Stan Smith's Winning Doubles
Let one of the all-time great tennis doubles players improve your game! Stan Smith, a highly respected pro player and the coach of the men’s U.S. Olympic team in 2000, teaches every aspect of high-level doubles strategy, from selecting a partner to tailoring shot technique for doubles-specific strokes and adding new drills to make practice sessions more effective. Guided by one of the all-time great doubles players, you will be able to
- find the style of doubles play that fits you and your partner;
- cover the angles, positioning, and court movement that keep your opponents off balance;
- learn communication strategies that will have you and your partner working as one; and
- adjust your tactics to exploit the opposing team’s weaknesses and counter different playing styles.
You will find tips for using spin and placement to maximize first serve percentage, returning the serve, deciding when to use power and when to use finesse, and using touch volleys to keep opponents off balance. Photos and court diagrams make it easy to see the correct positioning for each shot.
Smith shares anecdotes from his own experience to reinforce instructional points. He profiles top men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles teams, highlighting the unique traits that make each team’s playing style so successful.
If you want to win more matches, let Stan Smith be your personal doubles coach. With
Stan Smith’s Winning Doubles you’ll play better and enjoy the game more than ever.
Additional Information
Chapter 1. Doubles Checklist
- Assessing Your Game
- Choosing a Partner
- Preparing for Different Surfaces
- Optimizing Your Equipment
- Building Strengths and Covering Up Weaknesses
Chapter 2. Refining Your Stroke Technique- How Technique Affects Strategy
- How to Lob
- Optimal Return of Serve
- How to Serve More Effectively
- Volleying With Touch to Keep Opponents Off Balance
- Hitting Overheads More Effectively
- How Topspin Can Keep Your Opponents Hitting Up
Chapter 3. Strategies For Winning Doubles- Changes in the Game
- Understanding the Geometry of the Court
- Using Angles
- Percentage Play
- Returning Serve With Power
- Intimidation by Positioning
- Using the Elements to Your Advantage
- Using Movement to Keep Opponents Off Balance
- Sharing Match Experiences to Demonstrate These Ideas
- Different Formations
- Playing Down the Center
Chapter 4. Mixed Doubles Strategy- Understanding the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Players
- Choosing Who Might Take Balls in Certain Areas of the Court
- Exploiting the Weaker Player
- Overplaying a Position
Chapter 5. Doubles Over 50- Learn to Take Advantage of a Slow Opponent
- More Finesse and Less Power
- Positioning to Overcome Lack of Mobility
- More Use of Angles to Open Up the Court
- Use of the Drop Shot and the Lob
Chapter 6. Practicing And Improving Your Skills- Hitting Close to the Net
- Working on Volleys for Control (Both Players at The Net)
- Practicing the Serve and Volley
- Practicing Moving Into Volleys
- Half Court Drill
- Returning of Serve
Chapter 7. Staying Healthy- Warming Up
- Stretching
- Conditioning
- Strength And Stamina
- Injury Prevention And Recovery
- Nutritional Guidelines
Chapter 8. Doubles Fun- Make It Interesting
- Communicate
- Support Your Partner
- Add Variety To Practice And Matches
- Stay Positive
- Keep It Light and Enjoy the Fight
Developer / Author(s)
Stan Smith has played or coached tennis at the professional level for more than 30 years. He has won the most prestigious tournaments in both singles and doubles and has coached elite players and juniors. From 1988 to 1995 Smith served as director of coaching for the USTA Player Development Program, and in 2000 he was the head coach of the men’s U.S. Olympic team at the Sydney Olympics.
Smith has played in 11 Grand Slam finals and has won a remarkable 61 pro doubles titles. He has a 12–1 Davis Cup doubles record, and he’s a four-time U.S. Open doubles winner. He and his frequent doubles partner, Bob Lutz, are the only team ever to have won the national championship on all four surfaces.
Smith has been a contributing editor of Tennis magazine for 19 years, is the author of Inside Tennis, and is coauthor of Modern Doubles. He still plays doubles in the senior Grand Slam events, where he continues to enjoy competing against some very familiar rivals. He and his wife, Margie, live in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Editor(s)
| Product Code / ISBN |
0736030077 |
| ISBN13 (if applicable) |
9780736030076 |
| Issue / Publication Date |
24/06/2002 |
| Product / Publication Type |
P |
| Developer / Lead Author |
Smith, Stan |
| Model / Edition |
1 |
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