IT Sports Mixed Tennis League - Mixed Third Team

Painting the Clouds with Sunshine - the Mixed 3rd Team L to R: Helen, Jason L, Cap'n Sal, Paul, Tracey and Duncan

Doubles Tactics

Bishopthorpe Mixed teams often fall down on tactics. We don't really have a full appreciation of how to play doubles.

Here's a short video clip of two Korean (I think) guys who are a perfectly attuned pair. See how they work this rally - which lasts for three-and-a-half minutes!

Watch the clock at the bottom and check for the following GOOD DOUBLES TACTICS at the time given.

If we can get these moves off pat, then each of us can claim "I won it that way..."

(Best with the sound ON)

0:00 From the start, the net player keeps his eyes firmly on the opponents - NOT looking back to watch his partner serve.

0:14 When one player goes wide to play a shot, his partner should move across in the same direction to cover the hole he's left (as if they're both tied together)

0:39 Clearly communicate when you want your partner to come into the play

0:59 The net player should always keep his eye on the flight of the BALL and NOT look back at his partner

1:32 The net player here has a heavily strapped arm, which allows him to 'play through' his Tennis elbow

1:35 When the net player 'switches' to the other side of the Court to play a shot, the baseline player automatically switches to cover the vacated side. Quite balletic.

1:50 As soon as you can - push BOTH players to the net

1:59 One player should call and DROP BACK to deal with any lobs, and then...

2:10 ...immediately get back into their faces at the net

2:49 No matter how hairy it gets - DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD!

3:30 Finally close out the net and end the rally with a delicate angled drop shot.

Both singing from the same songsheet... more than we're able to do.

Match Report

Wednesday 7th May vs NEXT GENERATION Away A lovely warm evening at the posh Next Gen venue... Playing at 1 were Paul and Tracey - who scored 2, 5 and 5 - narrowly missing out on winning a rubber. In her own words, Tracey reported: "Consistently average BUT the best-looking couple on the court, with a sack full of promise for the rest of the season - and already looking forward to the end of season booze up!" (attagirl Trace... nothing if not 100% commitment!) Tough going on those NG artificial grass courts. Very unusual bounce at times. Could Jason and Cap'n Sally nail a win? Sal: "Well, a very shakey start in the first rubber when 5 - 1 down, but eventually scraping a 5 - 7 recovery. Then it was downhill from there on in really, with a 2-10 and a 1-11, but much to Jason's relief not a complete washout!" (shouldn't that be 'doughnut'? - Ed) Oh dear - that's 20-52 down already - we needed 35 games from 36, for a win - where would we get them from? Cometh the hour, cometh the Man ...men ...errr, cometh the ..er ...a Man and a Woman ...them both. Meet the heroes of our story... (in Tracey's words - wit rhyddm!) "Their names sound alike and they were in perfect harmony throughout" (Tracey - the Queen Latifah of Bishopthorpe Tennis Club) Kelvin and Helen

Although they lacked the smouldering good-looks of our first pair, Kelvin and Helen more than made up for it on the Tennis Court.

They won not one, but two rubbers pretty convincingly 9-3 and 10-2 and only narrowly lost 5-7 to Next Generation's accomplished first pairing, ending with a mammoth 24 games (more than the rest of the team put together! - Ed)

Phew - with all that talent - just be glad they ain't lookers too...

Sadly, Hel & Kel's heroic efforts just weren't enough to get us the win, but 44-64 ain't too shabby for playing on grass ...artificial at that. (Never mind all the numbers - did they give you CURLY FRIES or not??? - Ed)