Two on One Crosscourt
By Kevin Pope
Every so often the best laid plans for a
great doubles game get blindsided, when one of the foursome either
gets hung up or can’t make it at all. Rather than packing
it in or sending one of the now existing threesome home so two
can play singles, there are some great drills and games that
can be played with three people. Over the next few months we’ll
provide you with a few so you never again feel that “three’s
a crowd.”
This first drill takes place using only
the cross-courts. It is a simple variation of a drill that can
be done with two players. Two players start on one side of the
court, while the single player goes to the other side. Assuming
all players are right handed, the first game takes place with
just crosscourt forehands. 
Simply divide the court in half by imagining
the service center line extending the full length of the court.
Now play crosscourt points.” For the forehand, both players
must keep the ball on the other player’s forehand half,
hitting crosscourt according to the extended service center line.
Drop and hit to start.
The
variation with three players emulates ping-pong in that on the
two-player side of the net, each player alternates, hitting every
other shot. So as to avoid a collision, after hitting a shot,
the player should recover back to the middle by first side stepping
further out to the right then going backwards (the whole while
facing the net) a few steps, then sidestepping to the center
service mark. As you get used to the movements, it should become
a smooth circuitous rotation with each player being fully recovered
to the center mark while the other player is hitting. When done
with consistency this drill is a surprisingly great workout even
on the two-person side of the court. It places a huge emphasis
on footwork and recovery as neither of the players is allowed
to hit a backhand in the crosscourt forehand drill or a forehand
in the crosscourt backhand drill.
Play games up to seven or eleven points
rotating the person who is on the single side of the court. Make
sure to play games to both sides of the court (crosscourt forehands
and crosscourt backhands). To really force the issue of recovery,
add the rule that if you hit a backhand while playing the crosscourt
forehand part of the game, the perpetrator automatically forfeits the entire game.
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