won when my wife was successful in getting to the net. We played one match during districts where we played a pair who went 14-0 in their league. I told my wife to expect being targetted by the male opponent. Sure enough, in the first set, the male opponent kept on challenging my wife even when she was at the net. It took the whole first set but after realizing my wife was holding her ground, he completely broke down on those points where he sees my wife at the net. The first set was tough but the second was a breeze. By the second set, he didn't know what to do anymore.

It's funny how that works, isn't it? That's our typical match summed up in a nutshell.

 

[EZRA]

Cindy: take the opportunity and don't worry about the results. You're getting better quality tennis than what you're used to - regardless if you win or lose.

 

[consistency wins]

Cindy--the one with the mental strength of a wet noodle. Time to step up to the plate. Time to stop whining and drawing attention to your lack of mental strength and start playing tennis. Every one of your threads is about self-doubt.

 

[consistency wins]

Cindy: take the opportunity and don't worry about the results. You're getting better quality tennis than what you're used to - regardless if you win or lose.

I'm thinking these threads are to have people pat her on the back. If I were her coach, I'd run her butt into the ground until she knew she could handle anything--that's just me. :twisted:

 

[Cindysphinx]

Yep, that's what happens to me around here. Endless patting on the back. :huge sarcastic eye roll:

I dunno. We just had a long discussion here about how people should play their level and whether playing up should be banned entirely. I said (and still think) that most people who play up are at the high end of their level. I can't kid myself and say that I'm at the high end of my level. Not yet, anyway. Yet I'm about to play up anyway. Hmmmmmmmm.

Really, what 4.0 or 4.5 guy wants to spend two sets beating down a mid-3.5 lady? I guess he'd enjoy it about as much as I'd enjoy beating on a 2.5. Which is not so much.

 

[consistency wins]

Yep, that's what happens to me around here. Endless patting on the back. :huge sarcastic eye roll:

I dunno. We just had a long discussion here about how people should play their level and whether playing up should be banned entirely. I said (and still think) that most people who play up are at the high end of their level. I can't kid myself and say that I'm at the high end of my level. Not yet, anyway. Yet I'm about to play up anyway. Hmmmmmmmm.

Really, what 4.0 or 4.5 guy wants to spend two sets beating down a mid-3.5 lady? I guess he'd enjoy it about as much as I'd enjoy beating on a 2.5. Which is not so much.

I'm a 4.5 and play mixed for one thing only: FUN. I don't care about Districts or Sectionals. I just have fun. You could stick me with three other 1.O's on the court and I'd have a blast. It is my one league of the year to just kick back, have some beers with fellow players and talk about stupid shots and all....

Step up to the plate, Cindy--you may just hit one out of the park and enjoy yourself.

 

[Loco4Tennis]

the first thing you need to do is... ah, heck... let's face it, you're going to die!

One of these might help:

ROTFL
you peeps.. are too much sometimes

as per the question in hand, i would follow NIKES advise and "just do it!!!"
ohh, and if they do bounce the ball of your skull,, just remember the favorite words of all jym/phis-ed/PE teachers the world over,,, "just walk it off"

cindy good luck and dont forget to duck

 

[consistency wins]

wow, this is 8.0...not 9.0 in question, right?

 

[tfm1973]

Personally I get frustrated playing 8.0, only because my partner (a 3.5) naturally attracts 80-90% of the balls... !

i'm a 4.0 guy and when i played 8.0 mixed i was paired with 4.0 women. i got 80-90% of the balls hit my way.

*sigh* *hangs head*

:lol:

 

[raiden031]

I don't really understand why a 4.5M would want to pair with a 3.5W in 8.0 mixed or why a 3.5W would even want to play 8.0 mixed. It doesn't seem like it would be very fun for either player with such a mis-match and having to deal with opponents with a decent game exploiting the 3.5. I want to play 8.0 mixed myself, but being a 3.5M, I don't think I will find a 4.5W to partner with nor do I want to be the weak guy that none of the 4.0W players want to partner with. So I will wait until I am bumped to 4.0 before pursuing 8.0 mixed. I think I can hang at 4.0 men's as far as quickness, pace, and speed of the game, but I would hit more errors and get poached more than the others. I don't think it would be fun if I played at 4.5 men's because I just wouldn't hang well and would become a target, similar to the 3.5W playing 8.0 mixed. Thats kind of my perspective on the 8.0 mixed thing.

 

[SlapShot]

I don't really understand why a 4.5M would want to pair with a 3.5W in 8.0 mixed or why a 3.5W would even want to play 8.0 mixed. It doesn't seem like it would be very fun for either player with such a mis-match and having to deal with opponents with a decent game exploiting the 3.5. I want to play 8.0 mixed myself, but being a 3.5M, I don't think I will find a 4.5W to partner with nor do I want to be the weak guy that none of the 4.0W players want to partner with. So I will wait until I am bumped to 4.0 before pursuing 8.0 mixed. I think I can hang at 4.0 men's as far as quickness, pace, and speed of the game, but I would hit more errors and get poached more than the others. I don't think it would be fun if I played at 4.5 men's because I just wouldn't hang well and would become a target, similar to the 3.5W playing 8.0 mixed. Thats kind of my perspective on the 8.0 mixed thing.

I play with numerous women that are 3.5 players at 8.0 mixed. Not many of the teams are out for blood, and for me, when we run into a team that has a 4.5 man on it, I treat it like a chance to really work on my stuff that keeps me from playing at that level.

I (a computer rated 3.5) paired with a 3.5 woman and beat a 4.0M/4.0W combo, not once, but twice in straights each time. You never know what's going to happen when you get the dynamic of mixed rolling.

 

[rasajadad]

The one season I played 8.0, I got nailed plenty. Except it was the women who were hitting at me, not the guys. They were usually the ones doing the hooking as well.

 

[duketennisgal]

The one season I played 8.0, I got nailed plenty. Except it was the women who were hitting at me, not the guys. They were usually the ones doing the hooking as well.

I'm a woman so I think it's ok for me to say this. I notice way more cheating going on in women's tennis then men's, especially at the 4.0 and below levels. I don't know why it is but that's my experience. I think as you move up in the levels it's not as bad, playing at 4.5 I don't really experience it too much, there's one or two players notorious for it though.

 

[Cindysphinx]

I don't really understand why a 4.5M would want to pair with a 3.5W in 8.0 mixed or why a 3.5W would even want to play 8.0 mixed. It doesn't seem like it would be very fun for either player with such a mis-match and having to deal with opponents with a decent game exploiting the 3.5. I want to play 8.0 mixed myself, but being a 3.5M, I don't think I will find a 4.5W to partner with nor do I want to be the weak guy that none of the 4.0W players want to partner with. So I will wait until I am bumped to 4.0 before pursuing 8.0 mixed. I think I can hang at 4.0 men's as far as quickness, pace, and speed of the game, but I would hit more errors and get poached more than the others. I don't think it would be fun if I played at 4.5 men's because I just wouldn't hang well and would become a target, similar to the 3.5W playing 8.0 mixed. Thats kind of my perspective on the 8.0 mixed thing.

The closest thing to this I have experienced was a 7.0 mixed match against the No. 1 team when I was a 3.0. On Court One. My partner was Superhero, who went to Nationals as a 4.0 that year and later moved to 4.5. Our opponents were one of my 3.0 teammates and her excellent 4.0 partner who also moved up to 4.5.

Even though the men were hugely better than the women, it was a fun and closely contested match. It was a 2-hour game of "Make The Woman Miss" and "Protect Your Female Partner By Getting The Job Done Yourself." We eeked out a win, largely because I was better at the net than my teammate, so it was easy to make her miss volleys (even though she had the much bigger serve and better groundstrokes). I remember standing close to the net and trying to be on my toes as much as possible.

That said, I can see why people wouldn't wish to be the weakest player on the court. You will see more balls, and you can get caught in a spiral of bad shots and frustration over bad shots.

Still, to be well-rounded in doubles, I think you need to be able to win when you are the weakest player on the court (in my case 7.0 or 8.0 mixed), the strongest player on the court (6.5 combo), and when everyone is evenly matched (ladies 3.5). Different skills are required for all three, for sure.

 

[Topaz]

Still, to be well-rounded in doubles, I think you need to be able to win when you are the weakest player on the court (in my case 7.0 or 8.0 mixed), the strongest player on the court (6.5 combo), and when everyone is evenly matched (ladies 3.5). Different skills are required for all three, for sure.

Very well said, Cindy.

 

[Nellie]

I would really relish an oppertunity to play at a better level.

 

[ProfoundBasic]

Not try to scare you...
you have the 'D...' word...
And, i had seen that happened...
so, IMHO, do not forget insurance...

 

[amarone]

He's a 3.5, actually. . . .

I am not sure people noticed this, given the number of subsequent posts that talked about your "4.5 partner". I have played quite a bit of 8.0 mixed and even our pairs that were made up of two low 4.0 players did poorly. I don't think two 3.5 players will have a very good record at all. However, that doesn't mean you will not enjoy it; I found USTA mixed to be one of the most sociable, fun leagues I have played.

 

[amarone]

I agree - since it seems like guys are typically about 0.5 NTRP points stronger than gals, a 4.5 gal / 3.5 guy team is like a 4.0/3.5 guy team. Pretty balanced - no one to pick on!

I think guys are more like a full 1.0 stronger than women. My wife is about 0.7 - 0.8 above me and I beat her comfortably. However, to your point, we do well at mixed doubles, one reason being because there is no huge disparity between the players.