This drill is designed for beginning or intermediate level players who want to improve their doubles game, especially the court coverage and getting to the ball quicker at the net.
Setup:
The coach (F) is at the baseline, deuce side. Player A is coach’s partner at the net (ad side). Players B and C are opposite sides, one ready to return serve, the other at the service line.
Purpose:
– to teach the server’s partner (A) how to move and cover the court according to where his partner (the coach) places the serve.
– considering that at the beginning and intermediate levels the server’s accuracy is not that well established, the net partner must learn how to cover the court accordingly.
Drill:
The coach (F) will serve to player B; depending on where the serve lands, coach’s partner must move towards the net and in the direction of where the ball lands: if it is closer to the alley, player A moves to cover the alley; if it is closer to the center court, A covers the eventual down the center return.
The ball is played out.
After each point players rotate so that other players waiting (recommended to have no more than 4 players working on a doubles tactics lesson) will take their turn returning or practicing movement at the net.
After about 3 full rotations the coach will step out and let the players play the point while the coach will observe and give instructions especially to the server’s partner in regard to positioning at the net.
Note:
This kind of drills should be practiced at the beginning and intermediate levels often so that players make habits in moving and covering the court properly.