The intention of switching sides is an absolute essential that needs to always be conveyed. If, during a point you are moving sides ( I.e. you are returning on the deuce court but move over to the ad court or are the net player on the ad court and poach over to the deuce side) you must tell your partner to switch. If, the command of switch is not called out then both players will be positioned on one side of the court and leave the other side of the court completely open. A shot that otherwise may have been returnable could zoom past both players, leaving both of you stunned. So, an easy switch is beneficial. Of course, the command to switch and the switch itself must occur as soon as the player knows that they are going to move sides.
Mine or yours. Sometimes, a shot comes your way that is retrievable by both players. In this instance, it is vital to call out "mine" or "yours". Yes, someone must claim the shot quickly, the shot is not like the last piece of cake. As a general rule, the player who is in the position to hit a forehand should take the shot. If the shot in question is both people's forehands,then the player who is feeling more confident and has been playing better should step up to the plate.
Leave it (it's going out). Sometimes players can anticipate that a ball is going to sail out. If this is the case, it's important to yell out "leave it" or "let it go". Why extend the point if you don't need to do so?
These are basic ideas and tenets to convey to your partner. Here are some more complex strategic moves that also need to be communicated in order for your partner to adjust their positioning.
Where you may place serves. Obviously, we aren't pros and can't always accurately predict our serve placement. However we can try. Serve placement has a large impact on where your partner will position themselves at the net. In general your partner should align themselves with your serve as the serve is likely to be returned on a straight path. If your partner serves down the tee, then you as the volleyer should position yourself closer to the middle. Knowing your partner's service target makes the difference between being able to put away that oh so easy sitter and getting passed and forcing your partner to scramble at the baseline.
In addition, it is crucial,as the volleyer, to let your partner know if you plan on poaching over to the side of the net. If you unsuccessfully poach, your partner then will be able to anticipate that and cover the court accordingly.
Where you plan on moving after you serve. Sometimes, players vary their positioning in order to give the opponents a different look and force the opponents to change their tactics, return differently and thus break up their rhythm. The most common variation of formations is when the server stands close to the middle of the baseline and the net player squats close to the tee. After the serve is in play, each of the players moves accordingly. The returner and net player may reverse sides ( so the server who has been in the deuce court may now be in the ad court and vice versa). Obviously, you need to communicate with your partner which side you are going to move or you will leave an obvious hole and target for your opponents.
Do you plan on putting up a lob on the return of serve? Sometimes players decide to lob over the net man on a return. This is a counter intuitive yet potent move. Lobbing over the net player forces the returner to move to the opposite end of the court and hit their weaker shot. It also pushes the returner backs and prevents the returner from rushing the net. However, you must let your partner know of your intention. There is the possibility that the net player may make the overhead and your partner must be prepared for this possibility ( who wants a bruise after the match from a crushing overhead).
When you plan on targeting a net player. This is an underutilized but sometimes effective tactic. Often, the net player may be the weaker player. In addition, lengthy baseline rallies may be prevalent and the net player may not be fully alert and more likely to make an error that the baseline. However, the baseline must tell his partner partner of his intention to do this so that the net player can be prepared for a crushing volley to blasted at him. The net player can then prepare to retreat backwards if needed.
Your intention to serve and volley. Yes, I know this sounds intimidating for some. If you plan on rushing the net, it is essential to alert your partner. If both of you are going to be at the net, it is essential to be positioned slightly further back in order to cover lobs.
Encouragement, encouragement, encouragement. This is a delicate matter. It is very difficult to tap into someone's emotional aura. Unless you know your partner well, it is risky to tell them to "calm down" or "focus" or "we can do this" as you don't rally know how these statements will be received. Instead, if you see your partner struggling or rattled ask them, "how can I help you" or " what can we do better" to alter the focus away from their emotional troubles and back to the game without making a judgement.
Hope this post will help you in your next doubles game . Good luck. Stay tuned for my next blog post on cross training workouts. For more information on my tennis instruction email info@elftennis.com or check out www.elftennis.com.
