Be a Great Partner

Do you want to be in demand as a doubles partner? If so, here are a few things to remember.

Develop the ability to place your serve to your opponent’s weaker shot to give your partner at net the best chance to help you. (It's not always to the backhand!)

Work on your crosscourt angle and also the up the line lob returns of serve to keep your partner in the "HOT SEAT" out of harm’s way.

Communicate, communicate, communicate!

When you are at the net and are being lobbed, let your partner know ("yours” or “mine”) if you are taking it or if they need to scramble behind you to dig out a ball that you can’t reach.

If you are the partner covering a lob that gets over your net player, be sure to tell them to "SWITCH!! "or "STAY!!" depending on where you'll need them positioned to balance your teams court coverage when you hit the ball back.

If your partner misses a shot stay positive. The chances are that they didn't miss on purpose just to irritate you! Dropping your chin to your chest and drooping your shoulders is a very negative act and is unlikely to boost your partners confidence or their willingness to work hard to help you win the match.

When you miss a shot, don't explain to everyone within earshot the reason you missed it, and the fact that you've never missed an easy shot like that in your life (nobody cares).

Most importantly, please I’m begging you now: DO NOT COACH YOUR PARTNER!!!

Any uninvited nuggets of your wisdom will undermine your teammate and cause them to have second thoughts about what to do!

In the heat of battle positive words of encouragement, not criticism (that is how they’ll interpret your unsolicited advice) are the best medicine.

As a coach, some of the things I've heard partners say to one another during a match boggles my mind! The advice is usually wrong and complicated, so just don't do it unless asked, and then short and simple is what’s needed.

Have FUN and fight hard to rundown every ball they hit.

Doubles is a team sport which demands a firm understanding of good positioning and logical shot selection to succeed at any level. 

If you learn the strategy of the game and are supportive of your partner when the heat is on, you'll always be in demand.

PS: Please feel to email any tennis questions you have to: hb10s@me.com and I’ll do my best to answer them in a future column!