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Strategy Lesson of the Week

Handling the Lob Return in Doubles:
Part 3: Attacking

By Monty Basynat, TennisONE Editor

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Attacking the Lob Return

Once you see that your opponents are resorting to the lob return over again and again, you can either stay back or fake coming into the net behind your serve (in Part 1 we covered your net partner's standing deeper to take the lob volley). In both cases you should think taking the lob return in the air and quickly moving over to hit an overhead smash. A smash at Player #3 would not be advisable, as this player is set and prepared at the net. The safer choice would be to hit the ball between Player #3 or into Player #4's (who may be on the way up to net) side of the court. One word of warning: this strategy option is much more feasible when the lob return is to the server's forehand. Executing this play may be difficult if you are moving to your backhand side. This would mean you would have to run 2-3 more steps and pivot your body so you're ready to hit this overhead.


Perhaps it's the case you can't take the lob return in the air. If the lob is extremely deep, you will probably have to let it bounce and opt for one of the defensive plays outlined previously. But sometimes the lob return is shallow enough and bounces up high enough--or centered in the middle of the court--that it allows you to smash it with an overhead. The key here is that you must move into position very quickly to smash this bouncing lob because often the bounce is fairly low. Again, it's much easier to execute the overhead smash of the lob return if the lob is to your forehand side. A weak and shallow lob return might also allow you to drive the ball at Player #4 or more likely (since this is generally a high bouncing ball) hit a cut or slice shot at Player #4's feet or down Player #4's alley. However, when in doubt, the safer attacking play is to direct our shot the ball between Player #3 and Player #4. You should definitely avoid driving the ball at Player #3, who should be set and prepared at the net to answer your shot with a winning volley.


Conclusion

The lob return can be a potent weapon in doubles. It can discourage the serving team from coming to the net behind their serve and it can give the receiving team the upper hand strategically by allowing them to seize control of the net. Your job as a doubles team is to understand how this weapon works and to figure out how to attack it if you can and how to defend against it if you can't.

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