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Tennis Doubles Domination 2.0 – The Lob

February 16, 2011 By Brent 2 Comments

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’m really impressed with online tennis professional Ian Westerman’s new course on doubles, ‘Doubles Domination 2.0″.

Ian and I have been exchanging emails for awhile now, and this is a good guy who is providing easy to understand tennis instruction for the fundamentals of doubles.

Remember how I mentioned to you about the importance of always being to have another voice with your tennis instruction?  Ian’s “voice” is one I think you should listen to…

Ian’s just released his 2nd free video (a series of 3 free videos) where Ian focuses on the lob.

No question that the lob can be a major challenge at all skill levels.  But you can learn how to turn the lob kings / queens into your advantage.

There are specific strategies (where you play your shots and where you and your partner need to be on the court) to counter those never ending lobbers.

I’ve just watched Ian’s 2nd free video which focuses on the lob in doubles that is another introduction of what’s coming with DD 2.0.

And just like Ian’s 1st video, it’s well organized, good instructional content, and I really want you to check out this 2nd free video.  If you missed Ian’s 1sy video, no problem, you’ll get access to it also.

And  as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’m curious what you think after watching it.

DD 2.0 is not going to be available for a few more days, but in the meantime, Ian’s got 3 complimentary videos that he’s going to make available to us prior to opening up DD 2.0.

Click here to watch Ian’s 1st & 2nd videos.

After you watch the video, I’d really be interested in reading your feedback here in the Comments area.

Thanks in advance.

Brent

Filed Under: Tennis Strategy - Court Positioning, Tennis Strategy - Doubles, Tennis Strategy - Doubles - Returner of Serve's Partner, Tennis Strategy - Doubles - Server, Tennis Strategy - Doubles Poaching, Tennis Tip, Tennis Tip - Approach Shots, Tennis Tip - Lob, Tennis Tip - Lob Volley, Tennis Tip - Overhead

Doubles Strategy – Return of Serve Lob

November 30, 2010 By Brent 37 Comments

I remember a time back in the mid 70s when I was playing doubles in Key Biscayne Florida at the Royal Biscayne Hotel where I was teaching tennis for Donna Floyd Fales and Andy Garcia.

Donna was a former highly ranked player in the top 10 of the USA.

I was learning a lot about the game back then (this was a few years pre Tom Stow).

So here I was, a young buck in my mid 20s playing against a long ago retired woman tour player and taking her serve and just drilling it down low at her feet.

And I swear, every frickin 1st volley from Donna came back at me and down low at my feet.

So my solution was to take my return and hit it even harder at her, and dang, the same exact result kept happening - low 1st volleys back at my feet that I kept popping up and making her partner feel like a million bucks.

Afterwards I asked Donna, what the hell?

And she had a very important piece of feedback and advice that I’ve never forgotten.

Donna said that she knew exactly what I was going to do with my return because I never showed her and her partner a different kind of return the whole match.

And she siad that if she knew where the return was going, the extra pace from me was not a problem.

It’s kind of like baseball hitters.  If they know what pitch is coming, even if it’s a 100 mph fastball, it’s not a problem.

So, Donna told me, “Look kid, you can take a lot of pace off of that low cross court return of serve to make it really consistent and tough IF you show a couple of other types of returns of serve, especially a lob now and then.”

It was a real eye opener for me that day in Florida.  So, watch the video below and start to think of all of the different types of returns you can play to help eventually set up your bread and butter return…


Download Video or MP3

Ok, there it is – get out there and start developing your lob return of serve in doubles as an approach shot.

If you successfully lob over that net player in front of you AND you stay back on your baseline, uh well, we need to talk…

What are your thoughts?  Let me / us know below in the Comments area.  Thanks in advance.

Brent

Filed Under: Tennis Strategy - Doubles, Tennis Strategy - Doubles - Returner of Serve's Partner, Tennis Strategy - Doubles - Server, Tennis Strategy - Doubles Poaching, Tennis Tip, Tennis Tip - Doubles Return of Serve, Tennis Tip - Lob, Tennis Tip - Overhead

Doubles – Who Handles The Return of Serve Lob?

March 28, 2010 By Brent 2 Comments

I get this question from time to time, and it’s an important issue for you and your partner in doubles to make sure you’re on the same page.

Which player handles the lob return of serve that is being directed over the server’s partner?

If the server takes it, then usually the server has to allow the lob to bounce first and gets stuck back on the baseline.

If the returner who played the lob is smart, he/she will scoot on up to the net and now the returning team has the net first in that point.

However, if the server’s partner can take responsibility for 90% of those return of serve lobs, they can at least play them back as in-play approach shot overheads as they reclaim their net position.

Check out this video…


Download Video or MP3

One of the big problems the server’s partner can get into is standing too close to the net when the returner plays their return of serve.

If the server’s partner is close to the net, they might be able to pick off a couple of drive returns of serve, but it won’t take the returning team too long to start to lob.

The server’s partner has got to work on a couple of things…

Limited Time Lesson Offer: Order any lesson from now until Thursday midnight April 1, 2010, and you’ll receive two additional downloadable BONUSES from me that are directly related to this doubles topic.

Time Sensitive BONUS: I’ve got 2 BONUSES for you.  One is a recorded audio discussion that I just did with world class writer Joel Drucker where we discuss this specific topic about the lob return of serve in doubles.  What’s the ideal net position for the server’s partner during the return of serve?  I’ve also created an additional court diagram video that is included in this BONUS.

BONUS Expires: Pick up 1 of my lessons or a discount lesson packge (there are currently 16 lessons) before Thursday night April 1, 2010 at midnight Pacific time and I’ll include these two additional BONUS lessons (the Drucker interview and my court diagram video) as a complimentary gift.

So, any lesson or discounted package purchased between now and April 1, 2010 at midnight will automatically receive the download links for these two additional BONUS lessons.  Follow this link to my lessons page.

Your BONUS lessons’ download links will be sent to you directly from me via email after your lesson purchase.

40% Discounted All Lessons Package: And that’s right, if you already picked up the 40% discount All Lessons Package, you should have already received the links to these new doubles lessons.   The All Lessons Package includes all future downloadable lessons for free.  Check out this incredible lesson package offer.

Brent
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Got a minute? What’s your #1 most important question about your transitional shot in doubles when you’re serving & coming into net behind that serve? You know that shot. Right after your serve you’ve got to play a shot in between the baseline and the service line.

Give me some feedback and I’ve got a free bonus lesson for you.

Whats’ your #1 challenge with the transitional shot after your serve in doubles? Click here.
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Filed Under: Tennis Footwork, Tennis Mental Skills, Tennis Strategy - Court Positioning, Tennis Strategy - Doubles, Tennis Tip - Lob, Tennis Tip - Overhead, Tennis Writer - Joel Drucker
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