A while ago I put up this post and I've revised it a bit and decided to run it again. I hope you enjoy mixed from time to time.
Most of the time when you play mixed it is in a social setting. The differences in levels are apparent. Still, you want to play well without taking over the court physically, verbally or both.
Here's what to do: assess the levels (including yourself) mentally, and then try to make it so everyone has the most fun. If you don't then you have an agenda which is not the most fun when playing mixed in a social setting. If you have a weak partner who is the woman you should encourage her to play her side of the court as you would any other partner. You might suggest backing up more if facing a tough server (perhaps to the curtain if the server is blasting the cannon, playing closer to the net if she has a weak volley, or completely backing up to the backcourt to receive the ball with you if she is afraid of the ball because someone is pelting balls at her. It is important to stress that helping to find solutions find solutions is better than creating problems. If she or he wants to stay at the net then go with that. It is always better to work the stronger player's game around the weaker. The weakest link issue should be addressed mentally as you will have the best chance of playing together as a team. Adapt the weaker players skills to give the best chance of performing well. Working together as a team in a fun manner is the best way for the team to enjoy success, winning or losing. Remember that your value as a person is not determined in the win loss column.
I know at times in the past I've not been the best at encouraging my partner. If they double fault or don't get that first serve in, really try hard not to show negative body language. If you do, you put extra pressure on that player. They are more likely to repeat the unwanted result. You need to have a partner who is relaxed and having fun. Encouragement goes a long way on the tennis court. There's enough negative energy in the world today. We go to the court to get away from that. We don't want to be judged. That is not to say that we don't want to learn. That is quite a different matter. It is fun to learn about tennis as long as we don't have to figure it all out in one match. We have a lifetime. After-all tennis is a lifetime sport. If you can learn how to manage your game better with a partner then that is true fun. You will be competing at a higher level. It's always more fun to play the best you can.
I've noticed that this mixed doubles entries gets the most attention. I know here in Falmouth more players have been coming out to the classic "mixed-up doubles" Friday night mixer round-robins during the past few years. Here are a few personalities that we see on the court.
There is "Trick Shot Mike" who likes to mix up spins, and placements. His toughest shot to return is the one that goes back on his side of the net after hitting on your side. Try to take his shot in the air because the bounce will leave you shaking your head. There is "Hard Hitting Rhonda" who has great skills and a fantastic serve. I've played against her and it's tough. She can topspin off both sides and never quits on a point. There is "Awesome Ann," she knows where to be on the court and knows where to hit the ball. Her greatest strength is that she can play with anyone and keep them in the match. Of course she has great volleys too. There is "Power Joe" who blasts his serve and groundstrokes. What makes Joe tough is that most of his shots go in. He builds his game around his power. There is Jodi the "Volley Specialist." She keeps the ball in play when it seems that the point is over. She makes you hit that one extra shot when she is at the net that you just don't expect. Her lefty serve is low and tough to return. There is Bill the "Serve Specialist" who hits a great topspin serve which jumps more that you'd expect and causes timing errors for the receiver. He actually gets more errors from his opponents' on his second serve than on his first. For many people they would rather see a power serve rather than one that curves up and breaks. There is John the "Counter Puncher" who gets most balls back and has that annoying cross court forehand angle that you just don't see coming. Linda the "placement specialist," she keeps the ball and play and know where to hit it and is in position. That makes her tough to beat, the fact she has no real weaknesses. Her husband Dave is a "forehand cross courter with a slice serve." Those are two shots he seldom if ever misses. He keeps coming at you. Then there is "Hustle Sally," who gets to everything and hits solid low drives with tough pace. She can challenge your timing. Her serve is a great slider as well. Buddy her husband, is a great retriever who can "turn defense to offense" with his long reach and quickness. It's tough to get balls by him at net. There is my daughter Kara, who love to play mixed doubles; she can hit laser groundstrokes and sneaks up to the net quickly to put angle volleys away. She's had some great matches with Bill, who recently has lifted his return of serve skills and his new two-handed backhand. Sarah, Falmouth's senior tennis captain has a two-handed power backhand that's equivalent to a slap-shot that seldom misses.
Every one of these players and more (the list is growing) have talents they bring to the courts. Friday night tennis is a blast.
Mixed Doubles Tips
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.
Most of the time when you play mixed it is in a social setting. The differences in levels are apparent. Still, you want to play well without taking over the court physically, verbally or both.
Here's what to do: assess the levels (including yourself) mentally, and then try to make it so everyone has the most fun. If you don't then you have an agenda which is not the most fun when playing mixed in a social setting. If you have a weak partner who is the woman you should encourage her to play her side of the court as you would any other partner. You might suggest backing up more if facing a tough server (perhaps to the curtain if the server is blasting the cannon, playing closer to the net if she has a weak volley, or completely backing up to the backcourt to receive the ball with you if she is afraid of the ball because someone is pelting balls at her. It is important to stress that helping to find solutions find solutions is better than creating problems. If she or he wants to stay at the net then go with that. It is always better to work the stronger player's game around the weaker. The weakest link issue should be addressed mentally as you will have the best chance of playing together as a team. Adapt the weaker players skills to give the best chance of performing well. Working together as a team in a fun manner is the best way for the team to enjoy success, winning or losing. Remember that your value as a person is not determined in the win loss column.
I know at times in the past I've not been the best at encouraging my partner. If they double fault or don't get that first serve in, really try hard not to show negative body language. If you do, you put extra pressure on that player. They are more likely to repeat the unwanted result. You need to have a partner who is relaxed and having fun. Encouragement goes a long way on the tennis court. There's enough negative energy in the world today. We go to the court to get away from that. We don't want to be judged. That is not to say that we don't want to learn. That is quite a different matter. It is fun to learn about tennis as long as we don't have to figure it all out in one match. We have a lifetime. After-all tennis is a lifetime sport. If you can learn how to manage your game better with a partner then that is true fun. You will be competing at a higher level. It's always more fun to play the best you can.
I've noticed that this mixed doubles entries gets the most attention. I know here in Falmouth more players have been coming out to the classic "mixed-up doubles" Friday night mixer round-robins during the past few years. Here are a few personalities that we see on the court.
There is "Trick Shot Mike" who likes to mix up spins, and placements. His toughest shot to return is the one that goes back on his side of the net after hitting on your side. Try to take his shot in the air because the bounce will leave you shaking your head. There is "Hard Hitting Rhonda" who has great skills and a fantastic serve. I've played against her and it's tough. She can topspin off both sides and never quits on a point. There is "Awesome Ann," she knows where to be on the court and knows where to hit the ball. Her greatest strength is that she can play with anyone and keep them in the match. Of course she has great volleys too. There is "Power Joe" who blasts his serve and groundstrokes. What makes Joe tough is that most of his shots go in. He builds his game around his power. There is Jodi the "Volley Specialist." She keeps the ball in play when it seems that the point is over. She makes you hit that one extra shot when she is at the net that you just don't expect. Her lefty serve is low and tough to return. There is Bill the "Serve Specialist" who hits a great topspin serve which jumps more that you'd expect and causes timing errors for the receiver. He actually gets more errors from his opponents' on his second serve than on his first. For many people they would rather see a power serve rather than one that curves up and breaks. There is John the "Counter Puncher" who gets most balls back and has that annoying cross court forehand angle that you just don't see coming. Linda the "placement specialist," she keeps the ball and play and know where to hit it and is in position. That makes her tough to beat, the fact she has no real weaknesses. Her husband Dave is a "forehand cross courter with a slice serve." Those are two shots he seldom if ever misses. He keeps coming at you. Then there is "Hustle Sally," who gets to everything and hits solid low drives with tough pace. She can challenge your timing. Her serve is a great slider as well. Buddy her husband, is a great retriever who can "turn defense to offense" with his long reach and quickness. It's tough to get balls by him at net. There is my daughter Kara, who love to play mixed doubles; she can hit laser groundstrokes and sneaks up to the net quickly to put angle volleys away. She's had some great matches with Bill, who recently has lifted his return of serve skills and his new two-handed backhand. Sarah, Falmouth's senior tennis captain has a two-handed power backhand that's equivalent to a slap-shot that seldom misses.
Every one of these players and more (the list is growing) have talents they bring to the courts. Friday night tennis is a blast.
Mixed Doubles Tips
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.
