Percentage doubles is winning doubles. From the pros to recreational players, the teams that win most often are almost always the teams that hit high-percentage shots, rely on sound strategy and avoid unnecessary risks.
However, there may be times during matches where you and your partner will find yourselves in situations that call for unconventional attacks. In addition, you need to keep every opponents honest by varying your strategy from time to time. So when should you break the rules of percentage doubles?
Short Slice
A short ball brings your opponents forward and leaves you open to all kinds of attacks. Yet hitting short can be effective under the right circumstances. If your opponents like to play from the one-up, one-back formation, and one member of the team is clearly uncomfortable at the net, hitting a short, low, crosscourt slice and coming in will force this player to scramble forward and hit up. This will give you or your partner a high volley to put away, or even an overhead.
See Rule 3: The Down the Alley Blast here.
Greg Moran is the Director of Tennis at the Four Seasons Racquet Club in Wilton, CT, and author of the Tennis Beyond Big Shots books.