Net Notes: Fundamentals apply even as time passes by

I’ve spent the last few weeks sitting on my duff recovering from some surgery and have had the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of life, my role in the universe and more importantly to go over some notes I’ve made while observing many of the doubles teams that I have coached over 40 years in tennis.

Some of these observations were made in the ‘70s and ‘80s as well as notes taken as recently as last April and May. Stop serving to the forehand of a right-handed player in the duce court!

Lob your return or serve up the line more often if you are being served to by a right-handed player in the duce court. Think of returning the serve back to the server rather than away from the net player — granted it is directed to the same place but with a much more positively focused purpose.

When you have a seemingly sure put away at net — execute firmly at the feet of the opposing net player and be ready for them to stab it back — in which case you hit it there again.

Communicate with your partner whenever there is doubt about whose ball it is or if you are switching position to balance your teams court coverage.

There are many more notes in my little file folder but these ideas kept popping up on almost every team in every decade. Doubles can seem tactically complicated sometimes but adhering to solid fundamental behaviors tilts the equation in your favor.

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Howie Burnett is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association and tennis director at the Island Country Club on Marco Island. Burnett welcomes questions on strokes, tactics or etiquette. To reach him, call the tennis shop at 394-4464 or e-mail him at islandclubtennis@hotmail.com.