Tennis is usually seen as a singles game – one player against another, but most club players actually play more doubles. Here, intosport.com’s tennis programme Director, Anne Pankhurst, shares some of the basic, but vital, principles to playing successful doubles. You can find out more about all aspects of tennis including skills, drills, tactics and physical conditioning for free at the David Lloyd Leisure Tennis School at intosport.com.
When you play doubles, tennis becomes a team game! Most doubles is either men’s or women’s, but there is also mixed doubles. Playing in a team is fun for most people and it can be even more fun if you follow a few rules of engagement.
Who goes where?
Choosing sides.
Since there are two of you, the first decision will be who will play on which side. One way of deciding is to work out who is the stronger player. Normally the stronger player will be in the advantage court to receive serve. One reason for this is that a higher number of game points are played into that court. In other words, when the score is love-40, 30-40 (or the reverse) or advantage, it would be better to have the strongest player receiving serve, either to win the game or to stop the serving team winning it. In mixed doubles therefore the man usually plays in the advantage court, to receive serve on the game points from the man!
There are several other considerations though in your decision making. One player may simply feel happier playing in a particular court, one of you may be left handed. The essential word is partnership so make sure the decision is a joint one.
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When you play doubles, tennis becomes a team game
Choosing the first server.
Normally the first server will be the best server – this will give your team a higher chance of winning the serve and keeping the pressure on the opponents. In men’s doubles especially it is vital to have the best server serving first in the set. And in mixed doubles the man will normally serve first.
Again there could be reasons not to do this. If one of you is left handed and the sun is out, if you get the ends right, neither of you need serve into the sun. Remember too you can change the order of serve at the beginning of a new set.
Deciding whether to stay back or near the net when you are the receivers
There is now great flexibility about where the receiver’s partner will be positioned during the serve. In essence, it all depends on the serve. Many receivers will both stay back for a difficult first serve, reasoning perhaps that a defensive position will be best for both receivers. Some receiver’s partners will then move forwards for the second serve, but many will stay back for that one as well. There is no right or wrong, but there will be better choices to make and these will depend on the serve itself. Be observant of the server and then plan what you will both do.
The size and shape of the court
The doubles court is wider than the singles court – by 9 feet - and so balls hit at angles become both a good idea (for you) and a challenge (when your opponents do so). Doubles is often called a game of angles. However, there are ways to play together as a team to counter your opponents’ use of angles. You need to cover the likely places for them to return the ball.
If you are at the net then you have to cover the wider distance of the doubles net- but together. If you do so the only gap is behind you. Conversely if you are both a the back of the court, the gap is in front of you. The most difficult position for you as a team is when one of you is up at the net and the other is at the back of the court. Then there is real target area on the angle between you so you need to move together as a team at all times.
In addition if you are both at the net, you should always be moving sideways along the net as a pair, as well as moving towards it. You need to reduce your opponent’s options of return. This means, for example, that if you have returned a ball deep into the tramlines of your opponent’s deuce court, your advantage court player should move towards the advantage court sideline and the other player should move towards the centre so that between you cover a ball returned down the line or down the middle. The hardest place for your opponent’s to return the ball is to your deuce court sidelines so you do not need to worry about that too much.
If you are both playing at the net, you can be vulnerable to the lob in doubles. When you start to play doubles there may be a tendency to chase your partner’s lobs, but try and get used to chasing your own.
Often, despite staying together, a doubles pair is most vulnerable however, down the centre. The middle of the court needs to be covered – decide which of you will cover those balls. It could be the player with the forehand in the middle, but it really should be the player in the best position to hit it well.
Communication
One of the most important things about playing doubles is about learning to communicate. Tennis is a lonely game for a singles player, but in doubles you can plan and work together with your partner. Not only that, but you can cheer each other up when things are not going quite so well. You can learn a great deal by watching pro players play doubles. Notice some of the following;
- The physical contact after almost every point – patting on the back, touching hands as they pass each other, tapping the strings to congratulate a good shot
- The verbal contact often after, but always before every point. Usually the players turn their backs to the opponents while they plan what they will do on the next point. This planning is especially important before the serve because where and how the serve lands will change where and when the server’s partner will move. Each of you may notice something about one or your opponent’s and so having a plan for each point helps you link together all your information
- The reactions after losing the point. It can be difficult and frustrating if your partner loses the point, but it is important to stay positive and encouraging. Not only could it be your turn next, but it simply doesn’t help if you get upset too. Doubles is about supporting each other – in the bad times especially. The solution is to move on and plan better for the next point.
- Reactions after winning the point. It is important to be positive and up beat, but also to be calm and collected. Working out why and how you won a point can help you win a few more – if you know why you did! Perhaps a certain type of serve or hitting the ball to a specific place led to the opponent’s making a mistake – you need to put it in the data bank for another time
All of these are basic points – put them together and your doubles game will get off to a great start. You can find out more about doubles strategy and tactics and watch video guides to brush up your skills for free at the David Lloyd Leisure Tennis School at intosport.com
Article written by Anne Pankhurst, intosport.com’s Tennis Programme Director, former LTA Coach Education Director and ex USTA Coach Education Coordinator