Tennis Tip

The Return Serve For Doubles

By Erick Collas

This week we will go over the return serve for doubles, the overhead and volleys. These three strokes are important to play doubles well.

RETURN SERVE (DOUBLES) INSTRUCTION.

Always return cross court and aim for the service line. If you return down the alley you give your opponent a winner up the middle, in front of the returnee going away from him/her and behind the net person. If you return cross court there will be no angle up the middle, this angle will no longer exist.

HOW TO HIT AN OVERHEAD.

It is important to get turned and move with the racquet in the back scratch position. If you can, visualize a football quarterback going back to throw a pass.

Also important is to get under the ball. Pointing your finger at the ball will allow you place yourself under the ball.

The only times you should back up with the scissor leg method (open stance) are when the lob is hit deep, or when you are wrong footed, or reacted late to the shot.

As a general rule, the more difficult the overhead, the more conservative you should be. For example, on a deep lob you should not aim for angles, hit flat, or hit hard. You are in a bad situation, so with control, hit the overhead near the center. The closer or more shallow the overhead, the more aggressive you should be. Aim for the angles and you are able to swing harder.

VOLLEYS INSTRUCTION

To be a good volleyer you must make contact with the ball above the net. The lower you let the ball drop below the net the more difficult it becomes. This is the reason your coach tells you to move in on the volley. The higher above you make contact with the ball the easier it is to make the shot and you can be aggressive with your shot selection. Always keep your hands up. Keeping your hands up will give you more time to react to the ball.

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