Doubles Play Keeps Tennis Teams Winning

Mostly an individual sport, collegiate tennis also includes doubles play that can clinch a team win.

<p>Scott Warden. Photo provided by the Department of Athletics</p>
Junior Scott Warden. Photos provided by Athletic Communications

After identical 3-1 starts during their spring break trip to Puerto Rico, the Huskies men’s and women’s tennis teams look to continue their winning ways as they face Big East rival Georgetown in Storrs at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Head coach Glenn Marshall says that with nine Big East men’s squads and 16 women’s teams, the UConn tennis program faces a high level of competition against regional tennis powers and nationally-ranked programs throughout both its fall and spring schedules.

“We’re going up against some programs that traditionally have had a high level of success,” says Marshall, a UConn graduate now in his 19th year of involvement with tennis and his 14th season as director of tennis. “Both teams are playing very well.”

On the men’s side, Notre Dame and St. John’s are among Big East teams ranked nationally; and the Fighting Irish and South Florida are among women’s nationally ranked squads. The nation’s competitive tennis teams also include Georgetown, Syracuse, Villanova, Marquette, DePaul, and Louisville, as well as Texas Christian, which will join the Big East for 2012-13.

<p>Emily Herb. Photo provided by the Department of Athletics</p>
Emily Herb, a senior.

While tennis is largely an individual sport, collegiate competition includes doubles competition that can be the difference between a team win and a loss. Matches are comprised of seven points, with one doubles point and six singles points. The doubles point results from a team winning two of the three doubles matches that open the team competition. The doubles matches use a pro set format – the first team to win eight games is the winner – and the team that wins two of the doubles matches wins the single point awarded for doubles.

“That momentum point is huge,” Marshall says. “Winning four out of 6 singles matches after you lose one doubles point is a big burden to overcome. That’s a huge swing point. If you look at 11 doubles matches we played, we’ve won 9 of 11 doubles points. On the women’s side we’ve won three-quarters of the doubles points. It’s a huge indicator of how the match will go.”

<p>Jennifer Learmonth. Photo provided by the Department of Athletics</p>
Freshman Jennifer Learmonth.

Since most of the United States Tennis Association junior program competition is directed to singles play, most young college student-athletes must learn to develop deeper knowledge of the game and adapt their basic tennis skills to doubles, Marshall says, noting that he often pairs older players with younger teammates to help speed their development as doubles players, such as the Huskies No. 1 women’s doubles tandem of senior Emily Herb and freshman Jennifer Learmonth.

“We can honestly say, our doubles has gotten so much better,” he adds. “Half of our practice time is indoors at this time of year; we work on transition play, net play, and strategic volleys. I’m a huge doubles fan. One of my passions is teaching doubles.”

<p>Andrew Marcus. Photo provided by the Department of Athletics</p>
Senior Andrew Marcus, a captain of the men's team.

Senior Andrew Marcus, one of the team captains, says learning the strategic aspect of doubles tennis has made playing the game more enjoyable; using different formations when serving to the opposing team, for example, other than the traditional set up of the server standing at the baseline and his or her partner standing near the net.

“Playing with formations is fun,” says Marcus, who plays doubles with junior Scott Warden. “It’s really important in doubles to take the net; you don’t want to rely on your groundstrokes and sit back on the baseline. You want to be aggressive and take the net over and try to end the point.”

He added: “Our quality of tennis has gotten a lot better over my four years. I think this year we have the best shot of making noise in the Big East. Before, we’ve seen ourselves as the underdog. Now we’re definitely well-prepared, and we know our skill level against their skill level.”

The UConn tennis courts are located on North Hillside Road, off North Eagleville Road, just past the Public Safety Complex and Central Warehouse buildings.