Tennis Doubles Strategy

If you are a big fan of tennis and play a lot for recreational purposes, then it's very likely that you will be playing a lot of doubles games. At such a time, it is important to know and follow effective means of tennis doubles strategy, as this can help you win many games. Playing a game of doubles can get a little confusing sometimes, if the partners do not communicate with each other, and having some basic tennis doubles strategy in place will certainly be a lot of help.

If a player is very good at playing a singles game this does not necessarily mean that he/she will be good at a game of doubles. Teamwork and cooperation come into work here, and if the two teammates cannot communicate properly they will find winning quite difficult. A game of tennis doubles is all about controlling the net. This is the secret that all tennis players should know, and the fact is that the team that can get both its players towards the net quicker will always win. You might also like to learn more about the history of tennis.

Move Forward
Since controlling the net is the key to the very best tennis doubles strategy, moving forward towards the net as fast as possible is the way to achieve this. The way to do this is to move forward as much as you can after each shot. The faster you can manage to reach the net, the greater control you will have over the game. The reason for this is that it is easier to hit a ball that is just passing over the net as it will be higher. Moving forward after hitting each shot is an effective tennis doubles strategy also due to the fact that it puts pressure on your opponents. They can see you advancing and this affects their decision-making process. Read more about the tennis court dimensions.

Serving
The service, is one of the most important factors of the doubles strategy for tennis. If you are serving then you need to ensure that your first serve goes in as often as possible. This plays a psychological role in affecting the opponents as most players find it very difficult to return a proper first serve. The second serve is obviously slower, so the receiving player is more ready to attack on a second serve. Therefore, a first serve should always be in, even if, its speed is not as fast as it can be.

If your partner is serving, a lot of the play in the point depends on you. You will be standing near the net in the middle of the court, and you will be controlling the way the game goes. You need to be alert and poach the ball at any opportunity that you may get. If you're moving left and right make it a point to move diagonally and not sideways as this enhances your movement. Read some interesting tennis facts.

Returning Service
When you are looking to return a serve you need to return the ball to the server. If you hit the ball anywhere on the court the opposing net player will most likely win the point. The primary aim should be to return the ball exactly where it's coming from, but one should also remember to mix up the returns as much as possible. Tennis doubles strategy is all about mixing up your game and keeping the opponents guessing at every stage. You can choose to return the ball to the server, or lob over the net player or even go in the 'alleys' next to the net player. You and your partner need to be aggressive in your returns and need to gain an advantage as often as possible. Also read about the most famous tennis players of all time.

Positioning and Teamwork
This is certainly the most important facet of any tennis doubles strategy. One must always be talking and communicating with the partner in order to gain an advantage over the opponent. If one player is drawn out of position away from the net the other one should immediately try to regain that position. If both players are pushed back to the baseline then the point may be as good as lost. Some shots can be hit by both players so the player standing behind must take charge and decide which shot is to be left by the player at the net and which shot he must play. This is the key to winning any tennis doubles game.

Also see the following:

• Tennis Terms
• Tennis Equipment
• Tennis Scoring Explained
• Tennis Rules and Regulations

If both the players are comfortable with each other, then they will be able to implement and practice the best tennis doubles strategy successfully. It is important for both the players to know each other and arrive at a mutual consensus about who takes charge for different scenarios. Without a proper level of communication, these strategies will never work.