What to do in this doubles boring situation?

If my team mate stay back

  • I better at the net to get in play

    Votes: 2 66.7%
  • I better back too to get in play

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 1 33.3%
  • It depends

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    3

Steady Eddy

Legend
Never play 2-back if one player is much weaker as the stronger player will not get a single ball. If he is a liability at the net missing easy shots or not putting away easy volleys, then park him close to the net and near the alley while you are prepared to cover a lot of court including lobs. When he is serving, I-formation is good if he is willing to serve from near the center line and quickly move to cover one side, but many weak players are unwilling to do that. In that case, play from a position closer to the middle at the net and try to poach a lot. Unfortunately if his serves and shots are weak, the opponents will successfully keep the ball away from you when he serves and returns.
You're right, but court politics prevents doing it. Sometimes, I know I'd win more points if my partner stayed OFF the court! But you can't tell someone that. For political reasons, they get half the court, and more than half of the balls because the opponents direct all shots to them.

If you go to the net you'll be human target practice because of your partner lollypop shots. They don't understand that the net game doesn't work so well behind short, high bouncers. They'll think simply that you're not a good enough volleyer.

Grin and bear it. At least you're getting some fresh air.
 

LuckyR

Legend
What to do, if the opponents can every ball hit to my weak tennis partner ?
I play: serves, returns.
The rest is totally boring, they hit all balls to my tennis partner.
The problem is here not losing the match but boring double tennis.
Doubles placement could help - my partner schould stay at the net or at the near of the sideline - but he plays rather at the baseline in his usual place.
(Of cource is good to avoid this type of doubles tennis, but what if you are in this situation)

Thank you for your answer
Toth
There is an answer, but the real question is: is your partner on board with solving this "problem", since it involves him changing, not you?
 

toth

Hall of Fame
There is an answer, but the real question is: is your partner on board with solving this "problem", since it involves him changing, not you?
Lets assume he does not help me with his placement on court.
He stays back and cover the half of the court
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
If you play occasionally with low level players who insist on standing in unconventional spots (no-man’s land, near alley) and miss many easy volleys, you can’t really make them change their ways as they really don’t want to hit any volleys because they have no confidence in their abilities based on decades of experience. If they are much worse than you from the baseline in addition, playing two-back is not an option either as all balls will be hit to them. Best to do your best in that particular match running around the court and never play with them again.
 

LuckyR

Legend
Lets assume he does not help me with his placement on court.
He stays back and cover the half of the court
Then you can't access the true answer to the problem. So either take poor quality play as the "norm" (with this guy) or if you only want high quality, drop this guy as a partner.
 
Last edited:

tlm

G.O.A.T.
What to do, if the opponents can every ball hit to my weak tennis partner ?
I play: serves, returns.
The rest is totally boring, they hit all balls to my tennis partner.
The problem is here not losing the match but boring double tennis.
Doubles placement could help - my partner schould stay at the net or at the near of the sideline - but he plays rather at the baseline in his usual place.
(Of cource is good to avoid this type of doubles tennis, but what if you are in this situation)

Thank you for your answer
Toth
That’s why doubles is boring, so to solve this problem I play singles 99% of the time.
 

tlm

G.O.A.T.
This is essentially a non-existant problem in "real" doubles.
Well in the real doubles like 4.5 level and up its even shorter points. Serve and maybe 2-3 shots and pick up balls and get ready to serve again then rinse and repeat. The majority of the time is spent picking up balls and serving.
 
Top