To keep it simple, poaching means that the net player moves across the center line over to his partner’s side to intercept the incoming ball. 

Considering this definition, we identify two types of poaching: situational and planned. 

1. Situational Poaching

Simply put, situational poaching, occurs during the rally when an opportunity arises for the net player to take advantage of a weak shot coming from the opponents’ side. 

This weak shot can be the result of: 

– opposing baseline player being off balance or pulled wide off the court reaching for the ball

– opposing baseline player backing up too far behind the baseline (the ball travels longer off his racquet to the net, giving the net player time to react to it)

– the ball is coming from the middle of the court not allowing the opponents to angle their return

– fast, deep serves close to the T (not wide). 

These result, most of the time, in weak returns that are ideal for being attacked.

– situational weak shots, in general, generated by the opposing team. 

2. Planned Poaching

It is done mostly against the return of serve. The net player shares his intention with his serving partner to poach. 

The server’s placement delivery should, obviously, be done down-the-T or towards the returner’s body to help the net partner successfully attack the incoming ball. 

Some players like to use “hand signals” to communicate with their partners about any intention of poaching or staying put. Hand signals have lost their efficiency though, considering that these signals can be picked up by spectators and transmitted to the opposing team. Mostly, the players prefer to communicate their intentions, verbally and quietly, before the serve is about to be delivered. 

When should the net player make his move? A question frequently asked to coaches by their students… 

It’s very important to understand that the net player (whose intention is to poach) should not give his intention away by looking anxious or checking the opposing net player intensely. Too often, inexperienced players do that. 

Stay calm and watch the serve receiver and only check the opposing net player with your peripheral vision. Don’t look at where you intend to send the ball. Keep your eyes on the serve returner as your partner is getting ready to deliver the serve and then… you should do the move right after the ball bounces on your opponents’ side. So, between the ball bounce and the player making contact with the ball, that’s when the net player should make the move. 

Tip: Footwork-wise, to get to the ball faster, you should always step out in the direction of the ball, first, with the foot closer to the ball. E.g. If you are at the net on the ad side and the ball come cross-court (to your right), then the first step should be done with the right foot to the side, followed by a step diagonally forward with the left foot (step out, then step in). 

Another situation that I see happening often: is if the net player poaches (whether he gets to the ball or not)… should he go back to his place or stay on his partner’s side?

My advice is that whether the ball is hit or not, the net player should keep going to the other side once he crosses the center line with most of his body. Otherwise, he can confuse his baseline partner who is already planning to cover the opening. 

The baseline player should wait a split second to make sure the poaching net partner makes contact with the ball before switching. Otherwise, he should get to the ball missed by the net player. In this case, the net player stays put and the baseline player moves quickly to cover the other side right after he delivers his shot. 

The reason for the net player to stay put once he switches is that he cannot see what happens in the back with his baseline partner. His eyes should be focused on the ball and the opposing team (especially the closest net player). 

The call of “switch/stay” should be done by the baseline player to assure his partner that he will cover the open court.

Fake Poaching

The net player should always look for opportunities to poach. That puts pressure on the baseline opponent to make a good shot away from the poacher. 

One of the tactics to induce an error from the opposition is to fake poach. As the opposing player (baseliner) is about to swing at the ball, the net player should make an intentional step with the inside foot toward the center to pretend he will move early to cut the angle. He will not move though… On the other side, the baseline player will make a last-second decision to go down the line to avoid the net player whose clear intention was to poach. But the result is that the net player will actually wait for the down-the-line shot for an aggressive put-away volley.