One of the best strategies when playing Doubles is to ‘play the angles’ rather than hitting as hard as you can. In order to do this, it’s important to first realize which positioning your team naturally gravitates towards, identify and minimize any vulnerabilities within your current formation, and learn how to take advantage of your opponent’s holes! Below are the most common formations in Doubles along with some advantages, disadvantages, and tips for each playing style.
- One Up-One Back: One player is standing in the service box while the other is on the baseline.
- Advantage: Limits the angles your opponents can attack while still being able to cover lobs.
- Disadvantage: Leaves vulnerabilities in one front and back corner.
- Tip: It’s advantageous for the player positioned at the net to play the ball as much as possible and the player in the back to keep the ball away from the opposing player at the net.
- I-Formation: Similar to One Up-One Back, however the serving player and their partner are in line with each other right down the middle of the court. The front player typically crouches over the centre service line.
- Advantage: The receivers won’t know which direction each player will go as long as you don’t each go the same way.
- Disadvantage: Similar to the One Up-One Back, there will still be vulnerabilities in a couple of corners; the most important thing to remember is not to let those corners be on the same side of the court!
- Tip: Always communicate with your teammate before the play to identify which direction you should go.
- Two Back: Both players are positioned on the baseline.
- Advantage: More effective to cover lobs.
- Disadvantage: More difficult to be offensive from the baseline and creates vulnerabilities if either of your opponents are at the net as they will have more angles to play than you can defend.
- Tip:
- Follow your play up to the net and don’t get stuck watching your partner play; look for any opportunity to advance into the ideal attacking position!
- When you receive a second serve that doesn’t go too deep in the service box, run up and return it deep at your opponents which buys you time to get in the ideal attacking position.
- Two Up: Both players are positioned about two steps inside the service box.
- Advantage: This is an offensive strategy where both players can cover most of the court from this position. There is minimum gap between both players and their options for angles for attacking increase.
- Disadvantage: A lob may be trickier to defend.
- Tip:
- Try to recognize when a lob is coming before your opponent actually hits the ball.
- If your opponents are in the Two Up position, try lobbing over their heads forcing them to retreat.
Once you are aware of the way you and your teammate play, you can work together to make small changes to reap big rewards. If these tips help you win the League Championship this season or if you have any other tips that you think are worth sharing, please let me know by emailing me: marissa@edmontonsportsclub.com.
