How to Play Winning Doubles by USPTA Elite Professional Craig Bobo

How to Play Winning Doubles

1. Practice Doubles sets and tie-breakers, so you have rehearsed what may happen under pressure
2. Prepare for your match by proper rest, hydration, and having everything you might need in your bag (wraps, band-aids, athletic tape, K-Tape, ibuprofen, towel, cap/visor, sunscreen, sportscreme, water jug, and electrolytes).
3. Stretch, get your feet moving, your blood flowing, and if you have access to courts prior to your match, warm-up some half-volleys, reflex volleys, overheads, cross-courts, serves and returns, and play a tiebreaker.
4. Identify in warm-up and throughout the first 4 games of the match whether your opponents' are Righties or Lefties, what side they are playing, and what their strength's and weaknesses are.
5. Understand that this is a TEST, and you must figure out how to pass it by thinking, communicating, asking questions, and figuring out solutions.
6. Understand your proper positioning at the net and when returning, as well as, variations you might use when you need to make a change - Check with your Coach to get a visual on this one.
7. Focus on your first-strike shots... Serves & Returns. Game-plan must be to protect your serve and break at least once a set. 
8. Serves - initially serve in each game at 3/4 pace and with some spin going to the "T" and Body to take away angles and to get your net partner involved in finishing shots.  Once you get up in a game 40-15 or 40-Love, then go bigger and/or change your spot, so you keep from being predictable, and may win an easy point... even if you lose the point, you've shown them a different look. Mindset should be ALL FIRST SERVES IN PLAY, because we don't want to live off our 2nd serve in doubles. Our partner at the net cannot be as aggressive at the net on 2nd serves and the opponent gets to step in hurt us more on 2nd serves.
9. Returns - ALL RETURNS IN PLAY... Short backswing and move to the ball. 80% of your returns should go cross-court and 20% down the line.
10. Observe the 80/20 Rule - 80% of balls from the backcourt cross-court, 20% of balls from the backcourt down the line.  Once you move forward, into the front court, low balls - still 80% Cross-court and 20% Down the Line, but if you get a high ball close the net and take 80% of high short volleys down the alley and 20% cross-court.
11. Remember these 2 sayings... DOWN THE MIDDLE SOLVES THE RIDDLE, and when we are at the net and get a short high volley... DOWN THE ALLEY ENDS THE RALLY.
12. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARTNER: 1. Where you are going to serve 2. Where you are going to return.  (Most good partnerships use signals and/or talk in between points, and most probably do a lot of both), and 3. By calling the ball and/or directions (Such as: Mine, Switch, Stay, and Let it go).
13. Know where your partner and whether they are hitting an offensive shot or defensive shot by a quick glance, but keep your shoulders forward and racquet up... Don't turn around, just a quick glance to right or left if they ball gets past you, so you know where to position yourself next.
14. Poach in the first game your partner serves of a match to get yourself into the match, and to send a message to your opponents. If you miss out, or they pass you, put your helmet back on and go again soon thereafter to get yourself engaged early on.
15. Shrink the sidelines in a Tiebreaker and don't go for cute or trick shots in one... finish the set on a positive note whether you win it or lose it.
16. DON'T EVER GIVE UP... Even if they're hot and your not. Their game could drop, you could get hot, and something may happen... so don't quit. (I was playing an important deciding match at Sectionals one year, and the other team was on fire... we couldn't match their intensity or shot-making.  I hit a short dropper and one of the players pulled a hamstring badly trying to get to the ball. After that, we exposed his inability to move and before long, they walked up to the net and retired. Another big match in the same situation at nationals, 2-2 in matches my partner and I were down 9-5 in the 3rd set tie-break, but never threw in the towel and won the deciding breaker/deciding match 12-10... So, DON'T EVER QUIT :)

I hope these tips help you.  Check out more of our stuff at www.craigbobo.usptapro.com and at www.Zone123Tennis.blogspot.com

See You On the Courts,
Coach Craig

Tony & Liezel Huber's 5 Keys to Great Tennis

Tony Huber, world famous coach & Liezel Huber, former #1 Women's Professional Doubles Player are friends of mine.  They shared with a group of my juniors and adults at Walden Country Club on Lake Houston a few years back, their 5 keys to great tennis, which are listed for you below.

Using our fingers on 1 hand as markers, here are Tony & Liezel's 5 Keys to Great Tennis:

1. The thumb = Put the Ball in Play

2. The index finger = Direction (Cross-court, Down-the-line, Inside Out)

3. The middle finger = Depth (which means selecting to play a particular ball short or deep... master both)

4. The ring finger = Spin (Topsin or Slice/Underspin, and at times no spin to flattening it out... master them all)

5. The pinky = Power

You're thinking Power is last... yes, that's what two experts say. We definitely want to develop and master both power and pace (pace is a heavy ball that comes from a long follow-through and weight transfer behind the shot), but to get to the top levels we must prioritize the order of our techniques and tactics to achieve our highest potential. 

Working to Make A Difference... See You on The Courts.... Coach Craig

USPTA Coaching Tips by USPTA Elite Professional Craig Bobo

Singles Tips:  When you are in position, use Change of Direction Shot(s) to open up the court, then look for the short reply, and follow your shot in to take the court away from your opponent. When you are out of position, hit high and deep up the middle... if your opponent has moved to the net, you can go low at their feet & close, looking for the pop up, or high & deep to their backhand wing.

Doubles Tips: Remember your 80/20 Rule.  From behind the service line, go 80% Cross-Court and 20% up the Line/Alley.  Once you get inside the service line if you get a high shot, hit 80% Down the Line/Alley & 20% Cross-Court angle to take your opponent out of the court & finishing points more decisively.  *However if it's a low ball inside the service line, then keep the ball 80% Cross-Court & 20% up the Line/Alley.

*More Tips:

1. Master your 2 first strike shots... Your Serves & Returns. 1a.Serve into the body to set your partner up in doubles, plus to get a short reply in singles. 1b. Think & speak positive words such as "I put all returns in play" ...Your mind might say liar, but keep thinking & stating the positive which will keep you focused, loose, & able to handle adversity.  

2. Work on all 3 phases of your game... Your Back-court, Mid-court, & Front-court shots.  Too many players spend 80-90% of their time in one area of the court. To play your best tennis, you must be solid in all 3 areas of the court.

3. Become a Student of the Game by taking notes at lessons & drills & reviewing them before, during, & after match-play.-And set some written goals, develop a plan of action, & review them regularly with your coach.

Read my blogs: www.Zone123Tennis.blogspot.com

Zone 123 Tennis Methodology Authored by USPTA Elite & PTR Professional, Craig Bobo

Zone 1-2-3 Tennis: Zone 1-2-3 Methodology by Craig Bobo: Zone 1-2-3 Tennis  is a quick and easy way of teaching students what type of backswing and what type of footwork is needed to get to the ball. Click on the link above to learn more about my authored methodology.

Thank you, Coach Craig