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DYNAMITE DOUBLES
Play Winning Tennis Today!
By Helle Sparre Viragh
Introduction• This presentation will introduce the main
contents of the book by Helle Sparre Viragh.
• Charts & Visuals will be direct from the book with page references
• It is recommended to buy the book, read the book & use it as a reference book as you learn the system
Learn the Zones
There are 4 Zones:
Defense, Transition, Offense, Attack
Zones extend beyond the court lines
The lines are for the ball, the zones are for the players
Page 26
Know Your Homes
• Each Player has 2 “Homes”
• Depending on where the ball is in your opponent’s court, you and your partner need to be in one of your homes
Page 27
The Offense Zone
• This is where you and your partner want to be
• This is where you’ll build up the points
• You can get any ball your opponents hit from here
• You’ll be able to volley most shots from here
• You’re in charge from the Offense Zone
• This is a “major” zone
Page 33
The Defense Zone
• This is the other “major” zone
• Notice how little of the actual court is in this zone
• Players play from zones, not from sections of the court
Page 33
The Transition Zone
• This is where you transition from one major zone to another
• This is where most opponent shots land
• Stand here and you won’t be able to hit a volley or a ground shot
• You should hit only one shot from here – then move to a major zone, either Offense or Defense
Page 34
The Attack Zone
• This too is a one shot zone
• Hit a winner and then move out
• Get prepared in another zone in case your “winner” is returned
Page 35
Playing From the Defense Zone
• Playing only from here and you will:
-Work Hard
-Play Tired
-Only win a point when your opponent makes a mistake
Page 36
Playing From the Defense Zone
• Sometimes you have to play from here
• You have more time in the Defense Zone
• You can slow play down to regain control
• If you get in trouble in this zone, your partner needs to be there, too
Page 37
Playing From the Defense Zone
• If you stay in the Defense Zone while your partner is in the Offense Zone, the gap is huge
• The gap between partners is the main thing to protect and defend against
Page 38
Closing the Gap
• With both partners in the Offense Zone, the gap is smaller and harder for the opponents to bisect the plane between them
• Getting both partners into the same major zone (Offense or Defense) narrows the gap
• This may take time
• BE PATIENT!
Page 39
Playing Through the Transition Zone
• It’s a one-shot zone
• Either continue through it to the Offense Zone or retreat to the Defense Zone
• Both partners must be in a major zone before your opponent hits the ball
Page 41
What to Hit in the Transition Zone
• Don’t depend on winning shots from here
• Build up the point, have patience
• Use your one shot to help you and your partner to both get to a major zone
Page 41
Playing From The Offense Zone• The main goal is for you & your partner to
be together in the Offense Zone• You Can:
– Move forward for a put-away volley– Stay for a reflex/defensive volley, or– Back up for a deep lob in the Transition Zone
• Always try to volley from the Offense Zone
• Don’t plan on hitting a winner from here
Page 44
Playing From the Attack Zone• Playing in the Attack Zone
can be hazardous
• This is a one shot zone
• Don’t stand in this zone waiting for the ball
• Move towards the ball and hit down on the ball
• Hit the shot:– Between your opponents, or
– Angled short & wide, or
– At your closest opponent’s feet
• Hit and move quickly back to the Offense Zone
Page 48
Court Coverage
• The biggest mistake in Doubles: Partners trying to cover the same shot
• As partners, you have to cover as close to 100% of the court at all times
• The Offense Zone is the best area to be in as a team
• In Dynamite Doubles, you and your partner are never side-by-side, parallel to the net
Page 54
Partnership Roles
• The crosscourt player is farther back than the partner
• The crosscourt player has more court to cover
• The crosscourt player has to deal with more shots
• The crosscourt player is called the Workhorse
Page 56
Partnership Roles
• The head-on player is closer to the net, has less court to cover and fewer possible shots
• The head-on player can take more chances
• The head-on player is called the Terminator
Page 56
Up and Back the Diagonal Way
• The Workhorse is always diagonal from the ball on the opposite side of the net
Player A is the Workhorse
Player B is the Terminator
Page 56
Up and Back the Diagonal Way
• Each time your team changes the direction of the ball, each of you must also change positionPlayer B is now the Workhorse
Player A is now the Terminator
Page 57
Up and Back the Diagonal Way
• The Workhorse is responsible for:– Crosscourt returns
– Down the middle shots
– All lobs
• The Terminator is responsible for drives down the line
Page 58
Playing Dynamite Doubles on Paper
• Dynamite Doubles winning tennis is knowing where to position yourselves:
–After partner A serves, A moves into the Transition Zone
–Partner B moves forward toward the Attack Zone, ready to poach
–If receiver C returns crosscourt toward server A, partner B moves back into the Offense Zone Page 68
Playing Dynamite Doubles on Paper
• Server A volleys from the Transition Zone back crosscourt and moves into the Offense Zone
• Partner B moves forward again
Page 68
Playing Dynamite Doubles on Paper
• Partners A and B have worked their way into the Offense Zone, facing the ball
• Partner A is the Workhorse and partner B is the Terminator because the ball is crosscourt from A
• Partners are never side-by-side
Page 70
Moving Together
• The crosscourt player is always a little behind her partner and facing the ball in a “V” angle
• The Terminator creates her own “V”
• Both partners move right after either hits the ball in order to maintain control
• Move with your partner and always face the ball
Page 74
Moving Together
• Here is how you can get in trouble
• Note how big the gap is for the opponent hitting the ball
• Notice also that B is too far back to volley the ball if C decides to drive the shot down the line
Page 75
A Review of the Dynamite Doubles System
• Dynamite Doubles demands diagonal decisions• The Workhorse must be ready to take:
– Anything crosscourt
– Deep lobs
– Down-the-middle shots
• The Terminator should not take:– A shot out of reach down the middle
– A crosscourt shot that can’t be turned into something offensive or positive
Page 78
A Review of the Dynamite Doubles System
• Always try to be in the same major zone when the ball bounces in your opponents’ court
• Always stay positioned diagonally (staggered) to each other
• Both face the ball and the opponent who is going to hit it
• Be ready and balanced at the right place before the opponent’s next shot
Page 78
A Review of the Dynamite Doubles System
• The Dynamite Doubles system helps answer those four basic questions that plague doubles tennis players:
1. What should I have done?Knowing what shot to make from where
2. Where should I have been?Knowing where to position yourself with partner
3. How could I have gotten that?Covering 100% of the court before opponent hits
4. Whose was that?Partner roles determines each partner’s responsibilities
Page 84
Playing from the Defense Zone, Advanced
• Your main goal is to vary your shots, mix up the pace, spins and the height of the ball to take control
• Always let the ball bounce
• Work at making opponents move forward & back, rather than side-to-side
• Surprise works
• Make them movePage 86
Playing from the Defense Zone, Advanced
• Try to force a mistake from your opponent, rather than trying a grandstand winning shot
• Watch the opponent’s feet, body & racquet– Will it be an overhead smash?– Will it be a backhand shot?– Will the ball bounce before being hit?– Will it be a return lob?
• Cover the Defense Zone with your partner and be ready to move together through the Transition Zone
Page 91
“Turning the Court”
• Always face where the ball is coming from
• Your court coverage, your “V” changes each time you face a different spot
• You “turn the court” as you move
• You and your partner will always know which part of the court each is responsible for
Page 95
Where Do I Serve, Coach?
• If you serve up the middle, you decrease the angle at which your opponent can return the ball
• Also, serving to the backhand is very effective and results in a more predictable return
• The graph shows the author’s preferences from the deuce and ad courts
Page 96
Where Should I Stand to Serve?
• The best place to serve from in doubles is about halfway between the doubles line and the center mark
• Run forward in a slight diagonal line following your ball after you serve
Page 97
Where Should I Stand to Receive Serve?
• Draw an imaginary line from the server to one corner of the service box
• Draw another line to the other corner of the box
• Position yourself in the middle of those two lines for the best possible coverage
Page 99
Where Should I Stand to Receive Serve?
• Adjust to the server’s pattern, left or right-server, where they serve from, etc.
Page 99
Where Should I Stand to Receive Serve?
• Adjust to the server’s pattern, left or right-server, where they serve from, etc.
Page 99
Basic Rules of Doubles Tennis
1. Get the ball over the net
2. Stay away from the net person
Page 101
Targets for the Returner
1. Crosscourt, back toward the server
2. Lob in a straight line over the net person
3. Short angle crosscourt
Page 100
The Author’s Basic Rules to Play Winning Doubles - TODAY
1. Always face where the ball is coming from and let the ball come into your “V”
2. Know your “home” positions on the court – 2 in Offense Zone , 2 in Defense Zone, depending on whether you are the Workhorse or the Terminator
3. Know your responsibilities as a Terminator and as a Workhorse
4. Recover to a major zone AFTER your hit and BEFORE your opponent’s hit
5. READY, READ and REACT!6. A point is never over until the ball bounces the second
time. Never give up. There are no put-aways! HANG IN THERE. The ball is always coming back!
7. Doubles is a game of angles and percentages. And Patience.
Page 106
Triangles and Diamonds• Visualize four triangles on the other side of the court: 1,
2, 3 & 4• The hypotenuse of each triangle forms one side of a large
diamond• Depending on where you are, to avoid the opponent’s net
person, hit your shot from:• Your Triangle to your opponent’s Triangle• Your Offensive Diamond to opponent’s Diamond• Your Defensive Diamond to opponent’s Triangle
• NEVER your Defensive Triangle to opponent’s Diamond
Page 107
Subtract One Triangle
• Only three of the four Triangles should be your target:
• Crosscourt Deep
• Crosscourt Short
• Deep down the Line
• Play the high percentage shots and let your opponents make the mistakes
Page 110
Shot Selection & Targets
• The easiest Triangle to aim for is your opponent’s #1 Triangle
• Depth is important – if you hit short, the ball will land in the Diamond and your opponents will take control
• The second choice is the short crosscourt to Triangle #4
• Last choice from your Triangle #1 is Triangle #2, usually a lob Page 120
Shot Selection & Targets
• From your #2 Triangle, the shot selection is the same – the target Triangles are just numbered differently
Page 120
Dynamite Doubles Partners’ Contract
I will stay in the moment and play One Point At A Time
I will play in the same major zone as my partner
I will get my first serve in
I will get my return over the net
I will stay in the point until it is over
I will make my lobs high, knowing height is more important than depth
I will always make my Split-Step just before my opponent hits the ball
I will BISECT THE PLANE of our opponents when I am the Terminator
I will hit a minimum of 3 shots with patience when I am the Workhorse
I will be positive and focused and in-the-game at all times
I will let go of the last point played. I will not worry about the end result
Page 124
The End
• That was just the highlights of the Dynamite Doubles System of playing winning doubles tennis
• We suggest you do the following:–Buy the book–Read the book many times–Practice the system when you play
–Encourage others to play the system