Doubles Only Tennis Podcast

Catherine Harrison Interview: Doubles Training, Warmup Routine, & The Transition to Doubles

• Will Boucek • Episode 247

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0:00 | 32:35

Former Top 70 WTA doubles player Catherine Harrison returns to the show to share her journey recovering from multiple injuries over the past few seasons. We discuss her recent decision to focus exclusively on doubles moving forward.

Catherine came to Fort Worth, Texas, last week, where we spent two days of intensive on-court doubles training. We discussed the key takeaways from the training and more.

  • Simple tactical improvements from two days of training.
  • Doubles drills that she found helpful.
  • Why spreading the service box is generally more effective than body serves.
  • Her extensive warm-up routine takes a ground-up approach to injury prevention.
  • Importance of proper training blocks between tournaments when recovering from injury.
  • Setting both process-oriented and outcome-oriented goals for comeback.
  • Dream women's and mixed doubles partners.
  • Her mixed feelings about the new US Open mixed doubles format.

Follow Catherine's comeback journey as she aims to return to the Grand Slam level by next year's US Open.

Learn more about Catherine & follow:

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Catching Up with Catherine Harrison

Speaker 1

You're about to hear my conversation with former Top 70 WTA doubles player, catherine Harrison. Catherine has not been on the podcast in a while. She's actually had a couple of injuries the last several years and is now dedicating her career to focusing on doubles. So she reached out to me a couple of weeks ago to try to set up some doubles training, and she came down to Fort Worth, texas, last week. We spent two days on the court doing different doubles drills, talking serve strategy, return strategy, lots of tactics, all four positions on the doubles court and a lot more, and this conversation is at the end of our second day of training and she discusses her biggest takeaways from the two days.

Speaker 1

We also talked about her warm-up routine. She has a very extensive warm-up routine before she steps onto the practice court and she goes into great detail about what that warm-up routine looks like. We talk about mindset as she comes back from injury, her improvement pathway, her goals over the next year, her dream doubles partner and mixed doubles partner, and a lot more. So this is a fun conversation that you're going to learn a lot from and get to know Catherine as well, whether you're a club player looking for new drills to try out, or a WTA fan who wants to follow Catherine's journey. I think you're really going to like this one, so, without further delay, enjoy this conversation with Catherine Harrison. Hey everybody, welcome to the show. Today we have a repeat guest on Catherine Harrison. Catherine, welcome back.

Speaker 2

Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1

So we're here in Fort Worth on the campus of TCU, just finished training these last two days. Update everyone first off on where you're at now. You were last on the podcast a couple of years ago and kind of the plan from here.

Speaker 2

Yeah, so I think if it was a couple of years ago, um, I was probably in the midst of a foot injury or maybe just coming back from that Um. So I injured my foot at the Australian open in 2023 and was out until after us open 2023 and coming back I wanted to still do both singles and doubles in equal measure and you know I did well. You know my singles got back up pretty quickly and you know doubles I reached. I got back to US Open as well the following year, in 2024. Unfortunately, at US Open, I did tear my wrist in several places during my first round match, but the good news is I had surgery, it was completely successful and we are back 100 percent now or close to it. I just started back playing um 100% now or close to it. I just started back playing tournaments about six weeks ago and we are fully dub specials.

Speaker 2

Now I'm excited for this new chapter of my career.

Speaker 1

I'm going to be a little bit easier on my body and kind of go into a new phase, but I'm really excited about it so, um, the last couple days you came out here to Fort Worth, you've been in Dallas training with with Peter, the tournament director of the Dallas Open, who's been on the podcast a few times. Uh, what were some of the biggest takeaways from this week, and then the two days here specifically?

Speaker 2

yeah, I really liked the advice that you gave me. That was like really simple, easy, implementable, if that's a word fixes um, you know that drill we did with the first volleys off the return of serve going across my body, you know, sometimes I'll try and get a little too cute or I'll try and hit to a place where my opponent's not um, but I think playing those percentages are super helpful. Also, um, the the overhead thing that you mentioned, hitting overheads deep when they're difficult. A lot of times I try and pop it, uh, cause I really like my overhead Um, but when we just implemented that I could easily see that it was a lot more effective. I think it's really interesting. You know, spreading the box more on the serve too. That was something that was really surprising. You said that that was more effective in. Did you say it was eye formation and regular or just eye?

Speaker 1

Yeah, so you're talking about the body serve.

Speaker 2

Yeah, like doing, you know, definitively tee or definitively wide versus you know body backhand or body forehand, because I find myself falling into a lot of you know body forehand, body backhand, trying to jam my opponents to get them to hit through the middle third of the court on their return to set up my net player, because if the ball's through the middle third of the court that's a lot easier poach than For sure the balls through the middle third of the court.

Speaker 2

That's a lot easier poach than for sure. Yeah, and I've just always been a little hesitant of angles, uh, of like giving my opponent angle, because I really like angles and I with my two-handed forehand um, I like seeing openings of the court that I don't usually see yeah um, but it's interesting that the data shows that spreading the box is a bit better. Yeah, it can be more effective.

Speaker 1

So I think, like a lot of coaches love the like, think the body surf is super underrated and then, like at certain times it is, but like when I'm, I guess the way I think about it is like I don't know, I majored in math in college, so I'm like oh, I didn't know that.

Speaker 1

I'm looking at the data, like wide body T like what is the biggest win percentage? And like report after report shows me, like, or almost all of them, like wide and T on first serve has a higher win percentage. So like okay, I don't know, even though, like the wide one in the deuce court, for example, like even though you're giving them a bigger angle to go down the line, like they're hitting a stretch forehand and they have to redirect a serve, that's like 110 miles an hour down the line, like that's a difficult shot.

Speaker 2

Yeah.

Speaker 1

It's like sure they're going to hit it some, but they're going to make a lot of errors versus I guess the body serve Like maybe it's more likely to come through the middle, but it's also way less likely for them to actually miss the return. Yeah, so maybe that seems to outweigh it. I don't know.

Speaker 2

I just kind of know that makes sense.

Speaker 1

But yeah, there's a certainly a use case for both Sure and then also I like the, because I've just never thought about doing this.

Speaker 2

My doubles up to this point has been pretty ad hoc, uh, and so I um, yeah, the faking out of eye formation, um, just the clips you showed me of you know, other top players like.

Speaker 2

I think that that would be super effective yeah um, and yeah, just the focus on the emphasis on depth. I think that's I. I like that because I I'm a big target-oriented player and if I'm focusing on a deep target, versus what I usually think about in doubles is taking it early. I think emphasizing the deep target area is something that will really help me personally.

Speaker 1

Yeah, a word you used earlier was simple, and I don't know, I don't know, I don't spend a ton of time on the court, right, I'm behind my computer a lot of the time like looking at the data and studying the matches and like then I get onto the court and develop the structure, the practices around, what I know has worked in the matches, because that's what the data tells me and the video is showing me. In the videos showing me and I I see like I'll scroll through Instagram or something and see these coaches who are like having their junior players like jump off a chair and then like a 45 degree angle thing and then hitting four hands and I'm like man, I just don't know if that's going to make them that much better.

Speaker 1

Like shouldn't we be training tennis shots? And then, if we want to work on explosiveness and agility, like drop the racket and go work on that separately, sure, and then you'll play matches and you'll be good at both. I don't know it's, it's just a different philosophy. I'm not saying these coaches are wrong to be doing that, but it's like it's just kind of weird to me.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I, yeah, I agree. My philosophy has always been yeah, hit a lot of tennis balls, make decisive decisions and, you know, fix major things later. You know it's the less thinking the better.

Extensive Warm-up Routine

Speaker 1

Yeah, Simpler is always better. So you talked about being, I guess, easier on the body. Yesterday, when I showed up, you were doing some stretching, you had some bands out, you had your yoga mat out and I said man, you're dedicated. And you said it's my job. It is a great response. Talk about your warm up and like all the time amount of time. And get specific with like the exercises you're doing to get your body warm before a practice.

Speaker 2

Amount of time and get specific with like the exercises you're doing to get your body warm before a practice? Sure, yeah, so since my surgery, that was kind of a wake up call, you know, because it just came out of nowhere. I've never had an upper body injury in my life. And then, all of a sudden, the morning after we won our first round doubles at US Open, I couldn't even push myself out of bed. My wrist was so stiff Like I just couldn't move it at all. Um, and yeah, the fact that I didn't even feel a pop or a snap or anything, and I just woke up one day and my wrist was, you know, I needed four different procedures done on it. Um, that's just crazy to me. So it was a little bit of a wake up call, cause I'm like what else is lurking beneath the surface of my body, you know, because I have, you know, pushed my body so hard in the last almost decade that I've been graduated from college, you know, traveling every week different surfaces, different balls, different string tensions, you know, like it, just it.

Speaker 2

There's wear and tear, and so my goal when I came back from my surgery was to, you know, be kind of the healthiest you know be, or, I guess, the most proactive I could be about my health. So I usually start from the ground up. So I start with my feet. I'll usually roll around on a lacrosse ball. I actually have a special foam roller for my plantar fascia, which is kind of nerdy. You don't need that Um. A tennis ball can be fine Um, and I'll kind of rock back and forth um on my feet to warm up ankles, kind of lock in the proprioception, go back and forth, up and back Um. I'll do'll do calf raises, so like go up on your toes. Then I'll like lean up against a wall and bring my toes back up to my face, so it's kind of working the front side of your shin that muscle is really important for knee health and like stopping and starting, especially in doubles, you know forward and backward movement Um, and then kind of moving up the chain.

Speaker 2

I'll do like knee circles Um. I'll get a band and go and put it around my ankles Um, like just a little resistance band, like whatever you would do, like in yoga or something, and I'll stand there and I'll both of my legs are straight and I'll extend my right leg um in front of me. I usually just do 10 reps of every exercise, um, but the one with your leg going straight in front of you, that's a hip flexor. Warm up um. Out to the side for 10 is your hip and then backwards is your glute, so you're getting all of the muscles in your kind of hip core region warmed up. Um, I also will go down on the ground and do um cat cows. It's kind of hard to describe, but you kind of arch your back and then make a U shape with your back. It's good for warming up your spine. Um, I'll do, uh, the world's greatest stretch several times If you. I feel like that's better to me.

Speaker 2

I was going to say, like that's better to YouTube than have me describe it to you. Um, but yeah, I'll do that. Um, I usually do a few core exercises to warm up, like a couple of just 30 second planks. Nothing for strength, it's more just activating those core muscles, um, and then some hip boxes so you are sitting with your legs out in front of you, both of your knees are bent at 90 degree angles and you kind of flop your legs back and forth. That just again warms up your hips and then, moving up the chain even more, I've got a thousand exercises for my wrist now because my life has been physical therapy for the last six months, so I'll exclude those because those are a little bit surgery recovery specific.

Speaker 2

But, um, yeah, I do for my shoulder. Um, I have, you know, a band with handles on it, usually loop it around a net post or the net strap or whatever, um, and you can do internal and external rotation, um, and I also kind of go, I do, I call them around the worlds. Um, you start with your arm, like straight up, um, and you're the band is pulling your arm forward Like you're facing the net. Um, if the band is around the net and you kind of bounce your arm all the way down, so like if it's on a clock, it's like 12 o'clock to six o'clock and then back up. That really warms up your rotator cuff and then you can flip around and do it the other direction to warm up the front of your shoulder. Yeah, I have, I have so many I can keep going, but I don't want to take up the entire podcast with my rehab and warm up routine. But yeah, I just I really I want to prioritize being strong and healthy and injury prevention going forward.

Speaker 2

And even like if a club player is listening, like I mean, this is a good workout too, like I showed my dad just retired in March and he's really trying to get back into tennis, and I do this stuff every day.

Speaker 2

But, you know he's been a distance runner so he, you know, has run straight for like the last 30 years and changing direction and doing anything involving muscles that change direction is kind of new to him right now. So I took him through this entire warmup routine and I didn't realize it is a workout. If you don't do it every day, like I do, for me it feels like warmup. But if you're not used to using a lot of these little muscles that tennis unfortunately uses a lot of, it can be a workout.

Speaker 1

So if you're not a professional, if you're not a professional athlete.

Speaker 2

it might be a workout and not just rehab, yeah.

Speaker 1

But all this stuff, like I mean, I love this stuff, not just like, yes, it's your job. But then like people listening, if you're a three five club player, like, like who cares if it's not your job, don't you want to keep playing when you're?

Speaker 2

like 70 and 75 years old, Like and mobility is so important.

Speaker 1

Yeah, Like don't you want to keep playing when you're like 70?

Speaker 2

and 75 years old Like, and mobility is so important.

Balancing Tournaments and Training

Speaker 1

Yeah, like don't you want to be able to like get up off the ground when you're like I don't know? So I'm like I've had back issues the last few months and like now I'm starting to do all these cat cows and hip stuff and like Superman swimmers. Yeah, do the same stuff, even though I'm like, not a professional athlete by any means. So I want to talk about so this week you could have played a tournament. You decided to come to DFW and train.

Speaker 2

Yeah.

Speaker 1

How do you kind of manage and balance that schedule, especially as you come back, like there's tournaments almost every week of the year, basically, so you could just play a tournament every week, but then it's important to have training weeks. So how do you figure out that ratio? I guess?

Speaker 2

Yeah, um, I'll be honest right now, with just playing doubles, I don't know what my ratio is going to be. Um, I started back. Um, I think it was. Yeah, it was about six weeks ago. Started back, I think it was. Yeah, it was about six weeks ago. I played one tournament. I was a little nervous for it. You know, I have never had surgery before and my wrist still has some scar tissue. It probably wasn't fully mobile, you know, I've still got some restrictions in there. So I played one tournament, took a week off, just in case. Uh, there wasn't a tournament that week, so it worked out.

Speaker 2

Um, and then I've played the last four weeks in a row and there have been some positives, but the results have not been great. Um, I again like myself personally, I've seen myself improve every single week, but I kind of got to the point where I knew that I needed to increase my volume. You know, with surgery happening in November, you know I went November to, I think it was March, april, no, march or April. I can't remember without hitting a tennis ball, which is the longest I've ever gone without hitting a tennis ball since I started when I was two and a half, which is the longest I've ever gone without hitting a tennis ball since I started when I was two and a half so and my game is for those of y'all who have not watched me play I take the ball really early. There's a lot of timing involved, I hit the ball pretty hard and that's a big strength of mine, and so whenever I don't get the proper amount of volume, um, my game steeply declines. Um, so I think I was going a little bit on adrenaline's the wrong word Like I was just kind of happy to be out there the first couple of weeks I was like wow, my wrist is fine, I'm healthy. Um, maybe this wasn't a career ending injury, and so I played okay the first few weeks, and then I think the lack of volume caught up with me, um, and I I felt as though it would be better, it was a better use of my time to train this week than keep kind of beating my head against a wall doing the same thing. Whatever definition of insanity. You know all the things. Um, all doing the same thing. Whatever definition of insanity, you know all the things. Um.

Speaker 2

So I took this week off, um, and I wanted to come here to Fort Worth. Um, I live in Austin, so it wasn't um super far, but I wanted to come and get Will's insight, because I've never trained specifically for doubles before in my entire career and I wanted to make sure that, going forward, I had my practices set up in a way that was making me better every day. And I wanted to make sure that, going forward, I had my practices set up in a way that was making me better every day and I wasn't just hitting balls mindlessly, because, you know, part of injury prevention is load management. You know I'm 31, I'm not 21, which 31 by normal life means is not old at all. But by tennis career standards, you know you're not young, um, not old at all, but by tennis career standards, you know you're not young, um. So I I really want to make all my practices count.

Speaker 2

So I thought this week would be better spent, you know, getting really intentional advice, um. Then, you know, just throwing myself in another tournament and hoping for different results when I haven't changed anything, um, so, yeah, I think it was a good. I think it was a good decision. Um, I've got one more tournament next week and then I'll do a training block and then, really, after that training block. I would hope that my level is um is back pretty close to where it was before I got injured. Um, unless the USTA, if you're listening wants to give me a US open wildcard in which case, I would absolutely love to go compete.

Speaker 1

Do it.

Speaker 2

But yeah, so we'll see.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I think there's a few big takeaways for me there. One is you talked about the definition of insanity. It's true that we see it with players at every level. They're doing the same thing over and over, and if it's like like, if you're not, if it's not working, like you got to try something different, yeah, and um we talked about that with the volley drill earlier.

Speaker 1

Right like you were uh, you kept getting beat with the lob on this like cross court game we were doing, and the the guy was like hitting good lobs past you and I was like, well, get beat another way yeah like right, like it it's. I get that you want to close the net, but like literally lose a point by him like hitting a shot too good down at your feet like try something different.

Speaker 1

Um, and people do that. I wonder. I was gonna say club level, but literally every level like I'll watch wta or atp tournaments and it's like you're using regular formation every single time, or you're using I formation every single time and you're struggling to hold serve like change something. Yeah, um. So that's definitely one takeaway from that, um, that thought. And then the other was, uh, getting input from, like, different sources.

Speaker 2

Yes.

Speaker 1

So, like you're here training with Peter, and then you come see me, and then you have another coach, jake, who does a great job, and it's like, like and I've told you a number of times here the past two days like I don't have all the answers, and like if something doesn't make sense to you, like then just forget it. And like, go with what you know, sure, but like each of us, and, and if people are listening who have a coach at their club or whatever, take lessons from different people and you'll learn.

Speaker 2

Agree.

Future Goals and Dream Partners

Speaker 1

You'll hear different opinions and they might disagree with each other, and then you figure out what works for you, because no one person has all the answers, and you'll ultimately be a better player if you're able to do that you'll ultimately be a better player if you're able to do that. Um, so a couple of quick questions and then we will hop off here. Um, the how do you think about, like so this focus on doubles? You're coming back from injury. Are you thinking about goals or just focus on the process?

Speaker 2

Um, I kind of both Um. You know I'm pretty much starting from scratch. I have some protected rankings but, like I said last time, I was focusing on singles and doubles and I was back for almost exactly a calendar year from my previous injury. So you know, I I got my, I almost lost my ranking in both singles and doubles. So I got my ranking back from singles. You know, starting the year last year from, I was like 1100, maybe I don't even remember like a thousand, something to like 300, and doubles. You know I was also pretty abysmal ranking wise at the start of the year, um, and then I was able to get myself back to like one, 60, I think Um, which still, in the grand scheme of things, is amazing, but it's not um, it's not grand slam level.

Speaker 2

Um, so I were top 70, right, yeah, I was, so I will have to build back a lot. So right now I'm really process-oriented, really hammering down basics, but goal-wise, stretch goal is Wimbledon next year, and then, I really think, realistically, us Open next year, because I just have almost, you know, 11 months of no results on my record. So, um, which I didn't realize, people didn't know this Um, the ranking system is based on a 12 month rolling calendar, so if, just because I played us open last year, it doesn't mean I just automatically get in, like I've had several friends that are casually involved in tennis and whatever texts me and they're like, so like I've had several friends that are casually involved in tennis and whatever text me, and they're like so, like, should I come to us open this year? Like when do you play? And I'm like well, I don't, because I was injured and my ranking dropped. And they're like well, you won your first round last year, you proved that you can be there. And I'm like well, yeah, but you have to like it's actually more complicated than that, so, yeah. So I think goals are yeah, definitely US Open next year.

Speaker 2

Right now, though, is my main goal is to just be a lot more comfortable on a doubles court and really kind of work on my instincts, you know be make more calculated or take more calculated risks, um, be more comfortable doing everything on court. You know, implementing, serving and volleying. That's something I really haven't done historically, which is silly, because I like my serve and I like my volleys, um, and so I really want to get better at that. Um, a big goal for me by the end of the year that's a process oriented goal is to be as comfortable playing do side as I am playing ad side. Um, I've played ad side just kind of out of habit.

Speaker 2

I played ad all four years in college and I just got into a habit of it and I have a two handed forehand, I mean I basically have two backhands. There's no reason that I shouldn't be as comfortable on the deuce side, um. So yeah, going forward, uh, definitely want to be comfortable on both sides. I feel like that would open me up to a lot of different partnerships, you know, cause I know some girls, you know, will refuse to play a certain side, um, and I think that would make me a more dynamic player. But yeah, right now, just you know, I'm shifting from the oh, I'm just happy to be back out to like okay, now we're, you know I've been here for six weeks. We're healthy. Wrist is good, now let's start. You know, really looking forward to the future.

Speaker 1

So last two questions. These are just short, so last two questions.

Speaker 2

These are just short fun questions.

Speaker 1

Let's say you get to the goal, you're US Open next year. Yeah, and the USTA or whoever comes to you and says Catherine, you get to pick any partner you want. Who do you want to play with?

Speaker 2

Oh, my goodness For women's and mixed. Goodness, um, for women's and mixed. Oh, okay, um, okay, I have to say sue way, just because she's so cool. She's so cool, I'm sorry, with the two-handed forehand. I've always been like a fan girl, because no other player has a two-handed forehand and how she does it is so unique and I just love watching her play. Her court sense is insane and she seems really funny. I don't know her, I've never met her, but she seems like such a cool person too. Um, cause that's always a bonus. You know when you're get to be like, you know, partners with somebody, cool and funny, and so, um, oh, let's see Mix doubles. Um, gosh, I think it would be really funny just to play with Christian, because nobody would know who's who it'd be like. Uh, we've been getting mixed up.

Speaker 2

I know Christian Harrison and me. We're not related for anybody on the podcast. We've been. Apparently, both of us have been asked that our entire tennis careers Um, but that would be. That would be funny. Um, but that would be that would be funny. Um, gosh, maybe. Um, I would definitely say yes to playing with, uh, joe salisbury. Uh, I really like watching him play his one-handed backhand super cool. And he actually also played um at or I'm from memphis originally and he played college at memphis and um, yeah, I remember him from when I was a kid and he was always, you know, super nice and would hit with me sometimes. So, yeah, that'd be cool.

Speaker 1

Good answers. Do you have any thoughts on the US Open mix? This is something that I didn't write down.

Thoughts on US Open Mixed Doubles

Speaker 2

Yeah, I'll be so honest. I don't love it, the new everything that's going on. You know I really respect singles players. I think they're just two very different. Obviously not sports, because it's the same sport, but it's just two very different mindsets. That's fine, okay.

Speaker 1

We had a little golf cart go by but, the mics are good, we're good Okay.

Speaker 2

Okay, yeah, yeah, I. I just, you know I like that tennis is, or the USTA is, you know, trying to get more eyes on tennis. I guess that's a good impulse or thought, but I just feel like it takes, it just takes away the prestige of it. You know, I know there's no ranking points, I know that technically it is an exhibition, but like winning a mixed doubles grand slam, like you are still a grand slam champion. If you win a mixed doubles title, you forever, for the rest of your life, will be a grand slam champion. And now it just kind of feels like a weird exhibition because correct me if I'm wrong it's a 16 draw with eight wild cards, is that?

Speaker 1

yeah, that's what. 16, uh eight get in on their singles ranking, and then the other eight yeah, I just feel like they just announced 14 of the teams okay, I didn't see that but, yeah, I just I feel like that kind of takes away.

Speaker 2

I don't know some of the merit of it, because you know there's such amazing doubles, players that haven't played single, you know. You look at like desiree is one. I mean, how many grand slams you know? Four, yeah, four. I mean that's crazy, that's so accomplished, you know.

Speaker 2

But she hasn't played singles in a while and if they really are just going on singles, I mean maybe they gave her a spot, I'm not sure. Um, I didn't see the list but um, like that's crazy to me to have an American with four grand slam titles under her belt, proven mixed, god, you know. And they're just like, oh, too bad. You know that that could have been an American winning the US Open, you know, on home soil, and I mean again, american probably could. But it's just I don't know, I don't super love it. But again, I understand, you know they're trying to get more eyes on tennis, they're trying to get more people involved. They're trying to, you know, to keep up with the times and tennis can be antiquated with its rules and whatever. So I appreciate what they're trying to do. I just don't think it's the best way to go about it.

Speaker 1

Yeah, that's fair. I think it'll continue to change too, so we'll see what it looks like in the future. Sure, awesome, all right, catherine, this was a fun two days.

Speaker 2

Thanks for coming on the podcast, I'm glad it worked out.

Speaker 1

Good luck the rest of the season. Thank you, we all hope you hit your goals.