Covering for a weaker partner in doubles

[time_fly]

Are there any specific strategies that you use to help cover for a weaker partner in doubles? I played a couple matches yesterday where I was a spectator in many points. I felt like I couldn't make any mistakes because except in my own service games they were good at keeping my partner pinned back when he was serving or returning serve and we lost most of those points.

 

[Nostradamus]

Are there any specific strategies that you use to help cover for a weaker partner in doubles? I played a couple matches yesterday where I was a spectator in many points. I felt like I couldn't make any mistakes because except in my own service games they were good at keeping my partner pinned back when he was serving or returning serve and we lost most of those points.

Yes,,i understand.... and have you also played with a partner that Sucked on volleys and misses 2 out of 3 volleys ? That is the Worst, because when that happens, opponents will on big points make that guy volley 100 % of the time knowing the % is on their side... and you feel hopeless......

It is very tough.....
But ONLY thing you can do is kind of take over the Net and try to cover 80 % of the net just knowing that you are going to get passed sometimes to your side and your alley because you are playing the middle so aggressively. and mix in the fakes as well, and if you miss some volleys while faking,,, don't feel bad,,, it is all part of being aggressive court coverage. I actually had this work for me on few occasions........... and actually won the match.............but Know that you will only win about 20 % of the matches doing it this way against 2 SOLID opponents.

 

[John the serve]

Yes,,i understand.... and have you also played with a partner that Sucked on volleys and misses 2 out of 3 volleys ? That is the Worst, because when that happens, opponents will on big points make that guy volley 100 % of the time knowing the % is on their side... and you feel hopeless......

It is very tough.....
But ONLY thing you can do is kind of take over the Net and try to cover 80 % of the net just knowing that you are going to get passed sometimes to your side and your alley because you are playing the middle so aggressively. and mix in the fakes as well, and if you miss some volleys while faking,,, don't feel bad,,, it is all part of being aggressive court coverage. I actually had this work for me on few occasions........... and actually won the match.............but Know that you will only win about 20 % of the matches doing it this way against 2 SOLID opponents.

Number one tip make sure you take the deuce side...at least you get a chance to get ahead each game

 

[Dartagnan64]

I play a lot of mixed doubles so I get this issue. I tend to get into trouble when I lose confidence in my partner and start trying too hard and making errors. It becomes a death spiral of partner errors and me doing stupid things.

So my advice is this:
1) you can't win this by yourself as much as you want to
2) concentrate on your own game
3) Minimize your mistakes, don't get overly risky
4) Keep active. All the balls may be heading your partner's way it seems, but if you move your feet constantly feinting and staying on your toes, it will affect the opponents and you might get a mishit to jump on.
5) Target their weaker player and try to get into a rally with them
6) Try to encourage your partner and get them into positions of strength. If they suck at the net, play two back and then get to the net yourself. If they suck at the baseline, you stay back and let them get to the net. If they suck at both then tell them to lob. If they suck at all 3 then god help you.

I would strongly disagree with Nostradamus advice to get super aggressive. Nothing will **** your partner off more than you crashing into their territory to take a ball. They'll lose confidence knowing you don't have faith in them. You'll leave yourself open to too many passing shots.

 

[Deleted member 120290]

Very frustrating situation that you can't do much about. Only solution is to park the weak partner in the doubles alley and tell him everything that lands between the singles and doubles lines is his.

 

[lwto]

No, the very first thing you have to do is make sure your partner knows they are the weaker player.
If you want to really win, you make sure they know that you will take all the balls you can, not because your a ball hog, but because you want your team to win. If on the other hand, your partner doesn't care about winning, chances are that they won't want you to take shots coming at them and all is basically lost since, they will just get mad at you for taking their shots.

Play the back hand side, so: You can cover all their back hand shots with your forehand, and all they have to worry about is their own forehand and down the line.
take all the over heads you can.

Here's a thought that I do now. since I play with a very weak partner who serves just suck.
I defer the serve and let the opponents serve first thinking, we have a better chance of breaking serve than holding my partners serve. This minimizes somewhat how many times my partner serves.

Play Australan on the add side only when your partner serves, that way, they are forced either to return to you or.. down the line to your partners forehand. Do it twice in a row, you don't want them to get into a groove. Switch back to normal Double position, do that a couple of times and then back to Aussie.

 

[Nostradamus]

Number one tip make sure you take the deuce side...at least you get a chance to get ahead each game

I know but then all the important points are played on Ad side ?

 

[Dartagnan64]

Very frustrating situation that you can't do much about. Only solution is to park the weak partner in the doubles alley and tell him everything that lands between the singles and doubles lines is his.

Great way to alienate your partner.

If you can't stand losing because you have a weak partner, get a better partner. Essentially assigning the partner to a minimal role is going to be no fun for them and no good for team relationships.

Now if your partner just wants to win and is happy with you essentially benching them, go for it. But most people I've played with want to actually play and not be told they aren't allowed to hit the ball unless absolutely necessary. And they certainly won't get better just guarding the sideline.

 

[lwto]

I know but then all the important points are played on Ad side ?

Yeah, the stronger player always plays the ad side since they can cover wide and then up the middle shots and it's also like you said, where the important shots take place.

 

[Nostradamus]

Yeah, the stronger player always plays the ad side since they can cover wide and then up the middle shots and it's also like you said, where the important shots take place.

Yea but what if you are playing with SUCKY player that is always getting you down,,,,,by not winning hardly any points from deuce court. You may never get to see a break point.

 

[lwto]

Yea but what if you are playing with SUCKY player that is always getting you down,,,,,by not winning hardly any points from deuce court. You may never get to see a break point.

Doesn't matter either way, it will be 15 all either way, at the very least, on the add side you can take control of your side and the middle, minimizing your partners playing area. If he's on the add side, then, he has the forehand up the middle, you want your forehand up the middle, not your partners, unless you have a lefty involved of course.

 

[Lance L]

Are there any specific strategies that you use to help cover for a weaker partner in doubles? I played a couple matches yesterday where I was a spectator in many points. I felt like I couldn't make any mistakes because except in my own service games they were good at keeping my partner pinned back when he was serving or returning serve and we lost most of those points.

Is there a way to make a one up one back style work. I'm assuming your partner can play fine from the backcourt.

 

[time_fly]

Is there a way to make a one up one back style work. I'm assuming your partner can play fine from the backcourt.

As I replay my match in my mind, I've actually been thinking about it the opposite way. I should have told my partner to rush the net no matter what. If he's back and he's weak then he is getting the ball every time. If we are both up, or he's up and I'm back, I'd have a better chance of getting some balls to hit.

 

[Deleted member 120290]

Great way to alienate your partner.

If you can't stand losing because you have a weak partner, get a better partner. Essentially assigning the partner to a minimal role is going to be no fun for them and no good for team relationships.

Now if your partner just wants to win and is happy with you essentially benching them, go for it. But most people I've played with want to actually play and not be told they aren't allowed to hit the ball unless absolutely necessary. And they certainly won't get better just guarding the sideline.

I was kidding of course. In most casual group doubles, I usually get paired with the weakest player. If we lose it's not that big a deal.
In a tournament we both know that I will do bulk of the work and we are both fine as long as we win.

 

[Dark_Angel85]

If it's weak to the point of imbalanced, there's no point; cause it's just imbalanced.

If both sides are balanced, ie one strong, one weak, then many suggestions here should be fine.

 

[Lance L]

As I replay my match in my mind, I've actually been thinking about it the opposite way. I should have told my partner to rush the net no matter what. If he's back and he's weak then he is getting the ball every time. If we are both up, or he's up and I'm back, I'd have a better chance of getting some balls to hit.

I guess that answers the question. At the net he is weak, in the back court he is weak. It doesn't sound like he has a weakness at the net, but is simply not as good as you and the other team. Not much you can do with that.

 

[John the serve]

Yeah, the stronger player always plays the ad side since they can cover wide and then up the middle shots and it's also like you said, where the important shots take place.

I've always found that getting ahead in the game increases the pressure on the opposition. No reason you can't cover the middle of you have a respectable backhand. Of course it also depends on if you are vs a lefty

 

[user92626]

I play with lots of weaker partners and I have come to the conclusion that it is just not possible passed a certain point. To win it will have to come down to the innate winning percentage that you and your partner can produce. In a sense it has little with you stepping up to cover extra all the sudden.

Or, you're so good that theoretically if your partner immediately sat down after serving/receiving you can win comfortably on your own against 2! Even that is still tough. Why?

The bad partner, even to not play, has to be fast enough to get out of the way for you. If he's too slow to play in the first place, he's also too slow to not play. Almost the same liability. And, you guys still haven't accounted for the bad partner's crappy serves and receiving.

You are right. You have to play perfect tennis PLUS count on your luck to get points from your partner's required play.

 

[Doc Hollidae]

Are there any specific strategies that you use to help cover for a weaker partner in doubles? I played a couple matches yesterday where I was a spectator in many points. I felt like I couldn't make any mistakes because except in my own service games they were good at keeping my partner pinned back when he was serving or returning serve and we lost most of those points.

Here's a few ways I approach having a weaker partner strategy-wise :

1) Normally they have one wing (Forehand) that is stronger than the other (Backhand), so I will try and put them in situations where they are hitting from their strong side as often as possible and minimize the amount of times they hit from their weaker side.

2) I will take the backhand side for returns since the majority of game points end up on the ad side. This way my partner gets more forehands and can potentially make more returns and be more aggressive.

3) I play a lot of I formation on their serve and move to the ad side almost always, that way my partner getting more forehands than backhands again.

4) I will play varying formations and poach more on their serve, so they have to think about me as the netman more and what I'm going to do vs. just hitting a return cross court. A good net player can help hold a weaker serve easier vs. a good server and a weak netman in most situations.

5) Encourage your partner and make them feel comfortable. If you are playing with a weaker player, chances are the weaker player knows they are weaker too. This means every mistake they make, they may feel like they are "letting you" down, which only adds additional pressure and makes them more nervous. The last thing you want them to do is psyche themselves out of their own game. They just need to know that they need to play within their limitations and to not try something "fancy" to try and impress higher level players.

6) Don't try and be Superman. Trying to do too much because you have a weak partner only makes things worse for yourself. You put added pressure on yourself to play picture perfect, because you know you will have to carry your partner to an extent. Quite often you also feel compelled to play more aggressively in situations you normally wouldn't. The best thing to do is play within yourself and just focus on what you can control. If you overhit a ball, at that point what's the difference if it was you or your partner that it hit out? Is your stab backhand volley, better than a high forehand volley your partner would have hit instead?

 

[10isMaestro]

First, a question: is it a competitive setting? If so, I suspect that your partner is not weaker everywhere to the point where he couldn't keep up with your game to save his life. Usually, people have different habits and skill sets and your partner might be able to do certain things very well, perhaps better than you. If not, it begs the question of why you paired yourself with him in the first place. Doubles requires teamwork, period.

In the short run, you have to find ways to put your partner in a good place. If his ground strokes are less solid than their volleys, rallying for most points might be ill-advised. There might also be ways for him to use his serve better, to get the type of point he prefers to play when he serves. Try to find what he does well and build plans around those aspects. I would also add that telling someone they're the weakness of their team tends to not help them play better -- quite the opposite. The best you can do is to try to adjust your plan and be suportive -- that might in fact help him play better.

In the long run, if you can meet with him and play, you could try doubles drills that help work on those short-court skills (picking up half-volleys, hitting approaches, hitting volleys, etc.), it could help him catch up. In doubles, moving forward is a powerful way to end a point in your favor -- and someone who keeps working on this quickly improves in that area. Amateurs all work tons on ground strokes -- but not so much on the skills that would make them good at the net.

 

[5point5]

Number one tip make sure you take the deuce side...at least you get a chance to get ahead each game

I believe this is wrong. Stronger player should be on the backhand side. Easier to cover more of the net, overheads, and more chances to break from that side. You don't want the weaker player returning the majority of break points.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

Here's a few ways I approach having a weaker partner strategy-wise :

1) Normally they have one wing (Forehand) that is stronger than the other (Backhand), so I will try and put them in situations where they are hitting from their strong side as often as possible and minimize the amount of times they hit from their weaker side.

2) I will take the backhand side for returns since the majority of game points end up on the ad side. This way my partner gets more forehands and can potentially make more returns and be more aggressive.

3) I play a lot of I formation on their serve and move to the ad side almost always, that way my partner getting more forehands than backhands again.

4) I will play varying formations and poach more on their serve, so they have to think about me as the netman more and what I'm going to do vs. just hitting a return cross court. A good net player can help hold a weaker serve easier vs. a good server and a weak netman in most situations.

5) Encourage your partner and make them feel comfortable. If you are playing with a weaker player, chances are the weaker player knows they are weaker too. This means every mistake they make, they may feel like they are "letting you" down, which only adds additional pressure and makes them more nervous. The last thing you want them to do is psyche themselves out of their own game. They just need to know that they need to play within their limitations and to not try something "fancy" to try and impress higher level players.

6) Don't try and be Superman. Trying to do too much because you have a weak partner only makes things worse for yourself. You put added pressure on yourself to play picture perfect, because you know you will have to carry your partner to an extent. Quite often you also feel compelled to play more aggressively in situations you normally wouldn't. The best thing to do is play within yourself and just focus on what you can control. If you overhit a ball, at that point what's the difference if it was you or your partner that it hit out? Is your stab backhand volley, better than a high forehand volley your partner would have hit instead?

i like #3 alot,... will have to try that next time!
everything else i already do

 

[Doc Hollidae]

Number one tip make sure you take the deuce side...at least you get a chance to get ahead each game

I'm of the opposite opinion. More game points end up on the ad side, weaker partners normally have weaker backhands, and if the stronger player plays the ad side, his forehand is in the middle.

 

[Bender]

I'm of the opposite opinion. More game points end up on the ad side, weaker partners normally have weaker backhands, and if the stronger player plays the ad side, his forehand is in the middle.

Yeah. Assuming that both players are righties, not only would OP have the better BH to needed for the AD court BH CC exchanges, OP can also cover the middle with the FH as well, covering the weaker player's BH side.

OP's partner in theory would only have to worry about FHs mostly.

Funnily enough the opposite holds true if the weaker player's at net, assuming the BH volley is the weak side. No need to cover the DTL too hard since it's a lower percentage shot for the opponents, so the weaker player could in theory camp the AD court at net and focus on FH volleys. But they can play two back on returns if all fails. OP will need to hit body serves or just serve well in general from the AD court however, because two back doesn't work when you're the one serving.

 

[Moveforwardalways]

About the ad vs duece side, it's a wash. I've seen it both ways, and if the weak partner never wins a duece point you never get a break chance anyway. There is also the angle that the weaker player on the ad side is helped by having the pressure of the break point placed on the server, who is more likely to fault or hit a 75% serve on big points.

But overall, if the partner is too weak (like playing out of level), there is no good way to make up for it. I've seen guys paired up for mixed with women who are playing up a level, which is sort of an extreme example of this situation. There really isn't anything to do but try to have fun and shake hands at the end.

 

[time_fly]

Yeah. Assuming that both players are righties, not only would OP have the better BH to needed for the AD court BH CC exchanges, OP can also cover the middle with the FH as well, covering the weaker player's BH side.

I'm lefty.

 

[lwto]

All I know is that when I watch or play mixed doubles. the woman is generally the weaker player and they ALWAYS play the deuce side.

 

[Court Karma]

Regardless of the level being played, I figure you have to start the point. All of the other strategizing becomes moot if that doesn't happen. So when I play 7.5 ladies combo I always ask my 3.5 partner to return from the side where they are most confident and consistent. And when I'm the weaker player on the court, I always ask for my preferred return side.

I can relate to your partner getting stuck at the baseline during service games. If they have any volley skills encourage them to get off the baseline - you already know nothing good is going to happen there. Encourage them to serve tee to increase your poach chances and minimize sharp angled returns. Or encourage your partner to serve wide and bait the opponent to return up the line. If nothing else is working encourage your partner to lob and then follow it in.