In a new 7-part series on Selkirk TV, Catherine Parenteau is breaking down the elements of a successful singles game.
In the final episode of the series, Catherine highlights the benefits of playing skinny singles to improve both your singles and doubles games.
Skinny singles is a method of drilling in which players only utilize half the court at one time. This allows players to conserve energy and work on varying skills.
Catherine says that although skinny singles is beneficial to practicing singles shots, it’s also one of the best ways to develop your doubles game. This is because the gameplay is the same as a doubles game, but you are hitting all the balls yourself instead of splitting them with a partner. Not to mention the cardio benefits!
How to play skinny singles
There are a number of ways to play skinny singles, such as playing cross-court on the forehand or backhand side, or only playing one one half of the court. However, Catherine recommends a game that combines the two so that you and your drilling partner can work on a number of skills.
Here’s how it works:
- You and your partner start in a normal cross-court position, each on the right side of the court on your respective sides. One of you will serve and you will play the entirety of the first point in a cross-court position.
- If the server scores a point, they will move to the left side of the court. The receiver will stay in the same position as before so that you and your partner are now playing on the same half of the court.
- If the server loses the point, they stay where they are on the court. The serve then goes to the other side of the net where the new server will serve from the same position they are currently in. Once the new server scores a point, they (and they alone) will move to the next serving position.
- Play will continue in this manner until 11. If the server has even points, they will serve from the right side of the court. If they have odd points, they will serve from the left side of the court. The receiver stays frozen in the same spot the entire time.
Keep up with previous episodes
Follow the 7-video installment to learn everything you need to know to dominate the singles game. Check out the previous episodes below:
- Episode 1: When to use your two-handed backhand
- Episode 2: Unlocking winning groundstrokes
- Episode 3: How to target your opponent’s weaknesses
- Episode 4: How to warm up for a singles match
- Episode 5: Best serving strategies
- Episode 6: How to hit the best returns
