Tennis is a highly competitive sport at every level of play, from beginners to pros. And in doubles, letโs admit it. We all prefer a partner who is at least at our same skill level, someone we can trust not to make more errors than us. But what happens if you have a weaker doubles partner? Maybe even a lot weaker? Do you get mad because you have to play with โthat playerโ and mentally throw in the towel before the match even starts? I mean, what if you could win? It CAN happen, people, because it happened to me.
Years ago, my doubles partner (and team captain) got injured just days before the final match of the season. Usually, that wouldnโt be an issue. However, we wanted to move up, and we needed a sweep to do it. The biggest dilemma was that my partner and I were the strongest players on the team. Without a solid line 1, we didnโt stand a chance.
It just so happened that we were playing a team that was ranked in the middle of the league scoreboard. Regardless of the outcome of this match, they wouldnโt be moving up or down, so we didnโt worry about them dropping lines.
Our Plan:
We had to plan our lines very carefully. Of our team of 13 ladies, we put together a strong bottom three lines. But I still needed a partner on line 1. Of the remaining ladies, we decided that โKathyโ was our best option.
Kathy usually played line 4 and sometimes line 3, depending on the opposing team. Her only weapon was her first serve when it was โon.โ But I can work with that. I typically win my serve โ and had done so against this same team in past seasons. And because Iโm a poaching beast, the odds were good that we would win Kathyโs serve as well. Confidence was high that weโd win at least half the games on our serving alone.
When we told Kathy our plan, she feared she would cost us the match. She couldnโt believe we wanted her on line one for a must-win game. But she did have a killer first serve and was open for in-match โcoaching,โ so she finally got on board.
As it turned out, our strategy paid off. Kathy grew more confident with every stroke, and at the end of the day, we won all lines and moved up!
So what did we do to pull off the win? We followed these tips:
Accept the sitch and trust your own game.
Donโt fret and get over-emotional about โHow come I got stuck with a weaker doubles partner?โ because, wellโฆ it is what it is. Instead, recognize that you are still playing a game you love, so have a good time. And donโt forget that as the more experienced player, YOU have strategies and skills that can at least make the game more competitive and maybe even work to your advantage.
Donโt be a court hog.
Donโt try to make every shot a winner so that it wonโt come back into play because thatโs not realistic โ AT ALL. Also, donโt try to cover too much court to โsaveโ your partner. Iโm not saying donโt be aggressive; just donโt be so aggressive that you go for every ball or those that you canโt get back effectively. You risk leaving your side of the court too open for a passing shot.
Strategize.
As the stronger player, you should put your expertise and knowledge to good use. Some great things to try are:
- Find out your partnerโs strengths before the match and use your court smarts and skills to create points that will best utilize them (for example, if your partner can consistently lob deep, use that to help push the opponents back to the baseline, and then wait for the opportunity to poach and put the ball away);
- Figure out your opponentโs weaknesses early on, and then you and your partner pick on them mercilessly;
- You play the โad sideโ because you are better equipped, both mentally and skillfully, to handle the critical pressure points (40-0, 0-40, 40-30, 30-40);
- Serve first. Even if your weaker partner has a great first serve, it probably wonโt be reliable under this kind of pressure. And if they lose it right off the bat, she might break down mentally, negatively affecting the rest of the match. You have the more consistent serve and, therefore, should serve first.
- Lob the opponents when they come in to the net and keep them back near the baseline, allowing your partner more time to prepare for an incoming ball and you more opportunities to poach on a short ball;
- Have your partner serve up the middle and then use your mad poaching skills to put the ball away at net;
- Play the ball up the middle often (especially when you serve), as this will more than likely keep the ball from being returned right at your partner or up their alley;
- If the opponents still manage to return your serve right at your partner, have her stand further away from the net on your serve (maybe even close to the baseline) and take away your opponentโs โtargetโ, allowing your partner more time to prepare for any returns that might come her way.
Donโt over-coach.
More often than not, weaker players up their game when playing either with or against stronger players. If your weaker doubles partner is open to learning strategies (Kathy was totally open), thatโs a bonus. Just know that too much coaching might frustrate your partner into playing worse, which will then frustrate you.
Be supportive.
Remember how you felt when YOU were the weaker player? High-five your partner on a point well played and pump them up if they make an error. Support from your partner is a great motivator.
In summary:
Just because you have a weaker doubles partner doesnโt necessarily mean you will lose that match. You can do so many things to showcase your and your partnerโs strengths and exploit your opponentโs weaknesses. And that could end up tipping the match in your favor!
