Great description of common situations and how to handle them. Very good for intermediate and advanced players looking to become even better. Easy to visualize and put into practice. A must read for both players and then use in matches.
The Art of Doubles is a look at the California doubles way of playing, as author Pat Blaskower puts it. This book seems geared towards the 4.0 and above doubles specialist. Blaskower offers many good strategies and mental reminders to practice and put into play. She offers very specific instructions on where to best place the ball in a multitude of situations. Various formations are discussed, along with their strengths and weaknesses.
At times, Blaskower gets a bit vague in explaining her strategies. The diagrams can also be confusing at times. But these weak points are kept to a minimum, and overall, the book is still a great guide to taking your doubles game to a more advanced level. Drills are also offered in the back of the book, to help you practice the situations you'll face. The Art of Doubles is a must read for anyone hoping to take their doubles game to a more advanced level.
This is a great book about tennis. It goes over tennis positioning really well. Something I always wanted to learn more about. The usual suggestions like: hit short to short, deep to deep, short to deep, but never deep to short.
i found the idea of the middle net tape very useful in understanding where you should position yourself. I had to read some of the concepts over again, because it was the first time learning them.
I have heard some of the suggestions before , but it is still a great reminder.
I always understood that if you poach a ball you should keep it going in the direction you are going towards. I didn't know there was a name for not doing this. It is called hitting behind yourself. If you poach a ball and hit it to the space in front of you on the opposite side that you just left, they can hit it right into the space you left .. for a clean winner.
I am not finished with the book yet, but wanted to jot down these highlights
Can't really implement the "California Doubles" movement described without one steady partner to practice it with - maybe someday. That said, there are lots of other strategies provided to help my game with any partner.
A must read for any doubles player. I read it through and then reread each chapter out of order. Sometimes i just pick it up and read a few pages before a match! Love the description of the roles of each position!
The best book on how to play doubles, period. This is classic, but still so relevant today. My coach Randy Schubert teaches these tactics and his teams WIN. Shot selection, positioning, strategy, plays for key situations, it is all here. Read this and get better, you'll have more fun.