msweigert08
Rookie
What is your doubles strategy? How do you and your partner approach each match? I know my partner and I think wider not longer, quick points and dont be afraid of attacking that guy at the net.
Your best doubles strategy
- Thread starter msweigert08
- Start date
Here's my normal doubles strategy with a new partner:
"Lets start out with keeping the ball deep in the corners and be active at the net. I'm never going to be upset for you for missing a ball at the net you go for, and if you decide to go early I'll often be able to move back behind you so set up aggressively and its OK if they get a few free points by going down the line. We cover a lot of court so if we get in trouble our get out of jail free card is the lob to the corner- make them beat us by attacking from well behind the baseline"
"Lets start out with keeping the ball deep in the corners and be active at the net. I'm never going to be upset for you for missing a ball at the net you go for, and if you decide to go early I'll often be able to move back behind you so set up aggressively and its OK if they get a few free points by going down the line. We cover a lot of court so if we get in trouble our get out of jail free card is the lob to the corner- make them beat us by attacking from well behind the baseline"
Taxvictim
Semi-Pro
There are entire books and websites devoted to this topic. A few good starting points:
http://www.successfuldoubles.com/doubles-tennis-tips.htm
http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Doubles-Winning-Strategies/dp/1558703306
There was a great website called "Operation Doubles", but the woman that ran it died. You can run searches and find some of the articles from that site.
http://www.successfuldoubles.com/doubles-tennis-tips.htm
http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Doubles-Winning-Strategies/dp/1558703306
There was a great website called "Operation Doubles", but the woman that ran it died. You can run searches and find some of the articles from that site.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
The best doubles strategy is any strategy that forces your opponents to change their favorite shots and strategies.
I had the pleasure of doing this over the weekend. My partner and I took the early lead by coming to net, but the opponents countered with good passing shots and lobs. After a while, it seemed like the opponents were totally in a groove. Spank their return hard crosscourt, come to net. We started losing.
We decided to take them out of their comfort zone. We played Aussie. One of them seemed not to have played against Aussie before and started missing returns long. Both started to return more defensively or attempt shots they didn't have.
Game, set and match. Thank you, Aussie!
I had the pleasure of doing this over the weekend. My partner and I took the early lead by coming to net, but the opponents countered with good passing shots and lobs. After a while, it seemed like the opponents were totally in a groove. Spank their return hard crosscourt, come to net. We started losing.
We decided to take them out of their comfort zone. We played Aussie. One of them seemed not to have played against Aussie before and started missing returns long. Both started to return more defensively or attempt shots they didn't have.
Game, set and match. Thank you, Aussie!
anubis
Hall of Fame
1. communicate with your partner
2. communicate with your partner
3. communicate with your partner
4. push the net as much as possible
I'm sure there's more to it, but that will get you ahead in most league matches i think.
And when I say "communicate", I mean make sure you two are covering all areas of the court. Let each other know who has control of the ball. When to switch sides. when to cover the front or back. Don't leave anything to chance and don't assume your partner is paying close attention.
2. communicate with your partner
3. communicate with your partner
4. push the net as much as possible
I'm sure there's more to it, but that will get you ahead in most league matches i think.
And when I say "communicate", I mean make sure you two are covering all areas of the court. Let each other know who has control of the ball. When to switch sides. when to cover the front or back. Don't leave anything to chance and don't assume your partner is paying close attention.
Taxvictim
Semi-Pro
It also seems much easier to poach if you start in the Aussie formation.
I'll go along with that.
USERNAME
Professional
Mens dubs: Start with bombs up the middle on 1st serves, if they're going in it makes for lots o f easy crosses for me or my partner. Throw in kickers into the body and hard slices out wide on 1st serves as we progress. Deuce side slices wide on 2nd serves, ad side topspin wide on 2nd serves. Of course S&V on majority of on serve points. Unless its an easy put away most of my volleys are a bit to the middle more towards the back man.
While returning, flat and low when given the chance but more often I go for spinny dipping angles. If I have time (weak 2nd serve maybe) Ill crack a few dtl or directly at the net man. Once again my priority is to get to and control the forecourt.
I throw in lobs when I got guys crowding me, chip lob returns or regular lobs in a rally. Overheads are tricky... Really depends on who I'm playing and how good of a high ball Im dealing with, if it's a hard shot Ill aim for my opponents feet if easy it goes to the open court.
Overall communicate with your partner so you both attack and move as a unit, covering each other as best you can.
While returning, flat and low when given the chance but more often I go for spinny dipping angles. If I have time (weak 2nd serve maybe) Ill crack a few dtl or directly at the net man. Once again my priority is to get to and control the forecourt.
I throw in lobs when I got guys crowding me, chip lob returns or regular lobs in a rally. Overheads are tricky... Really depends on who I'm playing and how good of a high ball Im dealing with, if it's a hard shot Ill aim for my opponents feet if easy it goes to the open court.
Overall communicate with your partner so you both attack and move as a unit, covering each other as best you can.
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
That is way too much to think about. And you covered just about every scenario.
Here is what I say to a partner: hit hard, low, and flat down the middle. If the opponents can handle that, we will adjust. Keep going to the well until the well is dry.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
I'm talking Aussie, where the server and receiver line up on the same side. I don't think it is easier to poach in that formation. It is much easier to cut off the crosscourt return, however, and that is the main value in it IME.
It sounds like you might be thinking I formation. It is easier to poach from I formation, but it is awfully hard to get up from a squat fast enough to be effective.
Good choice to be the captain, then. LOL.
kylebarendrick
Professional
I think poaching from Australian is actually quite easy and effective. The other team sees you line up in Australian and the returner (correctly) decides to hit their return up the line. The server's partner then poaches (back to where they'd normally be) and puts the ball away, leaving the receivers much less sure of where to return. To me the goal is less about cutting off the cross court returns than it is about stopping the returners from getting into a groove.
I agree that jumping up from the squat in an i-formation can be problematic for us old guys.
I agree that jumping up from the squat in an i-formation can be problematic for us old guys.
goober
Legend
Well that would be my best strategy individually, but as a captain I have other responsibilities and often play with the weakest players on the team.
ChipNCharge
Professional
My best strategy, singles or doubles, is the "out!!" call.
jc4.0
Professional
versatility
depends on who I'm playing. I try to develop versatility in my own game so I'm not predictable, and so that I can have a game "plan b", "plan c", etc., if my best stuff isn't working, and when I see that my opponent has a weak spot that I can pick on. Your best weapon in doubles is your brain, second most important is fast feet.
For starters, forcing aggressive net players back to the baseline usually works well. Then you can move in for the kill-volley. If I'm playing base-line pushers, I'll pepper in short angles and droppers. I had a great coach who said "when in doubt, hit deep down the middle". Still think that's great advice...
depends on who I'm playing. I try to develop versatility in my own game so I'm not predictable, and so that I can have a game "plan b", "plan c", etc., if my best stuff isn't working, and when I see that my opponent has a weak spot that I can pick on. Your best weapon in doubles is your brain, second most important is fast feet.
For starters, forcing aggressive net players back to the baseline usually works well. Then you can move in for the kill-volley. If I'm playing base-line pushers, I'll pepper in short angles and droppers. I had a great coach who said "when in doubt, hit deep down the middle". Still think that's great advice...
skiracer55
Hall of Fame
Good advice, generally...
...as Taxvictim notes in post #4, there are a bazillion possibilities, and if you want to go there, there's plenty of info available.
In general, however, as Cindy points out, you want to come up with a Plan A for a match based on your strengths and what you think your opponents' weaknesses are, and that includes ways you can use your strengths directly against your opponents' weaknesses. So it's hard to generalize for all doubles teams, you need to base your strategy on an honest assessment of what you do well.
That's Plan A. If Plan A works, stick with Plan A. Never change a winning game (just to show that you have lots of other things you can do, for example). The corollary is, of course, Always change a losing game. There's no point in going through the same door twice. And the most basic change is to give the other team a different look, throw them off their rhythm, but do it with something you can actually make happen...as opposed to Hail Mary cures. Going to Aussie (Or I) formation is a simple change that may very well produce the results you want...without any hero moves that require strokes or strategies you don't have...
...as Taxvictim notes in post #4, there are a bazillion possibilities, and if you want to go there, there's plenty of info available.
In general, however, as Cindy points out, you want to come up with a Plan A for a match based on your strengths and what you think your opponents' weaknesses are, and that includes ways you can use your strengths directly against your opponents' weaknesses. So it's hard to generalize for all doubles teams, you need to base your strategy on an honest assessment of what you do well.
That's Plan A. If Plan A works, stick with Plan A. Never change a winning game (just to show that you have lots of other things you can do, for example). The corollary is, of course, Always change a losing game. There's no point in going through the same door twice. And the most basic change is to give the other team a different look, throw them off their rhythm, but do it with something you can actually make happen...as opposed to Hail Mary cures. Going to Aussie (Or I) formation is a simple change that may very well produce the results you want...without any hero moves that require strokes or strategies you don't have...
Most of the teams we encountered in the 4.5 league didn't use signals. The few that did, it never seemed to help. I always get a kick out of teams that spend a lot of time before every point plotting their strategy, only to have it make no difference.
I'm sure that at some level signaling can be an asset. But from what I've seen it usually amounts to nothing.
I don't play in a 4.5 league I am a 5.0 who plays in an open league. Maybe that's why it works. Some of the guys I play against using signals and crossing does a great job of taking a returner out of his rhythm. I hope you enjoy your 4.5 league.... maybe you can get some mixed doubles in too.
I don't play in a 4.5 league I am a 5.0 who plays in an open league. Maybe that's why it works. Some of the guys I play against using signals and crossing does a great job of taking a returner out of his rhythm. I hope you enjoy your 4.5 league.... maybe you can get some mixed doubles in too.
From the what I've seen of 5.0s and 5.5s the serve is definitely one of the areas of separation. I can see how signaling would be dependant on the server being able to consistently hit a quality serve to the intended spot. Without that the return is too unpredictable for the signaled plans to pan out as designed.
At 4.5 there are guys who can hit their spots but not with devastating pace or kick, and the guys who do have the big bombs don't seem to have the placement. So as I said, at some level I can imagine signaling is an effective tool, but at 4.5 and below, maybe not so much.
I can't tell how snarky or patronizing you intended for that last comment to be, but I don't mind saying that indeed I will have fun playing the mixed doubles league too.
PrinceMoron
Legend
Get on court with a top 300 player and then you will see the holes on your game eg you don't move fast enough, you don't really hit any angles, you can't hit volleys deep enough without missing some, your second serve just gets your partner killed, you can't put away a smash.
Bit of an eye opener really but something to be experienced.
Bit of an eye opener really but something to be experienced.
USERNAME
Professional
Not when ya play with the same dude pretty much all season! After preseason training is done we pretty much know what we want to do and just say if we are gonna change it up during a match (or maybe before if we know something about the opposition). Played a few times with a different guy and in that case I opted to play to his strengths. And mixed... I mess around in mixed too much, lucky my gf is good or we'd lose cause of me.
darrinbaker00
Professional
My best doubles strategy is not to play doubles. Love watching it, hate playing it.
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