TennisOne Lessons

Unlimited Doubles:
Two Ways to Win

Tennis is a competition - as is any game where a score is kept. In such games there are winners and losers. This understanding is the foundation for learning how to win matches in the real world of competitive tennis. Once you understand this basic principle, we'll build upon it in future lessons, so you can learn to play "unlimited doubles."

The objective of this lesson is to help you understand there are only two ways to emerge victorious: (1) you win the match, or (2) the opponents lose the match. Unless the opponents have some reason to believe it impossible, they will begin the match with the objective to BEAT you. All competitive teams want to feel that they have a chance of beating their opponents, so they will come out trying. As your team proves to be too formidable, they will attempt to raise their level of play to out-play you and your partner.

Beating your opponents: one of the two ways to win matches and the way most players believe they should play. Established a good base of consistency then take the net and WIN points.

When the opponents feel they can’t beat you despite playing their best tennis, their only remaining recourse is to be consistent and hope you LOSE. For instance: you and your partner are cruising along. You’re up 5-2 in the set. Victory is just a matter of time. Suddenly you notice your opponents have changed their style of play. Now they’re both hitting the ball more softly and clearing the net by a safe margin. Also, they’ve moved back toward the baseline. You and your partner find yourselves getting increasingly frustrated. Your opponents aren’t "hitting the ball" anymore. Moonballs come drifting lazily toward you. Determined, your team tries harder. Yet the ball keeps coming back. Frustration builds and your errors increase.

What happened? Why the reversal in fortunes? What happened is your opponents just paid you the ultimate compliment. They decided they couldn’t BEAT you, so they asked you to LOSE to them. And you obliged. They simply knocked on a different tennis door and you opened it for them. The tactical opposite to beating your opponents is to ask them to lose. To ask the opponents to lose to you, you must be more consistent than they are. When you take less risk, instead of attacking, it often frustrates and wreaks emotional havoc with opponents who haven’t yet learned to handle changing roles.

Although you cannot simultaneously play to beat your opponents and ask them to lose to you, you can and should learn to use both approaches. Then, assess and make the choice that’s appropriate. Most teams that get blind-sided by the “please lose to me” tactic never use this tactic themselves.

Ask your opponents to lose: most doubles players have faced the dreaded moon ball strategy.

Recognition that change has occurred is critical to your response. Therefore: PAY ATTENTION! Watch for a change in tactics when you’re winning handily. Against a smart team, you should expect this. It’s just a matter of time until they check to see if you’ll lose to them. At the pre-4.0 level the change is usually obvious.

Maybe the opponents will huddle and converse and when they resume play the net man has joined his partner on the baseline and the lobbing begins. Above 4.0, however, the transition is less obvious and the superior skills of the players permit them to refine the change. They reduce their risk by starting to clear the net by an additional foot or so, and are more conservative on important points.

Still, although more difficult to detect, the change in tactics reflects a change in attitude. It is important for you to recognize the route your opponents are now taking to claim victory in order to respond effectively.

To summarize, there are two ways to emerge the victor in a tennis match: beat the opponents by forcing errors, or let them lose to you through unforced errors. Once you understand and accept the way that matches are actually won (or lost) you have the foundation to begin building your own game to deal with any opponent. Stay tuned!

The above article is an excerpt from the first chapter of Unlimited Doubles! For more detailed explanation of this concept and to improve your doubles game refer to the book.

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Steve Tourdo's article by emailing us here at TennisONE.

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