1. If you are the woman serving to the deuce court (the forehand court) do not serve the ball wide. This does two things, it takes your partner out of the point (wide balls hit to the opponent's forehand create wide angles on the return and worse, ally shots past your male partner (nauseating). This doesn't allow your partner to be an effective poaching machine especially if he is not very mobile. You will create a hybrid form of singles, bad idea. Serve "T" to the backhand (if you've got the control). Your partner has a better chance of volleying the ball for a winner and you won't get outflanked by the return angle cross court. It will be driven near your area of position.
2. If you are the woman serving to the ad court, facing the guy returning, it might make sense to move way out to the left of the baseline and serve near the doubles ally and serve inside out to the returners backhand. This will avoid the forehand weapon of the receiver (usually the guy is put in the ad box to decide more of the ad points, right!). If you hit to that big forehand your partner may get a ball slammed in his chest. Yes, I've had that happen to me and that starts another story about sportsmanship--particularly when you have different levels on the court. It's not socially prudent to take free shots at players set up by weaker levels on the court. It's not sporting, in the same way that shooting a duck in the water isn't much fun, treeing a coon with a bulldozer or fishing with dynamite. Worse than that would be if the man slammed an easy second from the other guy into the woman at the net. If you serve wide in the ad most of this can be avoided. By serving over wide near the ally this will most likely result in a forehand for you the woman server. Another great reason all by itself.
3. If you are the woman or man in the back court position yourself try to hit as many forehands as possible. This is much easier to in doubles than singles because you only have to cover your half of the court. If your backhand is the best shot then position yourself for as many backhands as possible.
4. If there is a player who is dominating the net on every return you make then you should lob the ball over that player to take away that offensive position. Many times poachers fail to follow the ball back and you or your partner can take the next ball out of the air and hit behind that "over-the-net-reaching" raising havoc in your return games. Another play is to hit right at the player and force a slow draw with their racket which can produce hack nubs and weak returns if not an error. Unexpected shots usually produce the best outcomes even if not intentionally delivered.
5. On the other hand it may make more sense for the server to hit serves that he or she wants to be returned to them come to them because of their weak net partner. Knowing that most receivers in the deuce court will hit wide returns of serve cross court, I may intentionally hit to their forehand to set myself for the next shot. It keeps my partner more at home as well. She will have to cover the ally when I serve. This keeps the bigger diagonal open for me to cover. Serving down the middle could create a rip right at her catching her by surprise by sheer speed alone. I don't like my partner surprised. I want them confident and in control. Level should be a concern when placing shots near your partner.
Write me if you have any questions about these or other mixed doubles strategies.
2. If you are the woman serving to the ad court, facing the guy returning, it might make sense to move way out to the left of the baseline and serve near the doubles ally and serve inside out to the returners backhand. This will avoid the forehand weapon of the receiver (usually the guy is put in the ad box to decide more of the ad points, right!). If you hit to that big forehand your partner may get a ball slammed in his chest. Yes, I've had that happen to me and that starts another story about sportsmanship--particularly when you have different levels on the court. It's not socially prudent to take free shots at players set up by weaker levels on the court. It's not sporting, in the same way that shooting a duck in the water isn't much fun, treeing a coon with a bulldozer or fishing with dynamite. Worse than that would be if the man slammed an easy second from the other guy into the woman at the net. If you serve wide in the ad most of this can be avoided. By serving over wide near the ally this will most likely result in a forehand for you the woman server. Another great reason all by itself.
3. If you are the woman or man in the back court position yourself try to hit as many forehands as possible. This is much easier to in doubles than singles because you only have to cover your half of the court. If your backhand is the best shot then position yourself for as many backhands as possible.
4. If there is a player who is dominating the net on every return you make then you should lob the ball over that player to take away that offensive position. Many times poachers fail to follow the ball back and you or your partner can take the next ball out of the air and hit behind that "over-the-net-reaching" raising havoc in your return games. Another play is to hit right at the player and force a slow draw with their racket which can produce hack nubs and weak returns if not an error. Unexpected shots usually produce the best outcomes even if not intentionally delivered.
5. On the other hand it may make more sense for the server to hit serves that he or she wants to be returned to them come to them because of their weak net partner. Knowing that most receivers in the deuce court will hit wide returns of serve cross court, I may intentionally hit to their forehand to set myself for the next shot. It keeps my partner more at home as well. She will have to cover the ally when I serve. This keeps the bigger diagonal open for me to cover. Serving down the middle could create a rip right at her catching her by surprise by sheer speed alone. I don't like my partner surprised. I want them confident and in control. Level should be a concern when placing shots near your partner.
Write me if you have any questions about these or other mixed doubles strategies.
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