By Paul Annacone
Illustrations by Craig Zuckerman

Smart serving and timely movement will make you and your doubles partner a formidable duo.

One of the great advantages of doubles is that teammates share responsibilities. When it comes to holding serve, this is a real plus. Sure, it would be nice to rely on big serves to set up easy volleys and overheads, but we don’t always have that luxury. Instead of leaning on an overpowering delivery, you can devise a strategy of shot placement and movement with your partner to hold serve as a team. Obviously this begins and ends with good communication, which keeps each of you aware of what the other is doing. But it also helps to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.

BEGINNER

OBJECTIVE 1: The net player needs to follow the ball.

Much of what the net player is able to do in a doubles point is reflective of what the opposing receiver does on the return of serve. Essentially you have to pay attention to the returner’s positioning as he attempts his shot and adjust accordingly. If the serve drags him toward the middle of the court, you can lean in that direction to put yourself in the best possible position to intercept the return. Just as with an approach shot, you must follow the serve to cover the angles. If your partner serves out wide, you can’t cheat toward the middle because you’re giving your opponent a large target down the alley and leaving your partner a lot of court to cover. Before the point, talk with your partner about where he’s directing his serve. This should help you follow the ball.

OBJECTIVE 2: Keep shots from the baseline near the middle of the court.

I’m a traditionalist and believe that you should move forward in doubles whenever possible. But I realize that many players don’t feel comfortable transitioning to net after the serve. If you’re going to play from the baseline, avoid hitting ground strokes that the opposing net player may pick off. Still, you want to direct your shots close to the middle so your partner can be more of a factor in the point. (Hitting crosscourt angles will force your partner to follow the ball and hug the alley, limiting his chances of knocking off a volley.) If both opponents are at the net, keep your shots down the middle (unless you’ve got an open passing lane) to draw a defensive volley that your partner can capitalize on.

INTERMEDIATE

OBJECTIVE 1: Use movement to plant seeds of doubt in your opponents’ heads.

At this level you want your opponents to feel your presence at net. If they know you’re just going to stand still, they’ll never be concerned on their returns. So right from the start of the match you want to get in their heads by showing your opponents a few poaches. Communication is key here. Before the point, discuss where you’re going to serve (down the middle or into the body are best for poaching) and have your net player move across to intercept the return. The server should move to the side vacated by the net player to cover any possible returns. This helps keep the server from having to play a disproportionate role in helping your team hold serve. Don’t be discouraged if you attempt to poach and fail—it’s going to happen. But by being active at net you’re giving your opponents something to think about, especially late in the set with the score in the balance.

OBJECTIVE 2: Look to pick off weak returns.

One or both players on your team may have a formidable serve. Or one of your opponents may struggle with the return. Either way you can still be a force at net even if you don’t have a set poach planned. If you get a weak, floating return, try to intercept it and either angle it off or drive it hard at the opposing net player. Good anticipation is a helpful asset in this regard. If you see that your partner’s serve has stretched your opponent, you can close on the net and look to pick off the return. You should also try to pick up on return patterns. For instance, your opponent in the deuce court may pull all his backhands down the line at the net player. If you know the serve is going to that spot (again, teamwork helps), you can prepare to put the volley into the open court.

ADVANCED

OBJECTIVE 1: Properly time your poaches.

In high-level doubles, everything is magnified. Your movement and the placement of your shots has to be more precise because service breaks are at a premium. Poor strategic alignment or execution is usually penalized, so when you do set up to poach, make sure it’s on the right serve and you move at the right time. If the server is going to hit a hard serve, you’ve got to move earlier because the ball is going to get to the receiver much faster. Conversely, if the server is going to use a slower spin serve, the net player has to be patient and not move prematurely; otherwise the returner will see it and hit down the line into the open court.

OBJECTIVE 2: Use fakes to hide a mediocre serve.

If one of your serves is misfiring, you’ve got to find other ways to hold. One thing you can do is employ fakes. That’s when the net player uses a subtle step toward the middle to trick the receiver into believing that he’s poaching, but he actually stays put. For instance, if your team is serving into the deuce court, the server hits a kick down the T. Asplit-second before the net player would normally move, he takes a step toward the center service line with his right foot. Before the returner contacts the ball, the net player jumps back into position. The hope is to con the opponent into hitting the return right to the net player or cause some indecision that leads to an error.