Week 18 - ATP 250 Series: BMW Open, Munich (red clay) - doubles

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

RE: Week 18 - ATP 250 Series: BMW Open, Munich (red clay) - doubles

Jan · Hall of fame

I was out of internet contact yesterday, so just catching up now. So pleased to see that Colin and Ross made the final. Happy whichever team won - so well done to all of them!

indiana · Tennis legend

Very good to see Jamie reaping the benefits of a settled partnership. Who'ed have thunk ? :)

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

We banged on about it for long enough! I hope they keep together and continue to do well.

I would slightly have preferred Colin and Ross to win, but hey, at least they reached a final. Baby steps.

spud · Challenger qualifying

Murray and Peers played solid all week, well done to them.

Right time to come into form before a few masters and the french!

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

Congratulations all round on this one I think

I find it interesting how much less of a factor surface is in doubles (for all players not just the clay-averse Brits) - does anyone have an opinion/reason why? Does the fact that there are two of you covering the court make the movement (the main differential between surfaces) less important, I would have thought movement is equally important in doubles just more likely forward to back rather than side to side but perhaps I was wrong.

indiana · Tennis legend

I would have thought the fact that pairs will usually have one player at the net from the start of the point and that there is clearly more volleying generally in doubles makes the surface much less of an issue.

That's how I've always looked at it anyway.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

In doubles, you have to be moving forward and attacking the ball all the time. Camping out metres behind the baseline as on clay in singles is not an option. If your opponent nails a shot right onto your baseline, you still have to take it early - going back and hitting a defensive shot is not an option as the net man will have it for breakfast. The style of play is therefore similar irrespective of what surface is being played on.

Speed of foot is less important in doubles than in singles. This means that a doubles player can often be competitive in his mid thirties and this is rarely the case in singles. Playing doubles gives oldies like me a chance against youngsters who would run down everything I could hit at them in singles.