The doubles game

I think most of the doubles results show that good single players teamed up are also a strong double. However there are combinations that just don't work I think. Like Ovcharov and Süss being knocked out of the WTTC in the first round. So the playing styles kinda have to match. I once played against a left/left doubles, which was ridiculously easy to beat. Their FH corner was open all the time, I guess because they have to serve from the right.

Nowadays, most of the time I play doubles with the professors and retires ppl in my area, it just because they are old/too old to respond as quick as possible to play in single. To me, there are some significant different between the double. Like the movement between two players, how you ensure your next move would let you get into a good position, because your partner may accidentally block your direction, and also how you should move so that you won't blocked your partner.

The other things is you have more preparation for next ball compare to single, which also means the opponent has more time and preparation too. This becomes that you had to be more tricky and better ball placement in some other sense. So to me, it is likes almost different than the single match. And also, since you can only serve from one corner to another, this does make that usually the short serve is the most safe, and usually if we open with a long serve, the opponent just can initiate the attack right away

But anyway, the communication between two players in double is the most critical. Since you had to let your partner what will be the next serve is.

azlan said:

I kinda like playing doubles coz it develops more awareness, at least for me. In doubles I can't just hit the ball anywhere thinking it's going to be a winner. Or if my partner is out of position, I must make sure that the ball that comes back to him must be playable by him. Awareness of where your opponents positions and your partner makes it very interesting for me.

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Yep, you always have to keep in mind that the return of your shot will have to be returned by your partner, not you. This is why in Chinese doubles (and maybe more) the player who doesn't serve indicates his partner what to serve. In other doubles you often see the server indicating what he will serve. And the positioning and placement is different yea .

I think wether you are good at doubles or not depends on your playing style as well. We know that Chinese players are the best in the world, individually as well as in doubles. But they all have great footwork and move around a lot, which is an essential part of playing doubles. For example Samsonov is a way better singles player than doubles I think.

I enjoy playing doubles, and in many ways I actually comparatively do better in doubles. Doubles you have more time to react, and since I have a really strong forehand, its alot easier to get into position, and you have a lot more time to unleash a huge stroke in doubles than you otherwise would be able to in singles.

There is definitely a degree of synergy involved in doubles. Having two great players on a team, while definitely helpful, doesn't necessarily mean they will beat a team that has not as good players. I mean for a good period of time, Ko Lai Chak and Li Ching were the best doubles team aside from Ma Lin and Chen Qi. Neither of the two Hong Kong players were that great in singles, and yet together they made a team that was significantly better than their individual parts. You definitely have to have a good complimentary team in order to truly become a good doubles team. I think the best combination is having one lefty one righty, having one penholder, because they usually have the mastery of the short game to allow their other teammate attack on the next shot. Its why I think WLQ with Yan Sen made such an amazing doubles team, despite Yan Sen not really being that good of a singles player. Yan Sen was able to control the beginning of the short game well, to allow WLQ to really unleash his amazingly powerful forehand. That combination of small and quick and then large and power is a great match.

Doubles is all about synergy. It's not about what you're strong suits are, but what your opponents strong suits are so you can help set them up and they you. The lefty/lefty combo is usually a losing combination because it doubles is favorable for a right handed return of service. In the U.S. many lefty players argue that the service from right to right is unfair for lefty/lefty combinations and they sometimes allow events with a service from left to left courts. I'm not sure if this is a centralized incident or if they're looking for a way to make it more fair for those that wish to play as a lefty/lefty combo, but as for now it is a disadvantage for them.

Lefty/righty combinations typically end up being better because if one player instigates properly it allows for both players to play their forehands and also helps them with service and return positioning. Righty/righty combos typically have a balance between return and service positionings, but technically are at a disadvantage against a righty/lefty combo.

I personally love watching doubles because I feel there are more entertaining rallies when compared to a singles match. When in a singles match a majority of the time you'll see one player over powering the other. Doubles usually has a unique variation of players that just provide entertaining matches.

Mr. RicharD said:

Doubles is all about synergy. It's not about what you're strong suits are, but what your opponents strong suits are so you can help set them up and they you. The lefty/lefty combo is usually a losing combination because it doubles is favorable for a right handed return of service. In the U.S. many lefty players argue that the service from right to right is unfair for lefty/lefty combinations and they sometimes allow events with a service from left to left courts. I'm not sure if this is a centralized incident or if they're looking for a way to make it more fair for those that wish to play as a lefty/lefty combo, but as for now it is a disadvantage for them.

Lefty/righty combinations typically end up being better because if one player instigates properly it allows for both players to play their forehands and also helps them with service and return positioning. Righty/righty combos typically have a balance between return and service positionings, but technically are at a disadvantage against a righty/lefty combo.

I personally love watching doubles because I feel there are more entertaining rallies when compared to a singles match. When in a singles match a majority of the time you'll see one player over powering the other. Doubles usually has a unique variation of players that just provide entertaining matches.

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Nice post I absolutely agree with u. The service from the left is a bit weird though. xD