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Seven Doubles Principles for USTA League Players

“On the Switch, Play the Defensive Lob”

By David Brouwer 

As I coach USTA league doubles players, especially at the 3.0-4.0 level, it seems that there is indecision in the heat of the battle on what to do when one player is forced to switch behind their partner to retrieve a lob or high groundstroke.

As I said in previous articles, these players' technique is pretty much engrained and I don't have much luck changing it. However, their tactical decisions can often separate them from an opposing team and be the difference between a tight loss and a tight win. One of those tactical decisions is what to do when you and your partner are forced to switch in doubles.

The most common time a switch is when teammates have made their way to the net and an opponent lifts a lob over the player who is closest to net. The lob is unplayable by the closest player and they call for their partner to switch behind them to retrieve the shot. Here's where the indecision occurs.

What I suggest to players is that there are four different options on this play with one of them being the highest percentage. Following are the four plays that I see players attempt:

1. The player making the switch attempts to hit a high volley in the air. Often this is a defensive shot, especially if it's a backhand volley and the opposing team smothers the net and puts the weak ball away.

2. The player making the switch allows the ball to bounce and hits what I call the “TV shot” as they try to play an overhead smash off the bounce. Often I see players even try to play the smash off a ball that doesn't even bounce to their eye level.
   

   Click photo: Returner throws up a lob over the servers head forcing the switch and the defensive lob in return.

3. The player making the switch allows the ball to bounce and fall down into their strike zone and then they attempt a groundstroke drive. This is a shot often attempted by high level players as they are confident in their ability to rip the ball even from a defensive position.

4. The player making the switch lifts up a lob of their own either down the middle of the court or over the head of the opponent who is smothering the net most.

Of course, you could argue that the Andre Agassi over-the-shoulder, no-look overhead up the line is also an option as well as the between the legs shot. However, I try not to mention those as options to my league players!

In this doubles situation, the highest percentage play of the four listed is the defensive lob off of the switch for three reasons:

1. It allows the player to buy time so as to regain balance and court position with his teammate.

2. It allows the player the least amount of racquet preparation and work as he can run with an open racquet face and keep the stroke a simple lift as opposed to a full groundstroke.

3. Even if the player making the switch hits a short lob, it puts a lot of pressure on the opponents to finish the point with a smash. Especially at the 3.0-4.0 level where the overhead is not the most dependable shot for many players.

A couple of my favorite drills to do in practice for this situation are as follows.

Doubles switch and recover

For this drill, put two players on the service line on each side of the court. The pro feeds a tough lob over a player on the opposing side, forcing them to switch. The player retrieving the lob lifts up a defensive lob and the point is played out.

After that point finishes, the player who retrieved the lob is fed an approach volley to encourage them to come back to net after being pushed back. This point is played out as well.

At this point, the player who did not retrieve the lob is in position to do so on the next feed. Continue this pattern of feeding a lob and an approach volley and playing out the points until one team wins 7 or 11 points. Rotate players one spot to the right giving all players the chance to play all positions.

Serve and volley switch drill

For this drill, the pro is the all time returner of serve. An opposing player serves and must come in behind the serve. The pro then lobs the return of serve over the server's partner, forcing the server to switch and play the defensive lob.

Play out the point. When this point is over, the server simply stays on the side that they switched to and serves again. If the pro's partner is accurate enough with their return, they may return also. Most of the time it works best, however, if the pro is the all time returner of serve.

Play games to 7 or 11 and make sure that all players get to play all positions.

Remember, this article series is about high percentage tactical decisions for USTA league players. There are certainly many options on all shots in a doubles match. But if your players follow these principles, they'll make fewer mistakes and force their opponent's to play more balls!

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about David Brouwer's article by emailing us here at TennisOne.

David Brouwer, USPTA is the Director of Tennis for three major health clubs in Grand Rapids , MI.

David was voted the USPTA Michigan Professional of the year in 2002 and has won two USPTA Outstanding Education awards.

David has been a speaker at the USPTA Midwest and National conventions and is the Director of the West Michigan Tennis Academy.

David coaches USTA league players of all levels and finds great joy in coaching strategy and tactics to build smarter tennis players.