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"

Jaun Martin del Potro

del Potro: He stays close to the baseline, slams driving deep balls through the court, picks his spots to hit the open court with pace, uses a slice serve, takes away time.
Best to keep the ball low and away with him.............don't let him tree the ball. He's like a 6'10" Agassi.....perhaps the new breed!


KP

Think outside the box for a moment!

I see many players adjusting their swing to accommodate the ball height rather than adjusting their feet to hit the ball in their optimal strike zone.

Quick fix: Practice standing back behind the baseline ten feet and rally the ball with your practice partner for a few minutes. Now stand right on top of the baseline and strike the ball on the rise for a few minutes. Both of the court positions feel very different and require different movement skills and timing issues and stroke adjustments. Now adjust to the ball as how you feel most comfortable based upon what you're dealt in an open range exchange; this is more how a real point is played.

The game is about adjusting your timing, strokes, and court positioned based upon what you deliver and what your opponent throws at you! Think outside the box!

Your coach in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

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.

Australian

S=server, R=receiver, P=partner, O=opponent

The Australian net position is used to cut off difficult returns by the receiver and forces the receiver to consider hitting down the line which is a more difficult return, especially on wide serves: there's not much court there and the net is higher.

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

Australian Poach

S=server, R=receiver, P=partner, O=opponent

Poaching in the Australian position is easiest when the serve is placed down the middle. The receiver's best options are to a) rip it cross court anticipating a poach, b) hit the down the line anticipating a stay, c) hit a lob over the net player to take them off the net.

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

Forward Net Position

S=server, R=receiver, P=partner, O=opponent

This graphic demonstrates two net players, the one in front of the ball is in the offensive volley zone, the other is set back in the defensive volley zone and can cover the lob. World class players both move into the offensive zone because of their athletic court coverage abilities.

Also, the third of the court that gives the opponent the hardest shot is left open.

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

Inside Groundstrokes

An inside groundstroke is when you position yourself in the court so that the flight of the on coming ball does not cross the plane of your body. A ball that crosses in front of you is called an outside shot.

Inside shots give you more natural hip rotation and "leverage the ball easier than outside shots." I would much rather run around a backhand to whip a forehand up the line than play an outside backhand up the line. Changing the direction of a cross court shot is much easier using "inside strokes."

Pros today us inside shots for leverage, controling the center of the court, and disguise (there's no rule saying you have to hit down the line with an inside shot. You can fire right back with no change of direction "inside-out.")

Another benefit of inside shots is that you have to move more to get in position to strike which combates lazy feet and accepting crosscourt predictability for outside shots. This shot should be used on return of serves as well.

All players can benefit from this tennis play!


Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

Serve and Volley Forehand

S=server, R=receiver, P=partner, O=opponent

This shows the natural directional and depending where the volley is placed will open or close the court.

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

Serve and Volley Backhand

S=server, R=receiver, P=partner, O=opponent

This shows the natural directional and keeps the court closed!

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

Singles Approach Down the Line

S=server, R=receiver

Down the line keeps you in front of the angle of return and forces your opponent to react faster to pass you.

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

Singles Approach Cross Court

S=server, R=receiver

Approaching cross court from the outer third of the court gives your fast opponent too much court for you to cover; not a good idea.

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin Pease

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