Ever feel like a target on the doubles court? Here are some top tennis doubles rules to follow.
A great doubles strategy in tennis is to know how to cover the holes on the court. Most tennis players are used to seeing and covering the holes laterally, or side to side. However the more experienced players can see/cover and expose the translational, or short and deep, holes on the court. But how do you see these holes?
Most of us set up in a staggered formation in doubles, with one player up and one player back. This can be confusing and hard to maintain… who staggers and when, up or back? Here is a simple approach – all you have to remember is protect the head and toes!
TOE PROTECTION
When your partner goes back for an overhead, their toes are exposed on the very next shot. The next ball after an overhead is often directed at your partner’s feet, and they will most likely be off balance, out of position and vulnerable. So to cover that hole, you should move forward and toward the center of the court to help cover your partner’s toes.
HEAD PROTECTION
In reverse, if your partner has to move forward for a low volley that is dipped, or a high volley that they are cutting off, they have opened up the court behind them and are now susceptible to the lob. You will want to move backwards and center to cover their head, as the next shot is often an aggressive lob over their head.
In sum, the tennis doubles rules to follow are:
When your partner moves behind you to hit an overhead, you move up and middle to be ready for the next shot at their feet. When your partner moves in front of you to hit a volley, you move back and middle to be ready for the next shot over their head.
