Taking Weekend Tennis Seriously

Pre-post digression:

A couple of people have suggested I need to find my doubles soul mate. You know, someone I can play with on a regular basis so we know each other’s tendencies, dominate a field we’re too good to be playing in because all our friends play at this level but I digress, and grow old together. While I don’t completely agree with this “need” (where’s the fun in playing doubles when you and your partner know what the other is going to do? I thought trying to win despite your partner was the whole point of doubles), I’m going to start compiling a list of qualities my doubles soul mate needs to possess because I know a funny concept when I stumble upon it. So before each post, I’ll try to list out a new necessary trait. Because you know. This is about my needs here.

• Needs to be able to communicate in a timely manner through both text and email.

My needs here.

On to the actual blog post.

In one of my early meandering posts about doubles, I said that “some players will take whatever you tell them and just go do it…because they’re awesome.”  I am not one of those people.

Look it.  I’m not saying I can’t do what you’re telling me to do.  I’m saying you better be able to do what you’re telling me to do.  Where I fall short of being awesome based on that above sentence is the “just” in the “just go do it” part.  I’m not going to just go do what you tell me to do.  I’m going to resent you for ordering me around until you prove to me you’re better at this game of tennis than I am.

Are you?

Don’t tell me to serve to this person’s forehand before every one of my service games because that player likes to smash backhand returns down the line right at the net person.  No, duh, Sherlock.  Is it because I don’t tell you to do the same that you then hit every single serve to her lethal side so that I can be pulverized?

I don’t often tell my partners what we should do against our doubles opponents.  I know that amateur tennis players are extremely fragile and sensitive head cases, and the slightest breeze will topple them over like a house of cards.

I also know that most players can’t actually execute what you tell them to do.  And then there are the ones who won’t.  Will not.  Will go through one ear and out the other.  Will resent you for it.

I understand the importance of doubles partners talking to each other.  Some teaching pros recommend partners come together after every point even if you’re just comparing handbags; it looks good.  The opposing team might be a little put off and worried with all that supposed strategizing.

But, look it again.  I am going to execute what you want me to do if that’s what will win us this match. We just won’t have any chemistry (“Yeah, chemistry!“) unless I trust and respect you.  If this is the first time we’re playing together and I don’t know your doubles game, let’s get to know one another first.  Let’s earn each other’s respect with our play before we start dissecting the other team’s strengths and weaknesses (I came up with this fabulously original theory a few weekends ago when I was definitely not watching a weekend warrior doubles tournament: people usually win matches because the other team sucks and not because of anything extraordinary that they did…unless by extraordinary you mean keep the ball in play and make fewer mistakes).  And if you’re not executing; if you’re missing easy volleys; if you’re struggling with simple baseline rallies; if you’re double faulting left and right; if you can’t run down balls because moving your feet is a foreign concept because hello, you didn’t sign up to play singles; if you keep serving to her backhand because you yourself can’t control your own serve, well…maybe, let’s concentrate on walking the walk before we start talking, why don’t we?

So what I’m saying is, if you like to constantly talk strategy instead of concentrating on hitting the ball properly, then I’m probably not your doubles soul mate.  Now if you like to sing songs from musicals and talk about your favorite movies…