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Original source: The Tennis Congress
This video from The Tennis Congress covered a lot of ground. Streamed.News selected 8 key moments and summarises them here. Everything below links directly to the timestamp in the original video.
In doubles, your objective changes dramatically depending on where you are on the court. Here’s a simple mental model to ensure you're always making the highest-percentage play.
A Strategic Mindset for Doubles: Different Goals for Each Court Position
In doubles, a player's objective should change based on their position on the court. When at the baseline, the primary job is simply to keep the ball in play and not miss. In the transition area (the space between the baseline and the service line), the goal shifts to making the opponent move at least two steps, forcing them off balance. Once at the net, the objective becomes finishing the point by hitting the ball to the closest opponent, as this gives them the least amount of time to react.
"Keep the ball in, make them move, put it away. And that has to be your mindset in doubles."
Six Factors to Consider for a More Strategic Tennis Serve
Before serving, players should run through a six-point mental checklist to make a more strategic decision. The factors include the score of the game, what the opponent might be anticipating, where the server wants the return to land, the opponent's strengths and weaknesses, their physical standing position on the court, and finally, what the highest-percentage serve is in that moment—which may not be the server's favorite or most powerful serve.
"The smarter players will win. And if everybody's equal, the way you're going to win your match is because you played smarter than your opponent did."
'Time,' Not Distance, Is the Most Critical Element in Tennis Strategy
The most important element in tennis is not distance but time, a concept that changes how players should approach the court. Instead of focusing on running to a specific spot like the service line after serving, a player's goal should be to move as far forward as possible in the time available before the opponent makes contact with the ball. Once the opponent begins their swing, the player should split-step and prepare to react, regardless of their position.
"The most important word in tennis is time, not when. That's the result of you doing all the other things."
Power Is the Last Resort: 8 Better Ways to Force Tennis Errors
Forcing an opponent into an error is more about strategy and finesse than raw power. A coach outlines eight ways to win points, with power being the last and least important tactic. The hierarchy begins with simple consistency, followed by using direction to move an opponent, hitting with depth, varying shot trajectory and spin, and utilizing court position to take time away from the opponent. Depth, in particular, is noted as being more disruptive than a hard-hit ball that lands short.
"Depth will hurt people more than power. I can hit a little bit softer, hit it deeper, and I'm pushing you all around the court."
Tennis Strategy Simplified into Five Core Play Situations
The game of tennis can be broken down into five fundamental play situations: serving, returning, playing from the baseline, approaching the net, and defending against an opponent who is approaching the net. According to one coach, every stroke and shot falls into one of these five categories, and practice should be structured around these scenarios rather than isolated technical skills.
"It's not my volley is the issue, it's the approach shot."
Dynamic Doubles Positioning: How to Cover the Court as a Team
Effective court coverage in doubles is not static but a coordinated, dynamic response to where the ball is hit. Each partner is responsible for covering the angles of likely returns from the opponent. For example, after a player hits a wide shot, they should move to cover the middle of their half of the court, while their partner covers the down-the-line possibilities. When executed correctly, the two players collectively cover the entire court.
"If you ever crack rackets in the middle of the court or you bump into your partner, somebody's completely out of position."
Stop Attacking the Weaker Player in Doubles, Tennis Coach Advises
The common strategy of repeatedly targeting the perceived weaker player in doubles is often flawed and leads to unforced errors. A coach advises players to target high-percentage areas of the court rather than specific people. For example, trying to hit a difficult service return directly at the opposing net player is a low-percentage shot, even if that player is less skilled. A better strategy is to hit a safer return and wait for a better opportunity to attack later in the point.
"Play areas of the court, not people."
In Doubles, the Net Player Must Always Be Poaching or Faking
In doubles, the player at the net should never be standing still. Their job is to create constant pressure and distraction, which means they should always be in motion, either poaching to intercept the ball or faking a poach to disrupt the opponent's focus. A static net player creates a predictable two-on-one scenario that is easy for opponents to exploit. The goal is to be a constant, active threat.
"You're either poaching or you're faking. You're never just standing."
Also mentioned in this video
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- The speaker draws an analogy to football coaches who focus on specific actions… (0:48)
- The speaker advises tennis doubles players to identify three key things with… (2:21)
- The ultimate goal when playing from the baseline in doubles is to avoid errors,… (7:43)
- The speaker advises against going for short, risky points, especially when… (24:38)
Summarised from The Tennis Congress · 33:34. All credit belongs to the original creators. Streamed.News summarises publicly available video content.
