Doubles Domination: The Best of the Best Tips, Tactics and Strategies

By Bob Allcorn

SAVE OVER 1,200 HOURS AND $100,000 IN DOUBLES STRATEGY LESSONS - BECAUSE ALL OF THE BEST TIPS, TACTICS, STRATEGIES AND SET PLAYS ARE RIGHT HERE - CONDENSED IN ONE BOOK FOR $14.95! NO WAR STORIES, NO STROKE CHANGES - NO DIAGRAMS - JUST THE BEST TACTICS AND STRAGIES LEARNED OVER A THOUSAND HOURS OF LESSONS FROM THE BEST PROS IN THE WORLD - INCLUDING THE BRYAN BROTHERS, MARTINA NAVRATILOVA, GIGI FERNANDEZ, NICK BOLLETIERI AND OVER 100 DIFFERENT PROS SPECIALIZING IN DOUBLES - ALL COORDINATED WITH THE ITF RULES AND THE USTA CODE OF CONDUCT TO GIVE YOU THE POWER TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE FOR THE SITUATIONS MOST OFTEN ENCOUNTERED IN DOUBLES PLAY. AS ONE ELITE PRO HAS SAID, "This book is jam-packed with literally hundreds of teaching points. . . . It should open the eyes of serious players. If the average club player could integrate just a couple of these points into their game, there would be immediate improvement."

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Sep 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098323936

Book preview

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AN AMAZON BEST SELLER

A NATIONAL SENIOR MENS’ TENNIS ASSOCIATION BOOK OF THE YEAR

Kudos on an excellent book – a job well done! I recommend it to all doubles players. They will not be disappointed – and it will dramatically improve all players doubles games.

MIKE BRYAN (Bryan Brothers)

I have never seen a book that packs so much good information between two covers and presents it so clearly and logically. . . . It is a truly must-have book for all serious doubles players.

- SERENA WILLIAMS

I was stunned at the extraordinary high quality of the book. . . . It is by far the most complete, most detailed and best presentation of doubles tactics, strategies, tips (and even set plays) that I have ever seen, and I highly recommend it to all doubles players – no matter their level of play.

- STAN SMITH

Quite an impressive book! . . . very clear, concise and easily readable and I highly recommend it to everyone at all levels.

- NICK BOLLETTIERI

A gift to tennis players.

TENNIS NOW MAGAZINE

It really is the best and most complete doubles resource that I have ever come across – for any and all players at all levels. . . . I whole-heartedly endorse this book and highly recommend it to all players who desire to significantly improve their game.

RAJEEV RAM

(#1 doubles player in North America; winner 2021 U. S. Open Mens’, 2020 Australian Open Mens’, 2019 Australian Open Mixed and 2021 Australian Open Mixed Doubles Titles)

A Herculean task!

INSIDE TENNIS MAGAZINE

I honestly don’t know how you could read Doubles Domination without becoming a better player. . . . I sure hope my future opponents haven’t read it!

NATIONAL SENIOR MENS TENNIS ASSOCIATION

Even if you apply just some of the many ideas, you will observe a dramatic improvement in your game.

NET NEWS MAGAZINE

It’s not only the best doubles book ever written, but the best doubles source out there.

LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE

This book is a summation of strategies, set plays and tactics learned over a lifetime to find the ever elusive chink in an opponent’s armor to gain an advantage during a match. Bob’s quest and hunger for understanding the complexities of doubles play against various styles of opponents is distilled into a simple analysis that teaches anyone of any level multiple strategies to win. If only all my students could think like this!!

-Vimal Patel, former #2 U.S. 18 and under; 1988 Kentucky High School State Singles Champion; 1989 Florida High School State Singles Champion; 3 time All-American at Stanford; 2 time National Doubles Champion; former singles and doubles touring pro; head teaching pro at Tough Tennis, Naples, Florida.

This book is jam-packed with literally hundreds of teaching points from thousands of lessons. It should open the eyes of serious players. If the average club player could integrate just a couple of these points into their game, there would be immediate improvement.

-Warren Lem, USPTA Elite Tennis Professional

This book is what happens when a brilliant mind, a love for the game and a drive for success come together. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for that edge to take them to the next level.

-ANDY YENAWINE, USPTA Certified Level 1 Professional

Bob. . . Thanks for everything you’ve done for tennis and for doubles and all of your positive contributions to the game. We appreciate it. The world of tennis appreciates you.

~ Mike and Bob Bryan (The Bryan Brothers)

(See the Bryans’ video message)

Bob ALLCORN

© 2020 Bob Allcorn All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. ISBN 978-1-09832-392-9 eBook 978-1-09832-393-6

The Author with coaches for Bryan Brothers,

Dave MacPherson (right) and Dave Marshall (left).

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all of the teaching pros in the world who have spent their lives training, practicing, learning and sacrificing to be the best they can possibly be and who now spend all of their time sharing their knowledge with wannabes, like me.

THANK YOU!!!

Contents

INTRODUCTION

WHAT YOU NEED TO WIN

MUST HAVES

VERY, VERY GOOD TO HAVE (but not essential)

BONUS POINTS TO HAVE

GENERAL TIPS

TEST AND EXPLOIT

THE WARM-UP

WATCH THE BALL? (Not Necessarily/Not Always)

BALL PLACEMENT

USE YOUR LEFT HAND

MOVE DIAGONALLY

BEND THOSE KNEES (NOT YOUR BACK)

MOVE AFTER HITTING THE BALL

PLAYING AGAINST THE LOBBER

TAKE THE BALL OUT OF THE AIR

COVER THE MIDDLE

DEEP vs. SHORT

EASY SHOTS

COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR PARTNER

ATTITUDE (INNER AND OUTER)

USTA RULES AND THE CODE

GET THE BALL OVER THE NET

A NOTE ON STRETCHING

GAME-TIME Rx

GENERAL TIPS

SERVE PROBLEMS

VOLLEY PROBLEMS

GROUND STROKES

OVERHEAD

ATTITUDE

POSITIONS

THE SERVER

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

CONTROL

CONSISTENCY

DEVELOP AND USE A RITUAL

SPEED vs. DEPTH vs. SPIN vs. LOCATION

VARY THE SERVE

UNDERHAND SERVE

TARGETS

THE AUSTRALIAN FORMATION

FIXES

THE RETURNER

STARTING POSITION

MIX UP YOUR STARTING POSITIONS

CUTTING OFF THE BALL

RETURN TARGETS AND TYPES OF RETURNS

PRESSURE TACTIC - SQUEEZING

TACTIC: MOVING DURING THE TOSS

TACTIC: CHANGING POSITIONS

TACTIC: CREEPING

TACTIC: SWITCHING

THE SERVER’S PARTNER

THE RETURNER’S PARTNER

SHOTS

THE LOB

THE VOLLEY

TARGETS

THE SERVE AND VOLLEY

THE HALF-VOLLEY

THE OVERHEAD

ELEMENTS

TACTICS

FOLLOW-UP TACTIC

APPROACH SHOTS

THE POACH & THE FAKE POACH

PRACTICING

PRACTICE TIP

THE RDC VOLLEY DRILL

THE KAMIKAZE DRILL

SERVES

DROP SHOTS

SMOOTH YOUR STROKES

PRACTICE GAMES

IMPROVEMENT AND PLATEAUS

VISUALIZATION

PRACTICING WHILE INJURED

BEST TIP

CONCLUSION

GAME-TIME Rx

GENERAL TIPS

SERVE PROBLEMS

VOLLEY PROBLEMS

GROUND STROKES

OVERHEAD

ATTITUDE

THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

INTRODUCTION

DEPLOYING WINNING DOUBLES TACTICS

Every day you have a choice: to work at your game and get better or do nothing and get worse. Your choice. Why not begin each day with the question: What can I do today to get better?

This book is not intended for the beginner, nor for the player above 4.5. It is intended for the serious adult doubles player who has more than a basic knowledge of the game and who loves to win at the club, USTA match and tournament level.

Except for a few basic reminders, it does not focus on strokes. It assumes that you have the strokes you have, and either will not be changing your strokes or will be changing them only through personal lessons with a pro. Rather, this book is about beating your opponents – gaining the upper psychological edge, using the USTA Rules to your advantage, knowing where to hit the ball and using sophisticated TACTICS to win. These TACTICS are as important as your strokes and should