It’s been a while since I’ve gotten technical, so I thought
I’d talk about doubles prior to the State Closed Doubles championships this
upcoming weekend that Seminole HP will be representing deeply in. We have at
least four doubles teams going, and we wish them the best of luck at this
tournament. We’ve been working on doubles this week, and I’ve noticed some
doubles strategies that can be useful for players that they don’t incorporate.
The Seminole HP coaches always talk about the three most important things in
doubles (I would hope that our players would be able to recite them in their
sleep by now):
1.) First serve percentage: Without a first serve, you are
instantly on the defensive, which is the opposite of what you want to be.
2.) Communication: Doubles is just that: if you play as a
team, you can be double the trouble. Players that complement each other in
their tennis styles especially need to talk to each other, from where to stand
to how one expects the other to play. Always call where the serve is going and
where the volleyer is going to move. When you are deciding whether or not to
drill a return of serve at the net player down the line, let your partner know
so they aren’t blindsided if you pop an easy shot to the volley and they end up
a sit and duck. Communication during the point is also important; “Up” signals
both players to move into the net, while “You” or “Got it” signifies who moves
where, usually with one player crossing the court to hold the other side down.
3.) Keeping it simple: Everyone wants the ESPN shot. Well,
news flash—ESPN isn’t there at your tennis match to broadcast your fancy little
volley dropshot. Usually teams that end up at the net being aggressive are the victors
in doubles. There are some teams, however, that hold down the court while both
on the baseline outstandingly. It really depends on who you’re playing with and
how you and your partner normally play. Whatever you do, keep it simple. First
serve percentage is high, the volleyer and the baseliner move but aren’t trying
to do too much, moving and poaching on shots that are realistic, and are
keeping the ball play through the middle rather than trying to thread a needle
by attempting to pass the volleyer through the doubles alley (unlike alligators
and dinosaurs, humans do have arms that can reach out the length of the doubles
alley) .
As for strategies, the go-to strategy, whether boys or girls
tennis, is keeping it consistently crosscourt between the two baselines until
a.) one of the baseliners moves in or b.) the volleyer poaches. When both your
opponents are at the net, be ready for a drop shot, and, depending on where
they are standing, incorporate lobs or low, off-pace shots that dip at their
feet. Make them volley! If you are hitting at them, (ideally you should hit
through the middle), make sure it’s at their hips rather than a higher volley
that is easy to put away. When both opponents are on the baseline, instead of
patty-caking it back and forth, be aggressive and move up to the net when you
can, and use the drop shots or shorter balls to move your opponents across the
court. A strategy that makes a big difference in my eyes is movement and where
you are standing. I played a tournament last weekend and noticed that all the
people stood practically in the doubles alley when I was returning. Because
they lacked presence, I didn’t even see them in my peripheral vision, making it
easy to hit my shots. I also had more room to move the baseliner around. When I
played in college and girls were standing in the middle of the box, I felt
pressure to really get it crosscourt, and missed more often. Do that to your
opponent. Make yourself visible to the opponents.
Doubles is all about teamwork and footwork. Some people
think that it is easier than singles, but it is a bit more complex and still
requires a lot of effort even if you are technically covering only half the court.
Doubles is intense but fun, so the best advice I can give always is to enjoy
it!
