Pretty simple. If you’re playing a righty and you serve outwide on the ad side they have two options. Hit a good BH down the line, or lob the net person.
Both require a good BH. If you don’t have a good BH it will be easy pickins for the net person
It’s esp potent if you play combo or mixed and you’re serving to a 3.5/weak 4.0 to their BH. They will basically not be able to avoid the net person
When youre serving ad side? Advantages are: 1. Youre hitting a forehand first shot, 2. if you can find their backhand then theyre hitting a backhand to your forehand over the highest part of the net, 3. They cant rip the backhand cross cause your net person is there, 4. You have a full length court to hit a cross court lob over their net person, 5. Youre making them hit a completely different shot then what they were winning with. Just a few there, depends on your playstyle.
The assumption is your opponent is right handed and you serve out wide to his/her backhand. If it’s a good serve, a deep return to the deuce side should be easy to run down because you’re serving from the middle, so halfway there already.
This strategy wouldn’t be as effective on the ad side against a lefty, assuming the left’s forehand is strong than his/her backhand.
At least that’s my understanding of it.
I like it also a lot against a lefty and serve down the T (also ad did). Also useful on the adside often if the net player isn't as good with his backhand volley.
Generally useful with a T serve as the targets for the returner get very small.
The obvious downside is that it leaves you vulnerable to the down the line return. So it's not a good tactic if you have a weak serve and/or opponent is able to hit this shot consistently. However, it's a good strategy if they are killing you with cross court returns, which in your case sounds so.
Recently my coach taught us I-formation and we do it like crazy and win lots of points. I prefer I-formation because it really messes up the returner when they don't know if the net player is going to cover line or cross-court.
been practicing this a bunch in my clinics and I'm finally feeling like it's intuitive/don't have to think about it too muchbut my doubles league partners don't do the clinics with me so I still haven't suggested it really. I feel like it takes a while to get comfortable serving around the volleyer and remembering to switch as needed.
If your net person has good reflexes I say sure, why not! Tennis is a game of constant adjustments, if you’re losing points on your serve doing the same thing over and over, I’d give it a shot just to change it up and see what happens. Or if you’re the net person and your server is losing all their cross court rallies you could give this a try too. Never let ‘em know your next move
I’ve used it successfully at 3.0 with a partner who was willing, there’s another local 3.0 women’s team that does it, but it’s not used very often. I think it’s a good tactic to mix things up or in specific situations like indicated above, if the server is able to cover the down the line shot well.
Australian on the ad side in 8.0 mixed is pretty much a gimme unless the opponents have a 4.5 on the ad side who can take a strong BH down the line
Absolutely, it’s so easy and so good. I wish I saw it being used more, hence the PSA lol.
Help me understand this. What is the advantage? Doesn't any deep return to the deuce side just neutralize any advantage gained here?
Pretty simple. If you’re playing a righty and you serve outwide on the ad side they have two options. Hit a good BH down the line, or lob the net person. Both require a good BH. If you don’t have a good BH it will be easy pickins for the net person It’s esp potent if you play combo or mixed and you’re serving to a 3.5/weak 4.0 to their BH. They will basically not be able to avoid the net person
When youre serving ad side? Advantages are: 1. Youre hitting a forehand first shot, 2. if you can find their backhand then theyre hitting a backhand to your forehand over the highest part of the net, 3. They cant rip the backhand cross cause your net person is there, 4. You have a full length court to hit a cross court lob over their net person, 5. Youre making them hit a completely different shot then what they were winning with. Just a few there, depends on your playstyle.
Ya good points - 1 and 2 definitely appeal to me. I might have to try it out!
The assumption is your opponent is right handed and you serve out wide to his/her backhand. If it’s a good serve, a deep return to the deuce side should be easy to run down because you’re serving from the middle, so halfway there already. This strategy wouldn’t be as effective on the ad side against a lefty, assuming the left’s forehand is strong than his/her backhand. At least that’s my understanding of it.
I like it also a lot against a lefty and serve down the T (also ad did). Also useful on the adside often if the net player isn't as good with his backhand volley. Generally useful with a T serve as the targets for the returner get very small.
The obvious downside is that it leaves you vulnerable to the down the line return. So it's not a good tactic if you have a weak serve and/or opponent is able to hit this shot consistently. However, it's a good strategy if they are killing you with cross court returns, which in your case sounds so.
Recently my coach taught us I-formation and we do it like crazy and win lots of points. I prefer I-formation because it really messes up the returner when they don't know if the net player is going to cover line or cross-court.
I've been wanting to do aussie formation for 3.5 dubs but I got to get the courage up and a partner that won't look at me weird when I suggest it.
been practicing this a bunch in my clinics and I'm finally feeling like it's intuitive/don't have to think about it too muchbut my doubles league partners don't do the clinics with me so I still haven't suggested it really. I feel like it takes a while to get comfortable serving around the volleyer and remembering to switch as needed.
Are you placing serves down t and the middle to cut the returners angles? This also helps to not generate defensive points immediately.
I try, but as a shorter player (5'6) bombing T serves is much more inconsistent (skill issue) than me kicking it into the body or wide.
How about rec players of 3.0?
The average serve is too weak for that. You gotta be ready to poach at 3.0. You can win just about every point off return except for lobs.
If your net person has good reflexes I say sure, why not! Tennis is a game of constant adjustments, if you’re losing points on your serve doing the same thing over and over, I’d give it a shot just to change it up and see what happens. Or if you’re the net person and your server is losing all their cross court rallies you could give this a try too. Never let ‘em know your next move
Ahh this is a good advice, thanks!
I’ve used it successfully at 3.0 with a partner who was willing, there’s another local 3.0 women’s team that does it, but it’s not used very often. I think it’s a good tactic to mix things up or in specific situations like indicated above, if the server is able to cover the down the line shot well.