| Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that people fail in | | | | nice easy volley either for the opposite net player who |
| their quest to play great tennis doubles is that they | | | | can poach it or for the oncoming voleyer. If you |
| have the wrong shots. Ok, let's get things straight, I | | | | possess a sharply dipping topspin shot that you can |
| have 1 objective for you with these tactics (and you | | | | angle or put at the feet of the opposition then you are |
| should have 1 objective for yourself) and that is this. | | | | ok, but if all you have is the sinles like groundstroke |
| To play winning doubles!! No more and no less than | | | | then you are in trouble. Also, if you can't get the ball to |
| that. Anything else good that comes along should be | | | | dip at the feet of an oncoming player you will only be |
| viewed as a bonus, but if we only have one thing that | | | | presenting them with a volley or mid court ball that |
| we are aiming for then let it be that. That being said, | | | | they can hit on the rise and make life difficult for you. |
| there are certain shots I see people trying to hit when | | | | You may also have a problem changing grips when/if |
| they play doubles that are just not the best shots they | | | | you come to volley/half volley if you have a |
| could play. And maybe worse still, they spend a whole | | | | semi-western or western grip because that helps you |
| load of time (and money) trying to improve those | | | | hit topspin. You DO need a sliced backhand & |
| shots. To be honest, I was in the same boat a while | | | | forehand Having a sliced shot on both wings |
| ago and it wasn't until someone (thanks Nick G) took | | | | (especially the backhand) will prove invaluable. You can |
| me aside and pointed all this stuff out that I knew and | | | | play a slice without rotating your upper body which |
| understood it. We ended up playing doubles together | | | | does several great things for you. It means you can |
| and won several titles together. I'm under no illusions | | | | deal with a fast oncoming ball in less time (no rotation |
| that he was the superior partner, a bit like the John | | | | needed). You can also play it while moving forwards |
| McEnroe in the McEnroe & Fleming partnership, | | | | (again no rotation needed) so getting to the net quicker |
| but hey, someone has to be. But he made sure that | | | | becomes easier. And you can get the ball down low |
| we both "read off the same hymn book" so to speak | | | | to the feet of the opposition much easier making things |
| and I know I was more than good enough to back him | | | | much more difficult. I have seen Nadal who has great |
| up so I can sleep at night :-) So, I want to do the same | | | | topspin shots returning and playing with slice in doubles |
| for you. I want to give some of that wisdom to you, | | | | much more than when he plays singles. It will also help |
| because without it you are nowhere near the doubles | | | | the "feel" on your volleys as it is played pretty much in |
| player you could be and it doesn't take that much to | | | | the same way. Nick and I would play many practise |
| turn things around. So, back to the shots. If our only | | | | sessions/matches only using sliced forehands and |
| objective is to play winning doubles then here are | | | | backhands and the associated volleys and you would |
| some shots you need to put time into developing and | | | | be surprised how successful we were with that tactic. |
| improving versus some shots you don't need the extra | | | | 3. You DON'T need a smash This freaks many people |
| time to improve. If you already have them sorted, then | | | | out. They get used to coming to the net and up goes |
| that's great but there are certain things you NEED to | | | | the lob. They go for the smash and it comes back, |
| be doing to improve your doubles and they are not | | | | maybe over their heads. They smash again (a bit |
| them!! (is that correct English??). Ok, let's go!! 1. You | | | | harder) and the same thing happens and/or they miss. |
| DON'T need a big flat serve The biggest problem with | | | | It shouldn't take you long to realize that many of the |
| the big fast serve is this - It reduces the time you have | | | | people that lob a lot are in fact very good at returning |
| to get ready for the ball coming back, when they | | | | the flat smash. They do it because they are good at it |
| return it. Returners also get the chance to tee off at | | | | and because they know people will just try to hit the |
| the ball, using the pace and often without having to | | | | ball harder and often miss. It's the same principle as not |
| move their feet much so they retain their court position. | | | | needing a hard flat serve. The returners of the smash |
| Yes, if you are playing a pair of a much lesser | | | | often don't move much and just use the pace you |
| standard and you already have a big flat serve then | | | | give them to give you an even higher, deeper ball to |
| great, but if you don't already have full command over | | | | smash again. You've got to be really good to win this |
| one then concentrate on the opposite option. You DO | | | | game. You Do need a variable overhead I make the |
| need a good spin serve A good spin serve does | | | | distinction between the two for the following reason. |
| everything a hard flat serve doesn't do. It gives you | | | | The smash is a shot that says it all - a smash!! An |
| more time to get ready for the next shot (hopefully a | | | | overhead implies that you do several different things |
| volley). It doesn't give the returner as much pace to | | | | with a ball that is - overhead. When you are faced |
| work with and it will force them to move. If it's good | | | | with a lob and your opponents are at the baseline |
| enough then a weak return is always the result of a | | | | waiting for your smash, what you need is this. A sliced |
| player forced to move their feet and off balance. It will | | | | or angled overhead landing around the service line. Not |
| bring your partner into play more often to poach and | | | | only is that nearly impossible to pick up from behind the |
| will open up more gaps on the court (as they have to | | | | baseline it means that if they do go for it they are on |
| move to get the ball) for you to exploit. If you watched | | | | the move (control then difficult) and also they leave |
| Roger Federer win the Gold medal at the last | | | | massive gaps on the court. Just like the serving |
| Olympics you would have seen him serving for | | | | example I gave you earlier!! I hope this made sense. It |
| placement not power. 2. You DON'T need Topspin | | | | really is just a matter of solid tennis strategy, intelligent |
| groundstrokes This is a funny one, because this is a | | | | play & knowing what to do. Not trying hard. As I |
| shot you definitely need for singles. But for doubles the | | | | said at the beginning, I was lucky enough to be told this |
| concept of hitting high looping shots from the back of | | | | stuff by someone else and it transformed my tennis |
| the court is a no - no and here is why! Shots travelling | | | | doubles game. Hopefully this will do the same for you. |
| deep to the back of the court with topspin become a | | | | |