TennisOne Lessons

Taking the Offensive From the Baseline



The Alley Shot


Good doubles teams always look for opportunities to take the offensive.

In this first scenario (Figure C below), the opposing team has given you the opportunity to take the offensive: the net person is not covering the alley. This often happens during the course of a complex rally. In this case, Player 4 is pulled wide with a cross court return, but the opposing net person, Player 2, is not shadowing the ball properly and leaves the alley exposed. If you're Player 4, don't ignore this gift: take it when it's given to you.

Taking the Offensive From the Baseline



The Lob


The other way to take the offensive from the baseline is to lob the ball over the net person's head. In this scenario, Player 2 has abandoned the neutral volley position (about 5/8th distance from the net to the service line) and moved a step or two closer to the net. Player 4 now has the opportunity to lob over Player 2 without fearing a punshing overhead reply. This lob strategy forces Player 1 and Player 2 to switch sides of the court. Player 1 must run to cover the lob to the backhand corner. Player 2 must cross to the other side of the net. Forcing your opponents to run and move like this is always a good strategy and it often leads to several offensive possibilites (a weak lob return that you can smash for a winner or gaps in their positioning, enabling you to punch balls through their team).

Taking the Offensive From the Net





If you're at the net and you receive a high ball to hit, you have the opportunity to take the offensive. Hit all high balls at the feet of the opposing net person. If the opposing net person is crowding the net, taking away the put away at the feet option, going right into her body and jamming her is the play.

Part 1 Summary


To summarize the basic strategy of Part 1 (both teams playing one up, one back), you should play the majority of your balls away from the net person until you are either given the opportunity to take the offensive or you seize it.

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