Reaction
Rules in
Doubles
W
by Michael Chamberlain, USPTA
hen it comes to tennis, expect the unexpected. So many factors
about the game make it extremely unpredictable. Tennis players
must adapt to external factors such as weather conditions and
the court. More importantly, there are internal factors such as
mental or physical fatigue, nervousness, pain, and confidence that affect every
player differently. Tennis becomes even more unpredictable in doubles with a
bigger court and an extra player on each side. When things are u
­ npredictable,
there is a lower probability of finding a rhythm or gaining some momentum. The goal is to find a way to
control the match and make it predictable. This is done by abiding by
Reaction Rules.
Reaction Rules are fundamental
strategies that should be in every tennis player’s doubles game. There are
a few reasons why these work so well
“Reaction Rules are
fundamental strategies
that should be in every
tennis player’s doubles
game.”
when executed properly: (1) Even
though the court is larger, there is
less court per individual player than
in singles. (2) Partner strategies and
teamwork can dictate play and enhance court coverage. (3) There is less
time to react and a harder window to
pass because of the presence at the
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 50
net, especially when both teammates
are at the net. This makes the opponents’ decision-making much more
predictable. When you can predict
what an opponent is going to do, being
proactive pays off. Reaction Rules are
a guide to how to react when you are
not the person playing the ball. Here
they are:
l
l
l
l
Poach off the overhead. If your
partner goes back to hit an overhead,
then you move across the court and
take the opponent’s reply. This ball
will most likely be coming straight
back to your partner. When balls are
blocked or returned from overheads,
they generally follow the same flight
path from which they came. When
players are reacting to an aggressive
shot, this is the norm. Knowing this,
you can take advantage of a predictable shot that should be an easy winner or forced error.
of surprise here can overwhelm the
to have predictability to help one react
opponents. Closing the net will put
to certain shots. Great tennis players
you and your partner in a strong
not only have mastered these strateposition to close out the point. The
gies, but they also know how to comonly options your opponent has for
bine them in a single point when necesreturning a ball
sary. They should
“Great tennis players not
they are chasbe automatic
ing down is a
only have mastered these and engrained
defensive lob
into the muscle
strategies, but they also
because they
memory of tennis
know how to combine
won’t know
players. The feet
where you or
and hands should
them in a single point
your partner
move without
when necessary.”
are on the court
thought to these
by the time he or she has hit the
spots on the court when these scenarishot. This lob should be an easy ball
os arise in a doubles match. Executing
to put away or cause an error.
these plays comes easy with repetition,
and they eventually just become reac Taking all of the factors that affect a tions. That’s why they are the Reaction
player into consideration, it is helpful
Rules. h
Here is a quick 1-2 punch: If your
partner’s return lands in the doubles alley, you must poach. A wide
return is an easy ball to poach. When
a player is stretched out wide, a player will most often pull the ball across
their body using only their arms
because they will not have time to set
their feet and use their legs to hit the
ball. This creates a very weak crosscourt shot that is ideal for poaching.
It is important for the poacher to
note that the middle will be open and
the put away volley should go up the
middle. This ball is ideal for poaching
and putting at your opponents feet or
to the open court
Poach off a low volley. If your
partner’s groundstroke lands at your
opponent’s feet, you should go across
the court to cover that ball and put
it away. Shots hit at the feet usually
have a very defensive response. This
response or “stab” usually goes back
from where it came. This sets up an
easy poach off the volley.
Both players come to the net
when you lob over an opponent’s
head. Rush the net when you or
your partner hits over your opponent’s head. There should be plenty
of time to do this with the amount
of time the opponent is focused on
tracking down the lob. The element
Michael Chamberlain is director of tennis at The Racquet Club of Memphis. He played Division
I collegiate tennis at University of Memphis. He is the tournament director of USTA Girl’s 18s
­National Clay Courts and several other Southern sectional tournaments. He is a committee
member for Southern USTA Junior Competition, Southern Coaches Commission, Tennessee
Junior Competition, Tennessee Sanctioning and Schedule, USPTA TN Board member – Treasurer, 2012 USTA Tennessee Pro of the Year and 2013 USPTA Tennessee Pro of the Year.
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