With this lesson, I wish to discuss the starting position of the server, his job responsibilities and what he must be concentrated on and watching for as the point starts and progresses. The server in doubles should serve from the wider position versus singles. I prefer to see you stand a little wider than half way between the center mark and the doubles line.
After you serve, your obligation should be to take care of your portion of the court and by starting here it should put you in position for doing that with minimal recovery movement. Bear in mind, it is always safer to hit the ball straight back to where it came from than change the direction of the ball. As a result, the more you serve wide the more you need to consider covering the wide angle return. You should have two things planned prior to when you serve; where you are going to target your serve and where you are planning to go after you hit your serve. When selecting your serve target, I break up the service box down into three parts; A, B and C. A will represent the portion nearest to the Alley, B will represent the center section for a serve to the Body, and C will be the part nearest the Center.
When serving to the “deuce side” or right side, your primary target needs to be the “C” area of the court. You will be serving to your opponents backhand (for a right handed opponent) and reducing the angles of return that will let your partner to move out into the court and take more balls. The second best serve would be to the “B” section, attempting to jam the returner. Again it cuts down the angles and does not permit the returner to get their arms spread out to generate the shot. The third choice should be the “A” section. When serving here you will be serving right into a right handed players forehand (ordinarily a strength), opening up your partners line for a passing shot and as we spoke of earlier, it can be simpler to return the ball to where it originated from therefore it opens up the cross court return on top of that. It's critical however to use all of the different serves to help keep your opponent off balance, but tend toward the greater percentage ones.
Things change somewhat for the “ad” court or the left side. Your primary target needs to be the “B” section or the serve to the body. This keeps your opponent from extending his/her arms as well as reducing the return angles. The next most beneficial target is the “C” section. Even though it is into your right handed opponent’s forehand, it keeps the angles of the returns down by keeping the ball toward the center of the court and in addition puts your partner in a stronger position to poach and take more balls. Again the third option is usually wide to the “A” section which opens up your partner’s alley plus exposes the angled return cross court.
We'll discuss the X Factors during a different lesson that takes into consideration your opponents good and bad points when some of these targets may change. When you're walking in to a match not being aware of your opposition, it is good to start with percentage tennis strategy as discussed above and adjust your game when you take in additional information.
After you serve, your obligation should be to take care of your portion of the court and by starting here it should put you in position for doing that with minimal recovery movement. Bear in mind, it is always safer to hit the ball straight back to where it came from than change the direction of the ball. As a result, the more you serve wide the more you need to consider covering the wide angle return. You should have two things planned prior to when you serve; where you are going to target your serve and where you are planning to go after you hit your serve. When selecting your serve target, I break up the service box down into three parts; A, B and C. A will represent the portion nearest to the Alley, B will represent the center section for a serve to the Body, and C will be the part nearest the Center.
When serving to the “deuce side” or right side, your primary target needs to be the “C” area of the court. You will be serving to your opponents backhand (for a right handed opponent) and reducing the angles of return that will let your partner to move out into the court and take more balls. The second best serve would be to the “B” section, attempting to jam the returner. Again it cuts down the angles and does not permit the returner to get their arms spread out to generate the shot. The third choice should be the “A” section. When serving here you will be serving right into a right handed players forehand (ordinarily a strength), opening up your partners line for a passing shot and as we spoke of earlier, it can be simpler to return the ball to where it originated from therefore it opens up the cross court return on top of that. It's critical however to use all of the different serves to help keep your opponent off balance, but tend toward the greater percentage ones.
Things change somewhat for the “ad” court or the left side. Your primary target needs to be the “B” section or the serve to the body. This keeps your opponent from extending his/her arms as well as reducing the return angles. The next most beneficial target is the “C” section. Even though it is into your right handed opponent’s forehand, it keeps the angles of the returns down by keeping the ball toward the center of the court and in addition puts your partner in a stronger position to poach and take more balls. Again the third option is usually wide to the “A” section which opens up your partner’s alley plus exposes the angled return cross court.
We'll discuss the X Factors during a different lesson that takes into consideration your opponents good and bad points when some of these targets may change. When you're walking in to a match not being aware of your opposition, it is good to start with percentage tennis strategy as discussed above and adjust your game when you take in additional information.
