INSTRUCTION
FIVE DRILLS TO IMPROVE YOUR WOMEN ’ S DOUBLES
Women ’ s doubles requires teamwork and a specialized strategy . To be able to execute tactics , women players need specific skills . Here are five drills to prepare you for better women ’ s doubles play .
THE BUTTERFLY DRILL
This is a two-player drill but is easily modified for three or four . The purpose of this drill is to open up the court . Accurate and precise placement is a very important part of women ’ s doubles . It is not all boom and slam . When there is an opening , you need to be able to hit to it . When there is not an opening , you need to be able to create it .
Player A serves deep to start the drill . Player B goes down the line . Rather than return down the middle , in this drill you try to pull the player deep and wide . The server A hits every ball crosscourt . B hits every ball down the line . You can keep score . First one to 11 wins , and then switch who hits crosscourt and who hits down the line . You are working to keep the ball very deep . If either player hits short , an attack can begin . But you do not attack the net unless the ball is short . You can only score from the baseline . This is a depth and placement drill .
If you do not have a deep shot in pickleball , you are always going to be on the defensive . If you cannot move the opponents , you are always going to be doing the running . Players play well because you allow them to play well . Learn to prevent them from controlling you .
THE MIDDLE DRILL
You can do this drill with three or four players . Player A stands alone at the baseline in the center of the court . She starts the ball with a “ serve ” down the middle of the court . Players B and C are at the NVZ line in a doubles formation . No ball should get by the two players at the NVZ line . The catch is that they must hit every ball so that it is playable — no putaways or winners . They need to move A all over the court and A should work hard to set up a play down the center . Player A is training to go down the middle from anywhere on the court . ( Of course , if she is completely off the court , she might want to scream one down the line . But this is a drill .)
In tennis , you hit crosscourt . In pickleball , you go down the middle . It is different footwork . You need to be able to hit on the run , when their ball is deep , when their ball is short , when their ball is high , when their ball has underspin . Players B and C should work on control and placement so that the ball is playable yet challenging for A . And , B and C are working on covering the middle when they are at the NVZ line .
DEEP-ANGLE VOLLEY DRILL
By Alice Tym
It is important in women ’ s doubles to know when to volley deep and when to angle the volley away . The deep volley sets up the angle volley and patience is the key . So , this drill requires five deep volleys before the angle or a change of direction .
Player A is at the NVZ line on the right side . Players B and C are at the baseline . Player A starts the ball down the line to C on the left side and hits five deep volleys
Maria Wood is demonstrating that hitting the ball later will cause it to go down the line . Early goes crosscourt . She steps into both shots and follows through on both shots .
Marne Smith ( center ) is doing a down-the-middle drill while her two students , Maria Wood and Kimberly Santiago , practice covering the center and hitting deep volleys . All three players are working on specific shots . Marne must be able to go down the middle from anywhere on the court .