Ten Points To Better Doubles

1. Get your first serve in because it sets up your partner for a possible poach.

2. Return the serve cross court, well.

3. Rally Cross Court, well.

4. After every shot transition to the net or behind the baseline and split-step.

5. Make easy volleys. Don't get greedy or to creative.

6. When you and your partner are at the net, and have a high easy ball, go to the short side, not deep.

7. Hit passing shots down the middle, most of the time.

8. If you are deep behind the baseline and both players are at the net, lob.

9. The secret sauce of the game is poaching diagonally at the net and cutting off baseline shots and 

    volleys.

10. Communicate: up, back, you, me, switch, go, and poaching signals.

Merry Christmas.

Tomorrow, ten basic points of singles.

Winning Doubles

The key to winning doubles is holding your serve; if your team holds without breaking then you are in a tie-breaker situation. How can I improve my holding skills? WORK

ON YOUR SERVE: placements, depth, spins, and speed; after that back it up with volleys and overheads like a backboard.

Book a court, even for a half hour and hit serves cross court to your partner. They hit back cross court using only the diagonal doubles courts for play (so you don't cover the whole court). This isolates the serve, return, volleys overheads, passing shots and lobs. Hey this is doubles with two people (one one doubles). Keep score if you want just like real tennis switching sides after each point. Or you can have your partner serve to a certain spot so you can work your return out. OR you can say down the "t" to the receiver so they know whats coming--you get a tougher volley coming in.

Holding serve is the first priorty to winning doulbes. Control what you can do--well! That's the first step to winning doubes!

Coach "K"

Doubles Hand Signals

1. The first signal from the net player gives the direction of the serve: to the left, middle or right of the service box. The server acknowledges that she got the signal by saying "Yes." Or, the server says, "No" until she gets the signal she wants.

2. The second signal from the net player alerts the server to whether or not she will poach (the open hand indicates to the server to switch sides) or stay and fake (a fist). Again the server acknowledges she got the signal by saying, "yes or no."

Steps 1 and 2 are repeated before each serve.

Slice Serve v. Kick Serve

Today the serve. Is it important to be able to hit a kick serve? I think it's important to learn but it doesn't have to be your bread and butter shot. First, if your kick serve isn't a good one, it's going to get "rocked!" A good kick serve has strong pace with spin, a deadly combination. If your kick serve is marginal, work on a better slice serve and flat serve. Many matches I have used a flat second serve to get out of a jam. Sure its dicey, but it's not as bad a receiving a cannon winner return. The slice serve stays low and can mess with timing especially when you vary placement and with flat ball combinations. I equate the slice serve to the slider in baseball.

A good slider pitcher can kill you; look at McEnroe--he gives everyone trouble when that slider is hitting the lines. Accuracy and consistency can always be improved; speed can be improved upon to a degree but the gene pool determines most of that component.

Doubles Tip

When you play doubles your favorite flavor should be vanilla. What the hell does that mean, Kev?

IT means when you hit a passing shot go down the middle and rip it with topspin. That is not the time to get creative with low percentage angles and down the line shots.

But hey, those are my best shots.

If they go in then do it; if they miss, go with vanilla.
Same with the first volley and most second volleys; hit through the cross court middle; forget about the sick drop volley angle.

But hey, I love that shot.

Then do it when your up by two or more points. Don't risk losing the point with a low percentage shot against a skilled opponent.

Paying Attention To The Details Of Your Doubles Match

1. What is your hold rate? What's that? If you were to serve ten times, how many times would you hold serve against your peers? In doubles you need to be above 80%. Why? Your serve needs to be a weapon! Work on it till it becomes one or back it up with a volley that seldom misses or both!

2. What is your break rate? What's that? If you were to receive ten times, how many times would you break your opponents serve? If you can break 25% or higher and hold 80% or higher you are winning most of your matches.

In world class competition and very competitive doubles matches, just about everyone holds serve and all it takes is a mini-break in a tie-breaker to decide the match.

Are you competing against yourself in your doubles matches or your opponent? Many smart people would answer both. I guess that's true in a general sort of way. But that doesn't really help me manage my game in any specific way. I have come up with a simple formula to determine the level of competition you are playing: In competitive matches you must get your serve in play and the return of serve in play away from the opposing net player. If you can not do this, you are not at the level of the player(s) you are facing. If you can make two shots in a row -- serve and return the next shot, return a serve and return the next shot you are starting a competitive point. If you cannot start a competitive point then you are not competing and you are out of level. If you return more than two shots that are hit to you in or out of sequence then you are competing. The match now hinges on how well you compete during the key points for games, key points for sets and matches. Matches (any level) are exciting when competition is fierce. It's that's simple folks. Look at the facts. If you cannot remember what you do, ask your partner. It's a good idea to develop tennis memory -- who's doing what to whom, otherwise its really difficult to discuss point situations and adjustments.

In a future tennis tip I will discuss the key points of a tennis match. Point management helps putting strategies in perspective and helps you manage risk and pressure.

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

The Volley

This tip involves the shot that usually makes or breaks a doubles team or the net rushing singles player. The position of your feet are the key. Try this little test I just invented! Push your right palm against a wall. If you are right handed step forward with your left foot. For a backhand volley step with your right foot. Lean towards the wall with your hand positioned in front of you. You can feel the leverage. Its that simple! Lean forward on your volley. When you move your weight forward well (using your legs), there is no need to use your wrist or elbow. Just push forward and keep your racquet path straight through the ball. Punch through the window (above the net.)

Kevin Pease