On paper, doubles is simple: You and your partner come to the net as soon as possible, and the better you play while you’re up there, the more likely you are to win the match. At the highest level, teams have learned to excel at the net while also being adept at preventing their opponents from attacking.
For most recreational players, doubles is a lot more complicated. To win consistently at the net you must be quick, anticipate well and possess strong volley and overhead skills. The fact is, in today’s ground stroke-dominated game, many players are weak in these areas.
The team that controls the net controls the point, provided both players are comfortable up close to the net. Tennis legend and 10-time Grand Slam doubles champion Anne Smith says, “The team that controls the net first in doubles wins the point an amazing 85 percent of the time.”
Once your team takes control of the net, there are several ways to win the point, depending on your opponents’ positioning. If they’re playing one up, one back, your best option is to hit a volley between them. Volleying between your opponents can result in a clean winner or will have the baseline player scrambling.
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If you and your partner are both at the net, hitting a low ball down the middle will confuse your opponents and force a weak reply that one of you can attack.
