Jak Beardsworth Tennis

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FEBRUARY 2011:

TIP 2: POOH POOHING DOUBLES STRATEGY SESSIONS

Okay, not completely, but, nonetheless, they are very overrated and misperceived as the magic elixir for solid doubles play. Hardly the case, although a very handy rationale for struggling teams in denial.

Players certainly do need to understand the constantly changing positional role of the net man from offense to defense first and foremost, how and when to poach, how to fake poach, how to bait opponents to hit their shot where you want them to hit it, how to properly “switch,” when to close (go offensive), when to retreat (go defensive), when to capitalize on a partner’s good shot, how to negate incessant lobbing, where to serve to engage your partner, etc. And, yes, many do not until they are taught since they have so few teams in their neighborhood to model their doubles games after, not to mention doubles is seldom shown, never mind explained coherently, even on the Tennis Channel (Rene Stubbs did a great series on the Tennis Channel’s “Tennis Academy” about a year ago – might be available on their site or on a DVD?).

That stated, all of the above and more can be communicated to motivated players in a one to one and a half hour session. Cake. Whether or not they are able to retain it, or put the appropriate stock in its importance going forward is another issue. Sometimes they will not deviate from bad habits out of their false sense of security in what, albeit not maximizing their potential, got them to where they are, and become further entrenched every day with a glass that remains half-full in mediocrity. Is there anything more frustrating than observing 4 players on one court mostly playing singles?

So, assuming that there exists at least a rudimentary sense of positional doubles, what then does it take to play really well? Good shot selection and then consistent shot execution!! That’s IT. The impatient, insecure penchant, among so many, for attempting low percentage shots after only a couple of shots is startling. Thread-the-needle consistent shot making is a difficult proposition. Then,even when appropriate high percentage shot tactics are patiently embraced, club player execution is, shall we say, often less than stellar.

Why is that among individuals who’ve been playing 5 and 6 times per week for years? Because they choose to never practice double’s shot making. Never! Mind boggling.

They cannot hit deep, unpoachable, penetrating cross court groundstrokes with any dependability. The same goes for the necessary sharply angled groundie (specifically to make it unpoachable if the netman has covered the line) when positioned way up in the court and stretched wide and out on the wing. They often inadvertently feed shoulder high meatballs to opponents at the net and get their partners killed. And, they mostly serve into the opponent’s strength, especially in the deuce court, stifling their netman. Etcetera. No matter, they continue to blabber about how better “doubles teamwork” being all that they need to get to that next level, which they typically don’t seek out anyway, and play mind numbing match, after match, after match.

For me, worst of all, when I ask players what their intentions were after having to fight off, or reach for, a very difficult ball unsuccessfully, they typically say incredulously: “Oh, I was just trying to get it over,” and this is a 4.0 player saying this. What? The clever ones attempt to cover their tracks by attempting an after the fact “correct” answer even though they were visualizing absolutely zip, instead, I’m assuming, hoping for divine intervention.

There are offensive possibilities, there are defensive necessities, and there are “rally balls” when it is neither. It’s a stalemate. Don’t blink first. You’re not losing when engaged in a dueling cross court exchange from the back of the court – the meat and potatoes of club doubles. You’re winning! That has to be your perception, otherwise you’re going to impulsively do something, candidly, stupid. Calm down!

This where I like to quote the eminent Zen philosopher Shunryu Suzuki: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” Exactly, even if you’re not a beginner. The most strategically and tactically complicated doubles is played by 2.5-4.0 club players whose shot making skills are not up to the task. Tour doubles is exceedingly simple by comparison – this is the game that I’ve arrived with, let’s see what happens. DaVinci would have been a great doubles partner since he believed that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Relax, if you can make enough simple, penetrating shots, or angled ones when appropriate, your netman will take care of business, and you’ll be able to come in and join him on occassion. Suddenly, those allegedly great players that you claim to have faced aren’t so terrific anymore. Of course, if you typically cannot, your doubles game isn’t the problem, it’s your inability to make shots that your partner, and you, can capitalize on, versus the all too often alternative of delivering shots that you and your partner end up getting victimized by, especially by those who lob, lob, lob.

In Roger Federer’s down year (for him) 2 years ago he explained that besides the lingering bout with mono, the biggest reason for being a little off form was his “lack of practice time.” That’s Roger Federer saying that practice has a great deal to do with your match play performance. He was not referring to anything but shot making.

Anyone listening out there?

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Tips Archive

May, June, 2013 JUST TALKING HEADS OR MORE [read more]
March, April, 2013 SELF-TALK: Good, Bad, or Indifferent [read more]
January, February, 2013 BOOK-A-MILLION: Do Tennis Players Read? [read more]
December, 2012 THE KEY TO TOUR LEVEL BALL STRIKING: And How to Learn It [read more]
November, 2012 ARE YOU A THUDDER, A TWANGER, OR A PINGER: Racket Dampeners [read more]
September, October, 2012 SMART SHOTS [read more]
July, August, 2012 TEN TOP STRESS REDUCERS [read more]
June, 2012 MAKING YOUR LESSONS STICK [read more]
May, 2012 THE IMPOSSIBLE: Accelerating and Decelerating Simultaneously [read more]
April, 2012 PLAYER DISCONNECTION [read more]
March, 2012 BENDING THE SERVE IN [read more]
February, 2012 UNDERSTANDING TERMINOLOGY: Drill vs Clinic vs Team Practice [read more]
January, 2012 PLAYING SCARED? [read more]
December, 2011 CUTTING OFF THE ANGLE…VERTICALLY [read more]
November, 2011 WHY COACHING? [read more]
October, 2011 THE EASY BALLS ARE NOT EASY [read more]
August/September, 2011 NEVER TOO LATE FOR OLDER DOGS [read more]
June/July, 2011 HARD COURTS, SOFT COURTS, and YOUR BODY'S ADAPTATION [read more]
April/May, 2011 JAW DROPPNG [read more]
March, 2011 CLUB DOUBLES' INCREASINGLY MISSING LINK [read more]
February, 2011 TIP 2 | POOH POOHING DOUBLES STRATEGY SESSIONS [read more]
February, 2011 TIP 1 | CLAY TO HARD, HARD TO CLAY [read more]
January, 2011 ICING THE SERVER WHEN RECEIVING IN THE BIG MOMENTS [read more]
December, 2010 JOHN ISNER’S “GOOD MISS” [read more]
November, 2010 THE MOST NEGLECTED SHOT IN THE GAME [read more]
October, 2010 BALL BOUNCING and the SERVE [read more]
September, 2010 TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE BALL [read more]
July-August, 2010 SUMMER SCHOOL COURTSIDE CRIB SHEET [read more]
May-June, 2010 THE 2-HANDED JUMP BACKHAND: The Dumbest Shot in Tennis [read more]
April, 2010 THE STANDING AROUND SYNDROME [read more]
March, 2010 THE ELUSIVE SERVICE TOSS [read more]
February, 2010 PREPARING TO START THE POINT: Serving and Receiving [read more]
January, 2010 DEBUNKING THE MODERN GAME [read more]
December, 2009 RELAX – IT'S JUST A RALLY BALL [read more]
November, 2009 DEFEATING THE POACHER [read more]
October, 2009 PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE [read more]
September, 2009 SERVING SUCCESS: Warming-Up vs Match Play [read more]
August, 2009 THE SPLIT STEP: Defending the Court, Rushing the Net, and More [read more]
July, 2009 THE THIRD GROUNDSTROKE [read more]
June, 2009 HOW MANY HANDS DOES IT TAKE? [read more]
May, 2009 THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL [read more]
April, 2009 PLAYING IN THE FLORIDA WIND [read more]
March, 2009 Letting them Play for Peak Performance in Clubland [read more]
February, 2009 SUPPORTING YOUR GAME [read more]
January, 2009 RESPECTING THE GAME: Top 10 Do's & Don'ts [read more]
December, 2008 Getting the Warm-up Right [read more]
November, 2008 Visualize...Realize: The Mind Body Connection [read more]
October, 2008 Reading Their Mail [read more]