As I am playing mixed doubles again and learning to be a little more aggressive in finishing points so my opponents don't start picking on my partner, I tried some new things that seemed to work well.
After losing a service game and down 0-30 in my third service game, we went to the Australian formation and pulled out that game and won the next 3 of my service games easily. The opponents were thrown off by the formation, my partner had more time to volley being crosscourt, and I could serve bigger and more to the center court from the center T.
When the opposing male was serving, we played 2 back since he had a good serve, and then I would charge the net after her lob returns would clear the lady at net. I would move tight to the net and close to the center to pressure them to hit a hard passing shot or lob. They usually lobbed and went long.
I also moved in close to the center and tight to the net when my partner served (usually she served up the T since she wasn't fast and they could burn her with wide returns if she served wide). Again they would usually lob long worried about me at net and my overhead since I am 6'4.
So after starting slow and losing the first set 6-3, we made these adjustments and pulled out the last two sets easily 6-2, 6-1. The opposing lady also struggled to volley my heavily sliced forehands and they sort of fell apart and made alot more errors as the match went on. Fun to win in mixed when your partner is adaptable willing to try new things.
After losing a service game and down 0-30 in my third service game, we went to the Australian formation and pulled out that game and won the next 3 of my service games easily. The opponents were thrown off by the formation, my partner had more time to volley being crosscourt, and I could serve bigger and more to the center court from the center T.
When the opposing male was serving, we played 2 back since he had a good serve, and then I would charge the net after her lob returns would clear the lady at net. I would move tight to the net and close to the center to pressure them to hit a hard passing shot or lob. They usually lobbed and went long.
I also moved in close to the center and tight to the net when my partner served (usually she served up the T since she wasn't fast and they could burn her with wide returns if she served wide). Again they would usually lob long worried about me at net and my overhead since I am 6'4.
So after starting slow and losing the first set 6-3, we made these adjustments and pulled out the last two sets easily 6-2, 6-1. The opposing lady also struggled to volley my heavily sliced forehands and they sort of fell apart and made alot more errors as the match went on. Fun to win in mixed when your partner is adaptable willing to try new things.
