I hate doubles so much, I am so used to playing with bad players I can't get my foot work straight for it anymore. It honestly drives me mad. I prefer playing the rear court because I actually play downward shots. For the net I prefer to stand a little further back toward the mid court, I'm quite tall but I can't pounce things toeing the service line like some people can. Unfortunately I keep getting players that play very bad clears or drop it straight to the opponent at the net. It's impossible to anticipate where to stand with them, I move forward, they clear, I try to move back but am out of position for the smash return. It makes me more inclined to stay plum in the middle and just try to pick up whatever rogue shots happen - and that's what I do. Unfortunately that doesn't work a damn with advanced players, so whenever I go against reasonable opponents, I end up playing that same tactic that doesn't work - and I don't even realise until the rally is over. Then it hits me and I'm apologising to my partner. At least playing in the rear court you can't take a smash to the face as easily because your partner isn't dropping it straight to their racket...
Easier said than done. The good players I'd rather play with aren't as easily available. I really need to find somewhere to routinely play at a good level. Will probably join one of the local clubs as against my university.
i feel u, unless u could play with a regular partner on a consistent basis (a rare commodity, given we all have diff commitments eg. job/family/gf etc.), which is supposed to be the way for MD as u need to forge a working chemistry with some 1 rather than keep switching partner every other game i found a rear court partner that works well with me focusing on front court, we know when to rotate, all rear courts taken by him whenever possible and i will rush the front whenever possible to net/pounce. We discussed our weaknesses and what did we not do well enough aft every game. But even then, I only got to play with him barely weekly due to commitments and he likes to go around other places to try out diff groups (i'm lazy, too far for me =P) and when i played with others, w/o this chemistry, i often have to adapt a totally diff approach again to the new partners (who to take rear, when to rotate), it is really quite frustrating sometimes lost points amidst this confusion. And i couldnt tolerate playing wif some 1 (similar level) who doesnt give a damn about the serve/return 1st 3 shots because I and my regular partner focused alot on it to get points/put pressure. Once i see some 1 serving so damn high, i give up trying to rescue the return.
I get what you're saying. You need a consistent partner to perform well. But I feel like playing with different people enables you to polish other parts of your game, adaptability for sure. And i feel that it can be a very good thing. I've been fortunate/unfortunate to not have really found a good partner to play with. I switch around a lot but that's helped me hone some of my strengths and fix some weaknesses. I'm also no stranger to frustration brought on by my partners' bad shots. But that just makes you work harder.
Different partners are okay, but playing with someone more than just a bit below your level can get very annoying fairly quickly. Some players might also be on your level, but just play in a way that clashes with yours (defensive vs offensive players/short rally vs rally building/...).
Yeah, I made a new friend that is more accustomed to singles...his serves 6/10 tines would get killed. I was frustrated, but it helps with mental and emotional fortitude. Completely agree with the style clash too. Maybe there's a compromise but I know that often there isn't.
I tend to get partners that never smash, except when they have what they think is a short lift - but it's usually a neutral shot that can't be returned as a smash. They'll play clears or drop shots, and the drop shots usually aren't accurate enough to be effective. I've had partners that, when lifted to, have cleared several times in a row, and have never used the attacking opportunity. When that's happened, I keep moving forward to cover the net, and then I have to move back again because they decided not to attack. I'll also get people that back pedal and stop me taking a shot, won't lunge or make any movement for a net shot... It's quite common. Most places here use slow shuttles by default too, so my attacks aren't as effective as they should be; it ends up with me doing a whole lot of movement for not a whole lot of shots worth taking. For example, I'll be on the left, my partner on the right; my partner will play to the net, so I'll move into the rear centre to prepare for an attack; my partner might force a short lift out of them, but then they back pedal to try and take it. Because they back pedal, both of us are out of position. It's an easy point for the opponents. I also really don't enjoy being the person to 'command' rallies in the team; I don't like the whole shouting yours or mine thing, I like me and my partners to understand who has what shots. Even between rallies I don't like saying things like 'Don't back pedal', I just don't want to be that guy. Every racket clash I've had in the last 6 months has come down to my partners too, and that's frustrating. When I'm in the left court, it comes down the centre, and my partner makes one of those broad tennis swings and it catches my racket.. yeah.. it leaves me quite angry. To me it says, my partner doesn't know what they're doing, or they don't respect me enough to leave the shot to me. I don't really know what I can do differently in this situation. According to some county and former county players I occasionally play with (I usually play singles with them, but joined their club recently), my positioning is good for doubles, but my shot choice could be better. So I think I'm more inclined just to cut out the lower level doubles altogether, maybe I'll have better luck at a higher level.
I feel there's a spot in double, when you're not a beginner any more and (you or your partner) don't have the tactics in place, that's very frustrating. I don't like telling the other what to do either; I feel that's patronizing, and not really the fault of your partner (he may never have learned the proper way). But sometimes it's helpful for both of you to let them know what the "correct" move in that situation is, and most importantly, why it is so. I found that explaining why you don't back pedal when you're at the net, or why you should smash / attack more in doubles than you would in singles, usually works rather well. They may not get it right away, but at least they'll try to adopt a real "doubles" mindset.
I've been thinking and I don't have any preference. Perhaps I'm young enough to afford to be springing from left to right at the back. But when I have a cramp, I prefer the front.
Of the four I play with most often I'm forced to play with the one who doesn't gel with me the most (due to other two training for tournament together). But speaking today and sorting through out who plays where in what scenario we have came on leaps and bounds in just one 2 hour session. Starting to enjoy playing front now I know he has the back court when we are in an aggressive situation.
clearing rallies... this happens to me all the time ... :crying: the worst is when it's a short clear and i have to move back while covering my face with my left hand i don't mind shouting yours or mine with partners i don't normally pair with since mostly i only shout yours, partly because i want to be sure they don't leave it too late for me to try and recover it like if we're defending and get a lift back into the middle and now a chance to attack, if i'm on the right side of the court, more often i shout yours since it's easier for the one on the left to smash it down compared to me going around the head. then there's some rare cases when i really have to say in a loud voice "side!" right behind my partner because he just lifted to our opponents but he's firmly planted in the middle when we should be defending. there i am waiting for him to pick a side to defend so i can cover the other but then nothing... i'll just choose the straight side to be sure but when our opponents hit cross court it's almost a sure winner or worse if they do hit straight but between us we could clash. i don't like being that guy but if i don't say anything, they'll keep doing it thinking it's fine. I've only done this to 2 guys and they're not beginners so quite strange.
if its still a rescue-able 1, i would still make an attempt to quickly dash backwards to defend, otherwise, i would just duck under the net =P if i see any 1 who consistently plays the Single's way in a MD (i.e. play the net and then goes backward to rear court), i will not help to cover the front when he takes it rear court, be it smash or drop.....and then u will see his smash being blocked to net and he needs to run all the way from the back himself to scoop the blocked shot totally asking for it same as those who clear and then do not want to move their butts to spread (left/right) to defend usually i wouldnt play twice with these types of players, and strangely alot of them aint beginners, with proper stroke and footwork
I found out that there's actually little correlation between someone's technique and whether they can properly play doubles. I'd definitely point out to them the way doubles tactics work, and if they don't want to hear about it, then ditch them. But many are not aware of the differences, and would gladly learn how things w
Those are my exact thoughts. Get kinda put off sometimes. If they are beginners I'll be fine covering the whole court, but they aren't. Some even keep getting in my way. They go for my net (going cross court from their position), mid back court forehand (using their backhand or a very awkward overhead), and even reversing into me after playing a net, and all the while I'm ready to thunder down a smash from the back court.
I really feel the above this night, my main problem is he won't take the front when I am at the back and prefer to be a bit side to side, even if I'm smashing from the middle, made me smash so much and have to lift the opponents blocks to the net
I have only a slight preference towards the back. I used to heavily prefer it but I'm better at the front now.
