Ken DeHart Tennis » drop shots

Both Players Back Formation

Ken DeHart — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:02:08 +0000

When playing both players back, the serving team or receiving team both start together on the baseline.

Reasons for the receiving team to stay back:

1. The serving team is too strong with the serve and it is difficult to return the ball past the server’s partner – fear factor.
2. The net player of the serving team is too aggressive and creates a “monster in your mind” about getting the ball in play or past the monster at the net.
3. The receiving player is afraid of getting their partner killed.
4. The serving team hits the ball too hard and plays too aggressive at the net so we will stay back and lob until they make a mistake.

Reasons for the serving team to both stay back:

1. The receiving team keeps hitting the server’s partner with the return of serve.
2. The serving team’s serves are too weak to put the receiving team on defense.
3. The receiving team chips and comes into the net and dominates play.
4. The serving team is not a traditional doubles team, does not volley well and is much more successful dinking and lobbing.

How to play teams that stay both back:

1. Hit short, dinky balls and drop shots that force them to come into the part of the court they hate – then lob them.
2. Hit short angled returns to pull them off the court and create open spaces to use your power to put the ball away.
3. Stay back and loop with them for a few shots then come into the net to volley the loopy returns out of the air – short angled shots.
4. Keep your feet moving, hitting more spin overheads, short angled volleys and play overheads as overheads and volleys as volleys so as not to over hit.

What not to do:

1. Avoid hitting hard deep overheads at the players on the baseline, they will use your power to lob the ball back as a lob.
2. Do not under estimate this team because of how they play. They are smart to play this way if you can out hit them. Give them their respect or you will choke. Keep your feet moving or you will get tight and make lots of errors in the net.
3. Avoid easy errors and simple mistakes. This team relies on free points – not great shots to win matches. Do not look up as you hit to see where they are – they are back.

Photo Credits: 1

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One Up and One Back Formations

Ken DeHart — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:52:05 +0000

When teams play this formation, they can be the easiest to beat – if you play smart. This formation leaves lots of holes in their defense and can make their net player a target for the other team. Don’t be afraid of the net.

Reasons for the serving team to use this formation:

1. The serving team has one player who is “afraid” of the net.
2. The serving team has a player who is “afraid” of getting lobbed.
3. The serving team has a player who thinks they are playing singles and loves to stay back and rally for 30 balls.
4. The serving team has such a weak serve they can’t come in and the receiving team returns deep enough to never hit a short ball they can use to come to the net.

Reasons for the receiving team to use this formation:

1. The receiving team has a player who is “afraid” of the net.
2. The receiving team’s returns are too weak to put the serving team on defense.
3. The receiving team does not know how to chip or drop shot and come into the net to dominate play.
4. The receiving team is “afraid of the other team lobbing and their partner at the net does not know where or how to volley at the net to finish off points.

How to play teams that play one up one back:

1. Get to the net at all costs.
2. Direct your shots between them or past the person closest to the net who will have the least amount of reaction time.
3. If you get pinned back, keep the ball away from their net player with loopy – spinny balls.
4. Lob the net player and come in to an area about 2-3 feet behind the service line to allow you to play overheads, volleys or drop shots. Control the net and keep their team split.
5. Stay back and loop with them for a few shots then come into the net to volley the loopy returns out of the air – short angled shots.
6. Return drop shots to force the player who stayed back to come into the net then lob that player.

What not to do:

1. Avoid getting sucked into their style of play.
2. Do not miss the return. The server is staying back, slow down the return and loop it deep to them so they have no pace to hit back at you. This return is difficult to for the server’s partner to poach against – no pace and high.
3. Avoid easy errors and simple mistakes like trying to kill the volley “at the net person” – find the “valleys” to volley into.

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