Protect thy partner

by Tom Veneziano of http://www.tenniswarrior.com/

What can you do to help your partner when they stay back on the baseline and you stay up at the net? Presuming that the other team is also playing in a one up, one back formation there are some procedures you can execute. First, you can poach which means to run across and cut the ball off that has been hit crosscourt by your opponent. But a word of caution, there are two types of poaches:

1. When you see the ball your opponent hit is going to your partner you run across and cut it off.
2. When your opponent is about to hit you take off anticipating the ball being hit to your partner.

The former is the way most players poach, but the latter is more effective if you can practice the timing and movement. With the first method the ball has to be hit slow enough and close enough to you to be successful. The second method you add the element of surprise and you can reach balls that are farther away. If you would like to learn this second method you must practice the timing over and over and over and over and over...get my point? Repetition! You must run when your opponent is about to hit the ball, not after they hit the ball. There is a risk involved, but the reward in the long run is worth it. Even if you run across and miss your opponents will always be on the lookout for you to move again. This is a good way to keep them mentally off balance.

Another technique that makes sense is to protect a weak partner glued back on the baseline by putting their strength in a position to hit most of the balls. What do I mean? Let's say your partner is right handed and has a weak backhand. Let them serve in the normal formation from the deuce side and play Australian from the ad side. If you are not familiar with the Australian formation purchase a good doubles book and brush up on this technique. In the Australian formation their forehand will be exposed to all the action. On both the deuce side and the ad side their backhand will be protected and their forehand will be hitting most of the shots. Also if you're right handed and do not have a strong backhand volley you will be at the net with your forehand volley exposed to most of the action.

Use the Australian formation on either side depending on whether your partner is left handed or right handed and depending on what shot you are trying to protect. This is a simple solution that is rarely used. Of course in the long run the best solution is to get your partner up at the net where you are, but that's another story.