Solid info. Was just teaching these concepts yesterday. Pick what you want to leave exposed, cover the middle, move laterally together. So many club players have been taught to 'cover your alley' and end up giving up to much court in the middle.
Good video, very helpful. I know about this shifting pattern and leaving the angle open, but what is interesting to watch in this footage is their shot placement. That you can hit yourself out of position by where you place your shot.
Loving the doubles strategy! More focus on doubles would be appreciated. I would bet the majority of your viewers are primarily doubles oriented. Singles players are typically less than 40 yo. Juniors have their own coaches, Guys in their twenties know it all (lol), and guys in their thirties are too busy chasing kids. OK, these are stereotypes but I'm probably not too far off. Great job on this one!
Great video!! The key takeaway priorities were especially clear and practical. Would love to know when a double back strategy should be employed and what type of players or scenarios it would be effective for.
Amazing video Ian. I am a 3.5 player and just starting to understand all the strategies. It is interesting what you said about 2 players going to the same ball. At club level, players don't like that and think it is wrong, now I understand why it is OK. Thanks
I like your analysis of the doubles. Do you also have some analyses for the receivers partner. Where is the best place to start when your partner receives a serve
Excellent video. Would like to see more doubles strategy plus a nice detailed video on I formation and Australian. How to use it and when is the best time. Which one works best when serving from deuce side and which from add side.
it explains a lot, including the fact that the Bryans plays "inverted".. Bob, despite being lefty, plays on the right side and Mark, as deft, plays on the left.. this allow them to cover more any vulnerability in the middle once middle shots will be covered by both forehands.. isn't it right? great content btw, Ian.. cheers from Brazil
Great stuff. This is my first year playing doubles and I have learned a lot from this channel. My partners and I move well laterally as a team. Its my up and down movement that needs work. Once I move up, I dont really drop back much to play defence, or I do a very shallow triangle. Maybe I will go watch your old triangle video again.
I liked seeing how you can hit yourself out of position by changing the angle of the shot. It may appear to be the clever move to volley in a different direction but it ends up being riskier because you aren't ready for the likely returning shot. The volley version of when you're in a cross court rally and you "think" that hitting down the line is crafty but even if you execute, you can be creating more trouble for yourself. Excellent video! More please.
Love your videos; both singles and doubles strategies! Please do a video on the various formations in doubles, AND a video on talking/communications with your partner during the match. Thank you!
Thanks you Ian! Love this video about doubles strategy. More of the same please. A big problem with doubles strategy for me is that too many partners are not into discussing strategy between points. Communication is everything in doubles imo, & the few partners that are willing to strategy point by point are the best ones to have by far.
I think that a big difference beetween the rec level and the pro is that we hit softer and shorter (and higher) volley and approach shot (and serve) which help the opposite team to for the alley having more time and easier balls to hit
Mate these strategy vids are really great, definitely stands out in an ocean of vids on just how to hit a ball, Whereas strategy actually wins you matches, keep it up!
You have perfectly explained the bisector rule, which all players in singles and doubles must adhere to. That is why changing direction is dangerous for yourself, because you have to quickly adjust your position. However, everything happens so fast, that it is easy to make a mistake. Even the Bryan brothers
Awesome, really loved the strategy breakdown, please make others I formation, me and my double partner really struggle with double as we are primarily single players. So we have a lot trouble when we want to have some fun playing doubles in tournaments
This is KILLER information. Reminding us of each player's responsibility. Even though you are playing as a team, each player has a primary court coverage responsibility subject to the position of the ball on the other side of the court. Expand this to "I", and Ausi.
This is very informative. Didn't the Bryan Brothers keep the middle open in the very first video? Keep up the good work. PS. I WOULD like to see a video on the different serving formations.
Great question! Bob pulled himself way off the court by taking that shot as a forehand instead of a backhand. I do think Mike could have shifted a bit more, but its a different dynamic from the baseline. Much more time to react and respond compared to being at the net. Mike's position IS shifted towards the middle of the court, just not as aggressively as if they were both at the net. -Ian
I was guessing Mike would move to the left, since that would be the most interesting example to cover:-) I also start in the modified I-formation, since this is the middle of either getting to the cross-court ball or the alley. Would be fun to see an analysis of Mike and Jack Sock, even if Mike and Bob probably is a better example if you want to see a doubles pair that moves extremely well together and especially at the net, but Jack sock has incredible volley angle shots and forehand to setup the net player too. Would also be fun to see an example of Federer playing doubles and discussions of his net position strategies. What I find really interesting is the different starting positions professional doubles players use. They have many different variations of the text book versions of I, Australian or normal starting position.
Love all these strategy videos. I'd like to see something on transition from defence to offense as well as way teams chose a specific strategy such as the Bryan bros. I formation point in this video
Hi Ian this video was interesting and at the end you talk about these angled shots being a lower priority I have seen Roger Federer in some video clips make these astounding angles and he does it quite regularly I think that your TV which ever it is is very interesting with all the coloured markings thank you for this clip cheers Williamj
love this contents! can cover smash and next ball situation? for the amateur level player around NTRP 3.0, sometime the point is not finish by smash (wrong placement most of time) and opponent can return back
when defending against the I formation that Bryans were deploying, would a Lob return be a good return shot ? and also for the Bryans, if the opponent hits a lob return on that play, how would they defend it ?
how can you do this Ian when you play with older guys who can't move well laterally or back for the lob? Do you still focus on the middle and not ignore everything else?
Ian you forgot to mention the type of serve bob hit! A lefty Jammer slice into the body! The sharp angle to the "open court" basically isnt an option, so it really only leaves 2.. or 3 options open including the lob!
LOVED THIS! Would also love some analysis of Martina Hingis in Doubles Play. I see her making so many great decisions with her various partners. PS. Sharing this with my Peeps. Thanks
@@EssentialTennis well that is obvious but where stand and how to cover the court if the 9verhead is not that great and the opponent gets the overhead back?
I find it interesting that you chose to focus on the brothers positions and how they were doing well, at least from what I heard you sounded like they were doing it right, but they lost all three points. Seemed counter to the point I thought you were trying to make?
Nope. Not counter at all. Millions of tennis points are lost every day doing the "right" tactical things 🙂 There is no strategy in tennis that wins every point.
What I don't understand is why the net players in the first point didn't cover the left alley after hitting the second volley. Leaving it open when their opponents would have to hit a cross shot that has a long distance to travel, that makes sense. But they left it open even when their opponents could've hit it down the line, and somehow it worked!
After watching it again, I have to admit that it wouldn't have been down the line, but a short cross instead. That doesn't matter tough, as that shot would've been relatively easy to hit, fast and precise.
I'd like to see more Women's Doubles (WTA or D1 College) points because I think their strategy and tactics are a better match for those of us playing USTA Leagues 3.0-4.5. I've been playing 4.5 leagues for almost 40 years (played #1 singles & doubles in college-D3). But many of us are not quick enough to play aggressive serve & volley AND cover lobs. The ATP guys are fast enough to play very close to the net but men/women (senior/4.5 or lower) would get lobbed to death in that position. I like to see high-level women on both teams in the 1 up/1 back position trying to hit the better groundie and/or pick off a volley at net.
It's all great but we're not even close to the pro level. Our serves are not powerful enough = opponent could hit sharp angles, lob = cause us confusion (i.e. have to cover the whole court) and constantly have to defense or hit bad shots. It is exhausting running back for the lobs and up the court to dig drops. The toughest shot we have to make constantly is the lob to our back hand side. We could only make about 50-60% and only win about 5%. My question is when a server in the no-man land, how can we read the oppose baseliner if he lob or not. If my net partner could read the lob, he could move back and smash. If I, the server, could read the lob, I wouldn't poach so close to the net. Should we take risk and poach all the time? What's the chance of winning? We're 4.0 and know the basic of court coverage but still feel pressure and insecure in our formation against 2 opponent at net = lost confidence in our shot selections = take too much risk = lost 2-6, 3-6 often. Thanks for any tips.
Hi Ian, very helpful content, will use it in the next training with the team. I would also really appreciate more double-formations, as we always play the classic 1-person at the net on both teams going cross-court until somebody poaches. I guess in amateur matches especially in doubles having a more thought-through strategy makes a huge difference, as most teams just put 2 players on the court and wing it. Glad to see you back, I really like the new videos, keep it up!
Sadly at a club level, as soon as we step up to the net, opponents first reaction (~90% of the times) is to lob!, so there is no real opportunity to play a nice double point. Great video Ian.
Going to make a video about this comment, Fabio 🙂 If you hate getting lobbed then you have a lot of work to do on your recognition, footwork, and overhead swing!
you took a long time to expose a simple concept - leave exposed the most difficult shot for the opponent. Cool video, nonetheless. And, yes, please! More videos on different doubles formations.
I think a further explanation of the ‘simple concept’ gives us a greater understanding and more examples will allow us to preform the strategy in more scenarios on court
Solid info. Was just teaching these concepts yesterday. Pick what you want to leave exposed, cover the middle, move laterally together. So many club players have been taught to 'cover your alley' and end up giving up to much court in the middle.
Good video, very helpful. I know about this shifting pattern and leaving the angle open, but what is interesting to watch in this footage is their shot placement. That you can hit yourself out of position by where you place your shot.
Glad it was helpful, Susanne!
More on the different serving strategies (I-formation, Australian, etc.)
Appreciate the feedback, Joseph!
Seconded, I’d like it too
Same! i always thought they were the same thing!
Loving the doubles strategy! More focus on doubles would be appreciated. I would bet the majority of your viewers are primarily doubles oriented. Singles players are typically less than 40 yo. Juniors have their own coaches, Guys in their twenties know it all (lol), and guys in their thirties are too busy chasing kids. OK, these are stereotypes but I'm probably not too far off. Great job on this one!
Where do you live? In my area majority of singles are 35 y/o+
More to come!
Thank you sir
Love these doubles strategies videos .Would like you to talk about the ad vantages of the different serving positions, I formation, Australian, etc.
Will do!
Loved it! Would love to see an I formation vid!
Great video! I would like to see more doubles formations you mentioned.
More to come!
Great video!! The key takeaway priorities were especially clear and practical. Would love to know when a double back strategy should be employed and what type of players or scenarios it would be effective for.
Amazing video Ian. I am a 3.5 player and just starting to understand all the strategies. It is interesting what you said about 2 players going to the same ball. At club level, players don't like that and think it is wrong, now I understand why it is OK. Thanks
It would be fantastic if you tell us about "the australian" formation in service. Thanks a lot, I really like your videos!!!
I like your analysis of the doubles. Do you also have some analyses for the receivers partner. Where is the best place to start when your partner receives a serve
More on I formation to both sides please and also hitting lobs (when and to what targets?) thanks
You got it, Scott!
discuss the step directions for the server of the I formation
I love your analysis format. It is also very beneficial that you can stop and go the action while explaining a certain point. Love it !
Glad you enjoy it!
PLEASE break down I and Australian formations. When to use them, why, and how to counter.
Great idea!
Love these strategy videos, they really help me improve, both in single and double. Would love to see more both single and double strategy
Great to hear!
Excellent video. Would like to see more doubles strategy plus a nice detailed video on I formation and Australian. How to use it and when is the best time. Which one works best when serving from deuce side and which from add side.
Noted!
it explains a lot, including the fact that the Bryans plays "inverted".. Bob, despite being lefty, plays on the right side and Mark, as deft, plays on the left.. this allow them to cover more any vulnerability in the middle once middle shots will be covered by both forehands.. isn't it right? great content btw, Ian.. cheers from Brazil
Thank you! Love the detail in this video! I'd like to see more doubles videos! :)
Great content, very educational! Hope to see more doubles formations and strategies.
Great stuff. This is my first year playing doubles and I have learned a lot from this channel. My partners and I move well laterally as a team. Its my up and down movement that needs work. Once I move up, I dont really drop back much to play defence, or I do a very shallow triangle. Maybe I will go watch your old triangle video again.
Glad these videos have been helpful, Jawad!
I would like to see discussion of the different formations on serve and how they are played.
Great video, learn a lot. More of this, also tactics in single games.
Glad to hear it!
I liked seeing how you can hit yourself out of position by changing the angle of the shot. It may appear to be the clever move to volley in a different direction but it ends up being riskier because you aren't ready for the likely returning shot. The volley version of when you're in a cross court rally and you "think" that hitting down the line is crafty but even if you execute, you can be creating more trouble for yourself.
Excellent video! More please.
Glad you enjoyed it. More on the way!
Love your videos; both singles and doubles strategies! Please do a video on the various formations in doubles, AND a video on talking/communications with your partner during the match.
Thank you!
Great suggestion!
Thanks you Ian! Love this video about doubles strategy. More of the same please. A big problem with doubles strategy for me is that too many partners are not into discussing strategy between points. Communication is everything in doubles imo, & the few partners that are willing to strategy point by point are the best ones to have by far.
Great graphics. Love the doubles strategy breakdown format.
Glad you liked it!
Love it Ian! I love the doubles strategies, as that is all I play. Thank you!!
I think that a big difference beetween the rec level and the pro is that we hit softer and shorter (and higher) volley and approach shot (and serve) which help the opposite team to for the alley having more time and easier balls to hit
A good point!
Mate these strategy vids are really great, definitely stands out in an ocean of vids on just how to hit a ball, Whereas strategy actually wins you matches, keep it up!
Glad you like them!
You have perfectly explained the bisector rule, which all players in singles and doubles must adhere to. That is why changing direction is dangerous for yourself, because you have to quickly adjust your position. However, everything happens so fast, that it is easy to make a mistake. Even the Bryan brothers
Awesome, really loved the strategy breakdown, please make others I formation, me and my double partner really struggle with double as we are primarily single players. So we have a lot trouble when we want to have some fun playing doubles in tournaments
I really like these strategy videos, very helpful and straightforward tips. Keep it up, well done.
Glad to hear it!
Please give us doubles I formation strategy
This is KILLER information. Reminding us of each player's responsibility. Even though you are playing as a team, each player has a primary court coverage responsibility subject to the position of the ball on the other side of the court. Expand this to "I", and Ausi.
Glad you enjoyed it, Jim!
This is very informative. Didn't the Bryan Brothers keep the middle open in the very first video? Keep up the good work. PS. I WOULD like to see a video on the different serving formations.
Great question! Bob pulled himself way off the court by taking that shot as a forehand instead of a backhand. I do think Mike could have shifted a bit more, but its a different dynamic from the baseline. Much more time to react and respond compared to being at the net. Mike's position IS shifted towards the middle of the court, just not as aggressively as if they were both at the net. -Ian
I was never good at playing doubles, and now I know what my problem was ; thanks for the video.👍
So glad to hear this was helpful!
I was guessing Mike would move to the left, since that would be the most interesting example to cover:-) I also start in the modified I-formation, since this is the middle of either getting to the cross-court ball or the alley. Would be fun to see an analysis of Mike and Jack Sock, even if Mike and Bob probably is a better example if you want to see a doubles pair that moves extremely well together and especially at the net, but Jack sock has incredible volley angle shots and forehand to setup the net player too. Would also be fun to see an example of Federer playing doubles and discussions of his net position strategies.
What I find really interesting is the different starting positions professional doubles players use. They have many different variations of the text book versions of I, Australian or normal starting position.
Loving the doubles strategy lessons! I am strictly a doubles player and appreciate your insight.
Glad you like them!
Love all these strategy videos. I'd like to see something on transition from defence to offense as well as way teams chose a specific strategy such as the Bryan bros. I formation point in this video
If you are attacking 2 players who are both at the back of the court where is the best place to aim? They won't miss down the middle so sides?
can you do more vids on when to use different formations for doubles. great vid btw
Will do!
loved it , thanks yes some more i Aussie please
Love to see some analysis of the differing formations. Thanks Ian
More to come!
Please bReakdown Eye formation, Australian formation and other formations you have in doubles as well. Appreciate your videos. Love from India!!
Thanks Ian I feel like I am getting a 3D tennis lecture haha you are so good at what you do bro!!
Nice clear points Ian!
Hi Ian this video was interesting and at the end you talk about these angled shots being a lower priority I have seen Roger Federer in some video clips make these astounding angles and he does it quite regularly I think that your TV which ever it is is very interesting with all the coloured markings thank you for this clip cheers Williamj
Loving the analysis videos, they are really helpful
Glad to hear it!
Thanks Ian! Helps me plan my moves better!
Great to hear!
Please more serving strategies!!!
Love the focus on doubles!
Great job, Ian. Would love to get insight into one back / one up.
You got it!
I wanna know the other formations
love this contents! can cover smash and next ball situation? for the amateur level player around NTRP 3.0, sometime the point is not finish by smash (wrong placement most of time) and opponent can return back
Great suggestion!
please, Can you analyse the doubles final at New York in 2019 ?
Another great video. Maybe next video you can cover some more singles strategies
Good idea!
Love to see i formation and Aussie with a leafty partner. What advantages would they have?? Thanks!!!
Great to hear your take on Doubles tactics, thanks Ian
Thank you.
I want to see more tennis games and point analysis like this.
Great content. 👍
Appreciate it, Javier!
when defending against the I formation that Bryans were deploying, would a Lob return be a good return shot ? and also for the Bryans, if the opponent hits a lob return on that play, how would they defend it ?
Lob can absolutely be a good response, yes!
Loved it!
Keep up the doubles strategy!
More to come!
Thanks Ian!
You bet!
Nice video Ian. What monitor/software were you using? Thanks!
Could you guys cover the australian formation?
Great topic idea!
how can you do this Ian when you play with older guys who can't move well laterally or back for the lob? Do you still focus on the middle and not ignore everything else?
Really love the strategy work!
Glad to hear it!
REALLY like this format!!!
Great to hear! Thank you for watching!
Excellent commentary. Invaluable! Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Pity that stadium is so empty!
It really is!
Tennis can do a lot more to promote doubles, for sure
Ian you forgot to mention the type of serve bob hit! A lefty Jammer slice into the body! The sharp angle to the "open court" basically isnt an option, so it really only leaves 2.. or 3 options open including the lob!
Great point!
LOVED THIS! Would also love some analysis of Martina Hingis in Doubles Play. I see her making so many great decisions with her various partners.
PS. Sharing this with my Peeps. Thanks
Thank you so much for sharing, Marisa!
Nice video however believe more analysis on both teams would be better to show what they did right and what went wrong 👌
i like how you decorated the place
Thanks!
Seeing a breakdown of Martina and Leander at net would be pretty great.
Awesome idea!
Great info
Keep it up with the content bro !
Thanks, will do!
Great video Ian ! I really like this strategy análisis videos, although I am more of a singles player I still see all videos jajajaj
Glad you enjoyed it!
Please come pound this concept into my ALTA teams in Atlanta. Good stuff, Bruh.
loving this content Ian
Great to hear!
At the recreational level the opponents tend to throw in more lobs. What is an effective strategy against that?
The best strategy is have a GREAT overhead. Lots of coaching on this channel about it.
@@EssentialTennis well that is obvious but where stand and how to cover the court if the 9verhead is not that great and the opponent gets the overhead back?
I find it interesting that you chose to focus on the brothers positions and how they were doing well, at least from what I heard you sounded like they were doing it right, but they lost all three points. Seemed counter to the point I thought you were trying to make?
Nope. Not counter at all. Millions of tennis points are lost every day doing the "right" tactical things 🙂 There is no strategy in tennis that wins every point.
How do you know which of the brothers is mike and which one is bob?
I've been watching them for along time!
Always move together. Good video.
Yes! Thank you!
What I don't understand is why the net players in the first point didn't cover the left alley after hitting the second volley. Leaving it open when their opponents would have to hit a cross shot that has a long distance to travel, that makes sense. But they left it open even when their opponents could've hit it down the line, and somehow it worked!
After watching it again, I have to admit that it wouldn't have been down the line, but a short cross instead. That doesn't matter tough, as that shot would've been relatively easy to hit, fast and precise.
Is this copyright free?
Great video. I would like to see some women's doubles players. Thanks!
99% spot on Ian. A real pleasure to hear from a dubs lover, and its equal of mixed (with great lady players).
What was the 1%?? 😆
if a guy says spot on, it is 100% my bad! spot on/100%
nice analysis
Thanks!
good analysis
Thanks!
¡Great video!
right on the serve
I'd like to see more Women's Doubles (WTA or D1 College) points because I think their strategy and tactics are a better match for those of us playing USTA Leagues 3.0-4.5. I've been playing 4.5 leagues for almost 40 years (played #1 singles & doubles in college-D3). But many of us are not quick enough to play aggressive serve & volley AND cover lobs. The ATP guys are fast enough to play very close to the net but men/women (senior/4.5 or lower) would get lobbed to death in that position. I like to see high-level women on both teams in the 1 up/1 back position trying to hit the better groundie and/or pick off a volley at net.
Great idea!
Let's see more doubles content like this
It's all great but we're not even close to the pro level. Our serves are not powerful enough = opponent could hit sharp angles, lob = cause us confusion (i.e. have to cover the whole court) and constantly have to defense or hit bad shots. It is exhausting running back for the lobs and up the court to dig drops. The toughest shot we have to make constantly is the lob to our back hand side. We could only make about 50-60% and only win about 5%. My question is when a server in the no-man land, how can we read the oppose baseliner if he lob or not. If my net partner could read the lob, he could move back and smash. If I, the server, could read the lob, I wouldn't poach so close to the net. Should we take risk and poach all the time? What's the chance of winning? We're 4.0 and know the basic of court coverage but still feel pressure and insecure in our formation against 2 opponent at net = lost confidence in our shot selections = take too much risk = lost 2-6, 3-6 often. Thanks for any tips.
Hi Ian, very helpful content, will use it in the next training with the team. I would also really appreciate more double-formations, as we always play the classic 1-person at the net on both teams going cross-court until somebody poaches. I guess in amateur matches especially in doubles having a more thought-through strategy makes a huge difference, as most teams just put 2 players on the court and wing it.
Glad to see you back, I really like the new videos, keep it up!
More on the way, thanks for watching and sharing!
Sadly at a club level, as soon as we step up to the net, opponents first reaction (~90% of the times) is to lob!, so there is no real opportunity to play a nice double point. Great video Ian.
Going to make a video about this comment, Fabio 🙂 If you hate getting lobbed then you have a lot of work to do on your recognition, footwork, and overhead swing!
@@EssentialTennis I see this problem a lot, as well
If they tried lobbing you and you successfully smash it, they’ll stop doing it.
Good video Ian. Can you drop the music at the start though....it's only a distraction under your speech.
you took a long time to expose a simple concept - leave exposed the most difficult shot for the opponent. Cool video, nonetheless. And, yes, please! More videos on different doubles formations.
I think a further explanation of the ‘simple concept’ gives us a greater understanding and more examples will allow us to preform the strategy in more scenarios on court