Three Tips for Doubles Tennis Players

Having earned a bachelor of science in management and marketing from St. Joseph’s University, Bryon Martinsen is an award-winning wealth manager who manages a Centaurus Financial branch in Kings Park, New York. Bryon Martinsen enjoys playing tennis and golf in his free time. He recently won the Men’s Doubles Tennis Championship at Hamlet Golf and Country Club.

With more players and less open space on the court, it’s arguable that doubles tennis requires more strategy and finesse than singles tennis. Below are three tips to help improve your game.

Stay on your toes.
Be prepared to handle any return shot by staying on your toes while at the net. This makes it easier to perform fake-out moves, such as a poach, to confuse your opponents. Poaching involves moving out of the net-front position to volley away the ball.

Change your serve placement.
In addition to faking a poach, you can keep your opponents guessing by serving the ball to different positions on the court. For best results, try and serve the ball into their body or their weak side, which is typically their backhand.

Utilize the lob shot.
The lob can be a particularly effective first serve return shot in doubles tennis. This is because it alters the speed of the serve and pushes the opponents back while allowing the returning players ample time to attack the net.