role of front and back players

JAPANESE

 

It is important to understand the role of front and back players in playing tennis doubles.

 

By understanding the roles of front and back players, you will be able to play strategically, rather than as formal movements as taught.

 

 

For example, the front player has a very important role to play in getting points.

 

It is to move before the opponent hits and put pressure on the opponent’s stroke.

 

If the front player moves well, you can score points with a volley or opponent make a mistake　by　putting pressure on the opponent’s stroke.

 

On the other hand, if the front player does not volley the ball that he should be able to volley, the back player will have a hard time and will not get points.

 

The front player does not move, which makes a big difference from the pair that the back player expects to play an active role.

 

By understanding the roles of front and back players, you may be able to win against opponents you couldn’t win before.

 

In this article, I’ve summarized the roles of front and back players.

The role of the back player is to make the game.

 

In order to get the front player to score points, it is to hit the opponent’s unpleasant course and advance the game unfurl in an advantageous way.

 

For example, if the opponent is a one-up one-back formation, the back player causes the opponent to make a mistake or hit an easy ball by controling the course to be deep and difficult to hit.

 

The back player should be careful not to easily let the opponent’s front player volley.

 

From the perspective of the opponent’s front player, there is a large space in the middle of your pair.

 

 

If the opponent volleys there, it will be easily scored a point.

 

Therefore, it is important for the back player to hit to the cross court and not let the opponent’s front player volley.

 

For that purpose, cross rally is important.

 

If your opponent is a one-up, one-back formation, hit a deep ball to the cross court to gain time to return.

 

The deeper the ball hit by the back player, the more time it takes for the ball to return and the easier it is for the front player to go out on the poach.

 

If the opponent is a parallel team, hit to the opponent’s back player’s feet to make the opponent hit the easy ball.

 

If the opponent hits the low volley, it will be difficult for the opponent to return the ball, and you can expect to hit the easy ball.

 

And sometimes you hit the lob to a straight and breaks the formation of the opponent.

 

Immediately after the opponent pair changes side, the defense becomes unstable, so it is a chance to point.

 

As you can see, it is important for the back player to hit strokes and lobs while thinking about where the opponent’s unpleasant course is.

 

Sometimes you hit it to a straight

 

If you only use cross rally, the opponent’s front player will get used to it, and even if you hit to the cross, it may be volleyed.
If you find out that you can only hit the cross, the opponent will come out to the pouch with a feeling of flying start.

 

This is possible for a fast-moving front player.

 

So sometimes you need to hit it to a straight.

 

Be careful if the opponent’s front player starts to approach the center.

 

If you hit it to a straight once or twice, the opponent will be wary and will not go out on the poach.

 

Even if the opponent volleys, it’s okay.

 

Even if the opponent scored point,the aim is to alert the opponent.

 

If the opponent becomes vigilant, it will not be easily volleyed.

 

It is also important for the back player to hit while watching the opponent’s front player so that the back player does not become only a cross rally.

 

Scene to enter the defense

 

 

What I have told you so far is the role of the back player in the offensive scene.

 

However, of course, there are also scenes where you protect yourself.

 

For example, because the opponent’s stroke and volley are fast, it is a scene where you can not control the stroke.

 

Even in such a case, it is necessary to prevent the opponent’s front player from volleying.

 

If your opponent hits a fast and deep ball, you may get caught in the poach even if you hit to the cross.

 

In such a case, it is important to hit the lob so that the opponent’s front player does not volley.

 

If you hit the lob, you will have more time to return the ball, so you can stroke with a margin time.

 

Not volleyed by the opponent’s front player,
You have time to prepare your stroke,
This is the advantage of hitting a lob.

 

So, when you are run or lose your posture,lob will be effective.

 

It is important to hit the lob to gain time in order to return to the original position and prepare for the next ball.

 

If you force a stroke, the ball will be returned before you are ready, and you will suffer yourself.

 

It is the role of the back player in the defensive scene to hit the lob and let the opponent’s back player take it and wait the chance of a counterattack.

 

The role of the front player becomes more important as the level goes up.

 

The wider the front player’s range of defense, the more threatening it is to the opponent.

 

On the other hand, if the front player does not move, the course that the opponent hits will be wider, and the burden on the back player of the ally will increase.

 

The minimum role of the front player is to score points with a volley or smash when the easy ball comes.

 

If you can’t do this, you won’t be able to win the match.

 

But, if you don’t know how to score points, aim for the middle of the opponent’s pair.

 

 

From the front player’s point of view, there should be a large space in the middle of the opponent’s pair.

 

So, if you hit in the middle of the opponent’s pair, it will be easier to determine the points.

 

If your opponent’s front player is in the middle, then you hit a volley to wide court.

 

 

It is also effective to volley at the feet of the opponent’s front player.

 

The ball that comes to your feet is difficult to return, and even if you return it, it tends to become an easy ball.

 

Therefore, when the opponent’s reaction is good, the ball at his feet is also effective.

 

• Basically, hit in the middle of the opponent’s pair,
• If the opponent’s front player approaches the center, hit wide
• Sometimes volley to the opponent’s feet,

This is the course that the front player is aiming for.

 

These are different depending on the situation, but it is a course that is easy to point with volley.

 

As you can see, it is important for the front player to think about which course is easy to score point to.

 

Put pressure on the opponent’s back player

 

The role of the front player is not just to volley and smash.

 

With that alone, it will be difficult to win the tournament.

 

The important role of the front player is to put pressure on the opponent’s back player.

 

For example, pretending to go out on the poach puts pressure on your opponent’s return.

 

Pretending to go
out on the poach, don’t go out,

 

And sometimes you go out on the poach and decide the volley.

 

Now you can disturb your opponent’s stroke.

 

If this works, the opponent will be confused by the return and will make a mistake.

 

However, there are surprisingly many pairs that cannot do this.

 

The reason is that you can’t take the plunge because there is a risk that your opponent will pass the straight.

 

Certainly, if the opponent passes the straight, you will lose points immediately.

 

But,if it doesn’t move at all, the opponent will hit near the center.

 

When the opponent hits to the center, the back player becomes painful.

 

 

So the front player needs to move a little to show its existence.

 

For example, let’s step forward before the opponent hits.

 

I think it’s different just by doing that.

 

Even if the front player moves, it is a concern for players who make a return.

 

Since it only moves forward, the left and right positions have not changed.

 

After going forward, decide while looking at the opponent whether to go out on the poach or take care of the straight course.

 

Moreover, by taking a step forward, you can start faster and move better.

 

The front player may be worried about the movement, and the opponent may make mistake a return or hit to the front player.

 

If you can expand your defensive range even one step, it will put pressure on the opponent pair and lead to points.

 

Also deal with a lob

 

 

The front player must also deal with the opponent’s lob.

 

This is because if the opponent’s lob goes over the head and changes position, the defense will be weak during that time.

 

Therefore, it is important for the front player to hit as much as possible when the lob goes up in the straight direction.

 

Even if it is not a smash, cut it with a high volley and return it to the opponent’s back player.

 

Even if you don’t hit hard, if you let the opponent’s back player hit it, the formation will not collapse.

 

It is important for the front player to volley as much as possible for lob that are likely to reach, unless they are clearly not reachable.

 

It is important to understand the role of front and back players in order to win a doubles match.

 

Once you understand your role, you will naturally know what to do in different situations.

 

And you should be able to play as strategically as you think, not as you were taught.

 

To make a difference to other pairs in the match
Please understand the roles of the front player and the back player deeply and try to play with your thoughts.