Ed Krass’ One-On-One Doubles: Bringing Back Serve-and-Volley Tennis
Feb 25, 2025
Traditionalists have long lamented the slow disappearance of serve-and-volley play from the sport of tennis. But if you ask Ed Krass, it’s far from dead. In fact, at his One-On-One Doubles tournaments, it’s alive, thriving, and—believe it or not—played to the sound of live rock and blues.
“One-On-One Doubles is the crosscourt serving singles game with the alley included,” Krass explains, standing by the courts at Saddlebrook Resort during the PTR International Rackets Conference. “The server has to serve and volley on both serves, or they lose the point. Half volleys are allowed, and if you hit a winning volley or overhead that your opponent doesn’t touch, you get a two-point bonus.”
Photo credit: Curtis Aho Photography
It’s a high-intensity format designed to reward aggressive net play, something Krass, a former Harvard and Clemson coach, has always championed. “It’s about bringing back the lost art of serve-and-volley,” he says. “We want to make attacking the net exciting again.”
If music blaring through the speakers isn’t enough to get players pumped up, the prize money certainly helps. Unlike smaller tournaments, One-On-One Doubles offer a real cash prize in addition to the hardware.
“In the Open Division, the winner takes home $600, and the runner-up gets $400,” Krass reveals. “We’ve got the same prize money for the 50-and-over division—$600 for the winner and $400 for the runner-up.”
Photo credit: Curtis Aho Photography
The tournament at Saddlebrook Resort was completely booked, with 32 players battling it out in a round-robin format. “We set up eight separate draws [for the Open division], with four players per draw,” Krass explains. “Everyone gets a shot at playing three short sets, first to four.”
One thing that truly separates One-On-One Doubles from other tennis formats? The music. Not just background beats, but full-on live performances.
“We play music throughout the event, and today we’ve got Chicago's Steve Arvey, a world-class blues musician, performing live,” Krass says with a grin. “I’ve always felt like tennis needed a little more energy, something to loosen it up. So we pump in music, and sometimes, like today, we bring in live rock and blues.”
Photo credit: Curtis Aho Photography
The combination of competitive tennis and an electric atmosphere has made One-On-One Doubles a fan-favorite among players looking for something different. “It’s not just about the tennis,” Krass says. “It’s about creating an experience.”
So how did the tournament unfold on Sunday, February 23rd?
Davide Tortora, former Mississippi State & South Florida standout, captured the PTR International One-On-One Doubles Open Title. Tortora defeated Noori Adam, 4-2, in the Final. "I really loved playing in this One-On-One Doubles Event", stated Tortora who also works as a tennis coach at the Saddlebrook Resort.
Meanwhile, Noori Adam, the 6'3 player, who hails from Sudan, played his college tennis at Florida A&M. He is currently working as a tennis coach at the Patrick Mouratoglou Tennis Academy and is the captain for the Tampa Intennse Team.
Photo credit: Curtis Aho Photography
Other notable participants, who reached the Quarterfinals in the Open Division, were Alex Bose, who reached a top 600 ATP ranking playing in all four Grand Slams; Maddux Bose, currently ranked #1 in the USTA/Florida rankings and #9 in the nation for Boys 16 & under; Mikaelel Alibaig, Pakistan's #1 Junior and top 50 in the U.S; Leo Vega, touring professional Doubles player and Assistant Men's Coach at Florida Southern College; Jovan Lubbe, who trains full-time at the Saddlebrook Academy and who will be attending Cal-Poly in the Fall.
Andrej Samets, former Davis Cupper for Belarus, captured the 50 & Over Title with a 4-2 win over Mark Harrison, of Melbourne, FL. Harrison is a winner of 17 USTA National Doubles Titles. Samets is currently working as a Director of Racquets at the Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club, Samets narrowly defeated Whitney Kraft, who is in the FAU Sports Hall of Fame, 4-3(7-5) in the Semifinals. Harrison defeated Mike Moenter, of St. Petersburg, 4-3(7-4) in the Semifinals of the 50s Division.
"This One-On-One Doubles Tournament was a super event. Great music, weather, players and fans," stated Kraft. Ken DeHart, two time PTR National Pro of the Year echoed the same sentiments, saying "This One-On-One Doubles Tournament was a super fun, entertaining event."
Photo credit: Curtis Aho Photography
Tournament Director and Founder of One-On-One Doubles Tournaments, Ed Krass concluded, "I think we had a great mix of international talent, live music and a strong turnout of tennis fans. Thank you, PTR, for their terrific partnership and support."
One-On-One Doubles might not be a traditional tennis tournament, but that’s exactly the point. It’s a fresh take on an old-school style of play, with a little music and money added in for good measure. And if Ed Krass has anything to say about it, serve-and-volley tennis is here to stay.
One-On-One Doubles will be played next at the ATX Open, a WTA 250 Tournament held in Austin, Texas, this upcoming weekend. For more information, visit: http://www.oneononedoubles.com
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Written by Florida Tennis Associate Editor Osvaldo Godoy.