What's Great About Your Doubles Partner?

[PushyPushster]

We get a lot of complaints in this forum and I was just curious if anyone had a testimonial to a great doubles partner? I was thinking about the topic because I'm at the tail end of my second season playing in a doubles league with a fantastic teammate. The guy never panics and is always mentally tough. We were both struggling hard in our last game against a team we should have beaten rather easily - in fact it went down to a tiebreak in the 3rd set. You know you've got a good partner when you're both playing like crap but still manage to pull out a victory.

Anyhow, what I like best about his style of play is that he never gets anxious and tries to overhit, even when we're down. It drives me nuts when a teammate kind of gives up and just starts bashing the ball in desperation. Looking over our record we're 4/5 in matches that went to a third set, mostly due to staying calm, I think.

Anyone else want to praise a partner who meshes with your style of play?

 

[goober]

What's great about my doubles partner? that I don't have one

 

[JoelDali]

No me gusta doubles.

 

[Cindysphinx]

I don't have a regular partner. I am playing with a new partner this weekend. I think she will be partner No. 55.

The most successful pairing was with a woman who had a huge first serve and big groundstrokes. No volleys, no movement. It didn't matter. She just crushed that serve and slammed those groundstrokes, and my job was to mop up any wounded ducks that happened by. In all of the matches we played, she was only broken once (until this most recent loss). I would guess our record is something like 8-2.

She has a health problem that means she will have to stop playing. I'm gonna miss her!

 

[Gemini]

My doubles partner is great because he's willing to go to net and put away sitter volleys.

 

[Jack the Hack]

As the current captain of a very good 4.5 team, I am the team's "doubles s-l-u-t": I'll play with anyone, anywhere, anytime, any how, and have a good time doing it! :twisted:

So far this year, I've had 5 different partners and I'll fill in wherever we need each week.

My strengths in doubles are usually accurate serving and returns of serve. My volley is average, my instincts and movement at the net are fairly poor, and I usually just try to block a lot of my net shots back until the point is over. I see myself as a consistant set-up person in doubles, and I'm best match up is with an aggressive net player. In other words, I'll hit the lines on the serves, get my returns down to opponent's feet, or block the volleys low... and let my partner be the poaching, put away, overhead smashing star. However, even though I'm not super explosive, because I am consistant, I can play with anyone and win.

 

[daceel]

I don't have a regular doubles partner, but my funnest partner was a guy about 6'6" or so. All I had to do was serve the ball in a such a way that a weak return or lob came back and he would absolutely crush that ball. Lots of fun

 

[beernutz]

Her boobs. She's got quite a rack.




Oh wait, you meant...

 

[TennisNinja]

Her boobs. She's got quite a rack.




Oh wait, you meant...

Hahaha. My partner's game fits mine pretty well, and he hits pretty hard, is consistent, and a good all around player and he has a good attitude.

 

[J011yroger]

We are good friends, and enjoy playing together.

J

 

[PushyPushster]

I am playing with a new partner this weekend. I think she will be partner No. 55.

After playing ALTA (Atlanta league with 5 lines of doubles) I got used to switching partners too. For some reason our captains never put a priority on keeping pairs together. Now that I've had a chance to see the other side that seems really dumb. I'm liking this fixed pair doubles league far more than I ever enjoyed ALTA.

My doubles partner is great because he's willing to go to net and put away sitter volleys.

Sounds like a keeper.

 

[Gemini]

After playing ALTA (Atlanta league with 5 lines of doubles) I got used to switching partners too. For some reason our captains never put a priority on keeping pairs together. Now that I've had a chance to see the other side that seems really dumb. I'm liking this fixed pair doubles league far more than I ever enjoyed ALTA.

ALTA can be pretty frustrating because of all the partner changing. I had that happen many years ago by the captain of one team that I was on. I tend to be very aggressive/dynamic in doubles and the captain kept pairing me with partners that didn't have an aggressive bone in their entire bodies. It just didn't work out. My current partner is strong enough off the ground to force the issue which keeps us in a neutral position or allow us to take the offensive. He's also willing to pick off sitter volleys that are results of my aggressive play and he plays smart on tougher volleys. We've won a couple of doubles tournaments over the last year so it's been a good pairing.

 

[cak]

For some reason our team captain over the last few years has determined I get the best partners. I have one partner that plays me on ad, she has a blistering forehand and strong serve that sets me up for putaways at net all the time. She makes very few errors, and tends to giggle at mine. We have a great time out there. Unfortunately for me, she was bumped, so I don't get to play with her this season, but we will be paired for combo, and I'm looking forward to it.

I have another partner I've been playing with since we started together at 2.5. She also plays deuce, and has the most unorthodox game I've ever seen. Her favorite shot is the two handed high back hand from no man's land. It's a put away for her every time. I can slice and set her up all day. And yes, if you serve down the middle to her backhand she will go down the line for a winner, every, single time. It takes sets for people to realize they ARE serving down the middle and she's still doing that.

I have a third partner that plays me at deuce. She has the most evil slice, both forehand and backhand, that she mixes in with a very grooved topspin forehand that is so consistent that she can use the same swing for a killer swinging volley from no man's land on her way to net. I don't have to put away anything, she can have all the glory shots. And again, she giggles when we make errors. My kind of girl.

Another partner I've been privileged to play with quite a bit is an up and coming former volleyball player. At six foot tall, all I have to do is get them to attempt to lob. She can put away anything. And she has the prettiest strokes. And hugest smile. Talk about an easy partner.

This week one of my partners is another favorite I played with in the past. She's the daughter of one of my friends, and was old enough to play adult league last year for the first time. Needless to say, she can run anything down, has the reaction time of a teenager (as I believe she still is one...) and has no fear to go for her shots. With a sunny personality she's a joy to join on the court.

I'm sure there are a few others I'm forgetting, but in general, I've been very lucky on the USTA partner lottery.