Doubles – Responsibilities of the server’s partner
03/02/2011 | Written by: uspta
Click Video Highlight:
Doubles – Responsibilities of the server’s partner
Description:
USPTA Professional Tom Gullikson explains the role of the server’s partner during doubles play, including what the partner should look for, where to move and what areas of the court to cover.
Tip:
In the game of doubles, each of the four competitors plays a significant role and carries certain responsibilities in order to form a successful team with their respective partner. This week’s tip features former professional player and U.S. Davis Cup captain, Tom Gullikson, talking about the positioning, responsibilities and role of the server’s partner.
The server’s partner plays an essential role. He has the ability to complete his partner’s serve by putting fear into the returner about what to do after the return and by intimidating the returner’s partner, especially if he already has poached a few times. Gullikson’s advice is that the server’s partner should try to win at least two points in his position in order to reduce the burden of the server and work as a team.
Some helpful tips for the server’s partner:
– Position yourself in the middle of the service box, not too close to the net
– When poaching, lead with racquet and try to cut the angle
– Use the net strap as a guide for movement when poaching
– Try to move in closer to the net when poaching
– Do not stop poaching after missing a few balls. Your attitude puts pressure on the returner
– Cover your own lob
– Always be ready
– Be aggressive
– Get into the head of the receiver, by moving a lot and poaching a few times in the first couple of games
Learn more about the game of doubles and the players’ responsibilities at TennisResources.com. You can choose the Advanced Search where you can click on “Demographics,” followed by the “Type of game” which would be “Doubles,” or just simply type “Doubles” into the “Quick Search” bar and a variety of resources will match your search.
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