Wall Doubles vs. Stagger Doubles.

[J011yroger]

Hello all,

For those of us teaching and playing doubles, there seem to be two main schools of thought, the wall school where both players are even and move as one giant player, and both move the same direction to cover the ball, the other school of thought being the stagger formation where the back/cross court players (the server and returner at the beginning of the point) do not close all the way, stopping around the service line, and cover the angle on wide balls.

I'd like to have a discussion thread on the benefits and drawbacks of each, which you teach, which you prefer, and why.

J

[gzhpcu]

When I was playing national league C doubles, we always went to the net after serving and remained parallel. When receiving against a good server and volley player, we opted for the receiver to stay back and then often lob or stay back..

[klacr]

Depends on the students.
For vast majority, I teach the staggered. In club doubles, the most popular shot is the lob. When having the cross court player (in relation to the ball) staggered slightly back just inside service line they have ability to recover the lob if over the head of the partner (the poacher, who is down the line in relation to the ball.) It happens often. When both players are parallel there becomes a miscommunication, if any communication at all as to who has the lob as both net players stare at each other in bewilderment thinking it was their partner's shot.

The wall is great for high level when both players move well and a lob is more a defensive shot than offensive and both players are athletic enough to move back.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[J011yroger]

Depends on the students.
For vast majority, I teach the staggered. In club doubles, the most popular shot is the lob. When having the cross court player (in relation to the ball) staggered slightly back just inside service line they have ability to recover the lob if over the head of the partner (the poacher, who is down the line in relation to the ball.) It happens often. When both players are parallel there becomes a miscommunication, if any communication at all as to who has the lob as both net players stare at each other in bewilderment thinking it was their partner's shot.

The wall is great for high level when both players move well and a lob is more a defensive shot than offensive and both players are athletic enough to move back.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

You echo my feelings, as the head pro at a country club, I teach the stagger doubles because the players and shots are slower, and there is no need to over close because no one can hit a dipping topspin shot, I am trying to get everyone on the same page. When I work with the academy juniors in winter, I teach wall doubles more. When I play people of my own level, I am more apt to play wall doubles depending on the players or opponents. The good thing is that the same side player does the same thing in both instances, and it is just the cross court player who changes the strategy, so it's an easy flip if you are getting beat in one formation.

J

[seano]

USPTA National Vice President Feisal Hassan has fascinating ideas on doubles. If you have a chance, you should study his work. It's all situational, as an example, if you and your partner are both at net, there are 4 possible situations depending on trends and patterns.
1) If you predict no lob coming - both players "smother" (close to net)
2) If you predict a lob is coming - both players "hover" (back by service line)
3) If you predict a cross-court lob - stagger (diagonal player "hovers" (service line) player in front of hitter would "smother")
4) If you predict a down-the-line lob - reverse stagger (player in front of hitter "hovers", diagonal player would "smother")

[nytennisaddict]

Hello all,

For those of us teaching and playing doubles, there seem to be two main schools of thought, the wall school where both players are even and move as one giant player, and both move the same direction to cover the ball, the other school of thought being the stagger formation where the back/cross court players (the server and returner at the beginning of the point) do not close all the way, stopping around the service line, and cover the angle on wide balls.

I'd like to have a discussion thread on the benefits and drawbacks of each, which you teach, which you prefer, and why.

J

jolly!

my $.02 (presuming yoiu don't mean 1 up 1 back when you say "staggered")

i play/prefer the "staggered" formation (both folks at net, but the cc person slightly further back)... the pro is that the net person is the "finisher" looking to poach all balls through the center...

imo the "wall formation" moving together on the same plane, is easier to teach, less variables of who's supposed to do what... but gives up poaching opportunities.