Net Notes: What makes a good doubles partner?

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

• Develop the ability to place your serve to the opponent’s weakness and keep your net player alive.

• Work on your angle crosscourt and your lob return of serve to keep your partner out of trouble at the mid court hot seat area.

• Communicate, communicate, communicate! When you are at the net and you are being lobbed, let your partner know if you are taking the shot, or if they need to back you up! If you are going behind your partner to cover a deep lob that they can’t reach, let them know you’ve got the ball and then make sure they switch, if need be, to balance your teams court coverage.

• Don’t be a show boat! If you don’t have a simple to execute high percentage shot to win the point outright, play the shot that best serves your partners position whatever that position may be.

• Stay positive when your partner misses — chances are 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 partner’s confidence or their willingness to work hard to help you win the match.

• When you miss don’t explain to everyone within earshot the reason that you missed and the fact that you never missed that shot before.

• Most importantly, please I’m begging you now: Do not coach your partner! When you coach any player in the middle of a hotly contested match the information given usually undermines the players’ confidence and lowers their performance. I know you are well meaning but some of the things I’ve heard doubles players tell their partners boggles my mind as a professional coach.

Have fun and always fight hard to run down every ball they hit. Doubles is a team sport and demands a firm understanding of good positioning sound shot selection to succeed at any level. Hitting the ball hard and deep doesn’t necessarily make you a good doubles player. Learn the strategy of the game and you’ll always be in demand.

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Howie Burnett is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association and tennis director at the Island Country Club on Marco Island. Burnett welcomes questions on strokes, tactics or etiquette. To reach him, call the tennis shop at 394-4464 or e-mail him at islandclubtennis@hotmail.com.