Doubles Essentials
Move it!
Watch any collegiate or pro doubles events and you will see lots of movement. Formations change so much in doubles and knowing where, how, and when to move is essential to surprising your opponent, playing defensive, and how to move together to finish points.
One wrong move could be the difference between a first round loss and a championship trophy. Observe how these players are constantly moving during their match. Are you light on your feet or do you stand like a statue the whole game?
What are the basic of high level doubles and how can you add them to your partnership? Scroll down to find some of the staples of experienced doubles players.
Stay Back!
Many inexperienced coaches share with their players that need to always be at the net. Any trained professional will disagree with that mindset. Although being at the net is advantageous, playing from the baseline can also yield favorable results.
There are many ways to winning matches and staying back is one of them. In this match, the women decide to stay in a one up/one back formation for most of the match and work their way forward only win they are drawn in or they see an opportunity to finish the point on the next ball.
Consistent Intensity
Curious about what separates amateurs from professionals? One of the areas is consistency. Highly ranked players are able to make the same shot over and over again, especially under pressure. 8/10 times they will make the return cross or stick the volley deep to the baseline. It is the difference between a player inside the top 100 and one outside of it, consistency. The second is intensity.
The best teams are intense. Intense with their feet, their strokes, and their celebrations after hard fought points. They keep their energy high! To be fair, usually you have one partner who is less intense than the other. After all, someone has to be mellow!