Putting your partner in position

Tactics · Expert

Explanation

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In top doubles you often play to bring your partner into the perfect attacking position, not for your own point. This selfless building is a mark of mature doubles players: the best stroke is sometimes the one that sets up the point for the partner.

The basic idea is to force a weak ball from the opponent that your partner can exploit. A deep, precise serve or a flat, pressing ball forces the opponent onto the defensive and into a high, short return — exactly the setup your rear partner turns into an attack.

Here the role division of attacking and rear-court player takes effect. The rear-court player builds with pressing balls and finishes; the front attacking player lurks at the net to intercept the weak return at once. After your own serve you move forward yourself, to take short returns early and keep your partner's back free.

This demands thinking the point two moves ahead: "how do I force the setup my partner converts," not "how do I win this ball." Whoever plays like this turns two players into an attacking machine.

You are the provider who delivers the cross, so the partner only has to convert the ball. They score the goal — but without your assist there would be none.

Key graphic: putting your partner in position

Exercise

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Laying the setup

Goal

Set up balls so that the partner comes into attacking position.

How to do it

Play two-on-two and give the rear player the task of forcing a high, short return with pressing, deep balls.
The front attacking player lurks at the net and intercepts the weak return at once.
Practice the serve as a setup: deep and precise, so the opponent can only return weakly.
After their own serve, the server moves forward to take short returns early.
Think of every rally as preparation: which ball brings the partner into position?

Self-check

Do you play to make the point yourself, or to bring your partner into position? Does your build-up force a weak return the partner can exploit? Do you think the point two moves ahead? Good doubles often means laying the setup instead of finishing yourself.

Wrap-up

Bringing your partner into position turns two players into an attacking system. Whoever builds selflessly wins more points as a pair than each does alone.

Classification

Playing goals: Doubles-specific solutions, Serve/return opening
Prerequisites: Attacking as a pair, The pair as a system