Doubles Strategy

[wfudeac]

I play with a group of 3.5 players who play mostly recreationally, we have league teams but never seem to do that well. I've tried communicating with whoever is my partner at the time, to talk about placement of serve and poaching, but my group isn't that responsive for some reason. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. My plan is to act on my partner's serve without asking them first where they're going to place it. The question is, if they happen to serve down the line, does this mean it's a good time to poach since their angles will be cutoff and to pass me they'll have to come across my body?

Also, if my partner happens to serve out wide, should I cover the doubles alley because the returner now has more options, either to pass me down the line or hit crosscourt?

If there are any good threads archived on doubles strategy, please let me know!

 

[Burt Turkoglu]

At the 3.5 level, some players find communication a little disruptive to their concentration. As the net player, I like to know where the serve is going. I get a better jump on the ball and can take away more angle. One of my favorite ploys on wide serves is to take a step forward and to the alley and then race toward the center strap and block the poach into the vacated middle area. On wide serves, you only need to go as far as the net strap because of the angle. Try not to move too early. Once the returners racket starts to move forward, he's usually locked on his target. On serves up the T, you need to drift a few feet past the net strap to cover that angle. All this is easier if you know where and what speed the ball will be hit with.

 

[wfudeac]

Another thing at the 3.5 level is that most of the guys I play with don't feel confident enough in telling me where they're going to place the serve, either that or they're just too lazy/impatient!

So on serves up the T, you're saying that once the ball is hit (say the server is serving from the deuce court) I need to take a few steps over into the deuce court to cover the angle? Doesn't that leave a lot of room in the ad court that I just vacated?

 

[LuckyR]

You are in a sticky situation. Clearly your partners are a bit unconfident on their poaching and service placement consistency (which is not unusual at the 3.5 level, or even 4.0). The answer is to start spontaneously poaching. If your partner knows enough to cross over and cover, you are set. Perhaps in awhile he will want to join in the fun and you guys can talk about moving up to the communication you originally failed at. On the other hand, if he doesn't know enough to cross over and cover and is not amenable to that discussion, you will have to be very selective on your poaches to make sure they are going to be point ending shots.

Good luck.

 

[papa]

Yes, your right on both your answers.

You don't have to give signals to play good tennis at a fairly high level and many choose not to signal each other. However, you have to have some basic understandings with partner and for example, when you cross the center line, you stay on that side and partner takes the side you just vacated - now be carefull not to fake partner out of his shoes by using a bunch of fake poaches.

 

[Burt Turkoglu]

I prefer not to do signals because most servers make their move to cover the opening too early. In other words, if a team is using signaled poaches against me, I watch which way the server moves after the server. I hit for the alley whichever direction the server is heading cause I know the poacher is heading the other way. I employ the same tactic against the I-formation as well. I do use signaled poaches against returners that lob returns often and effectively. The server ends up taking the lob with an overhead or high volley approach shot.

 

[Cruzer]

I learned quite a bit about playing doubles from the pro at my former club and from a few Nike tennis camps I attended and one common concept was that communication was an important aspect of playing good doubles. This concept applied to both serving and return of serve situations. Unfortunately at the club I now belong to playing doubles is much like the OP described. I find it rather frustrating that no knows how to give signals let alone actually use them nor is there any communication about where to hit serves, poaching, fake poaching, where to hit service returns, or service return poaching. I have lost interest in playing doubles for the most part and now will always opt to play singles instead of playing doubles.

 

[travlerajm]

Here's some advice that should help:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=965154&postcount=16

 

[jonolau]

I play mostly rec level doubles, and always have different playing partners each time. As some of the posters mentioned, I do not use any form of signals, but hone my own anticipational instincts and net skills.

The most important area I have to make sure I can cover is down the alley because that is where most of the poaching occurs. If my partner serves short, then I also need to make sure that I am ready to spring to the centre in case of a drop shot.

 

[papa]

The most important area I have to make sure I can cover is down the alley because that is where most of the poaching occurs.

Not sure what you mean here. Although there "might/could" be an exception, poaching is considered as intercepting a ball intended for partner - sometimes you end up switching sides while other times it isn't necessary.

 

[jonolau]

Not sure what you mean here. Although there "might/could" be an exception, poaching is considered as intercepting a ball intended for partner - sometimes you end up switching sides while other times it isn't necessary.

Sorry, my bad. My thoughts got ahead of my typing. What I meant is that DTL is where most of the opponents will try and take a swipe for an easy point.