The most common question in doubles:
Where should I hit the ball?
Crosscourt?
Down the line?
At the net player?
Away from the net player?
Middle?
Lob?
But I think the better question is:
What do I want this shot to create?
That was a big aha moment for me.
Because in doubles, the best shot is not always the winner. Sometimes the best shot is the one that makes the next ball weak.
A shot can create time.
A shot can create space.
A shot can create hesitation.
A shot can make someone hit up.
A shot can make someone move.
A shot can make someone uncomfortable.
That is doubles.
It is not just hitting into the open court. It is using the ball to disturb the pair.
The common mistake
A lot of club players play doubles like singles with two extra people on court.
They hit the ball back and hope for the best.
Or they only think:
“Don’t hit it to the net player.”
So they avoid the net player completely and keep feeding the baseline player a comfortable rally ball.
But if the baseline player has solid groundstrokes, that becomes a problem.
You are giving them rhythm.
And good players love rhythm.
So instead of asking, “Where is the safe place to hit?” I like to ask:
Who can I make uncomfortable?
That changes everything.
Aha moment: make the next ball weaker
In doubles, you don’t always need to finish the point with your shot.
Sometimes your job is simply to make the opponent’s next shot harder.
For example:
If the net player is comfortable, don’t feed them a nice high volley.
Make them volley low.
If the baseline player is too solid, don’t keep giving them the same height and speed.
Change the rhythm.
If both players are organised, don’t always go wide.
Sometimes hit through the middle and make them decide.
If the net player is creeping forward, don’t panic.
Use a controlled lob.
If the returner has a big swing, don’t give them space.
Serve into the body.
The goal is not always to hit a beautiful shot.
The goal is to make their next ball uncomfortable.
The middle is not boring
One of the most underrated places in doubles is the middle.
A lot of players think the middle is boring because it is not a winner.
But the middle can be powerful because it makes two players think at the same time.
Whose ball is it?
Should the net player take it?
Should the baseline player move forward?
Should someone call it?
That tiny hesitation can create a weak reply.
So a deep middle ball is not “just middle.”
It can reduce their angles, slow down the point, and make the pair communicate.
In doubles, confusion is a weapon.
Low balls make people hit up
Another big doubles aha:
A low ball to the net player is not defensive. It is strategic.
If you hit the ball high to the net player, they can hit down.
That is dangerous.
But if you make them contact the ball below net height, they usually have to lift it.
And when they lift it, the next ball may become attackable.
So instead of thinking:
“I need to avoid the net player,”
try thinking:
“Can I make the net player hit up?”
That changes your target.
You are not aiming at the person.
You are aiming at their feet.
Against a solid baseline player
If one opponent has strong groundstrokes, don’t give them a hitting contest.
A solid baseline player usually likes:
- clean rhythm
- waist-height balls
- predictable pace
- enough time to set up
- a comfortable crosscourt rally
So your job is to break that comfort.
You can use:
- short slice
- soft angle
- higher looping ball
- slower ball
- low dippy ball
- deep middle
- body serve
- change of speed
You are not trying to out-hit them.
You are trying to make them adjust.
That is different.
Against a good net player
If the net player is good, don’t panic.
A good net player wants the ball where they can punch it.
Usually that means chest height, shoulder height, or a floating ball.
So don’t give them that.
Make them uncomfortable with:
- low balls to the feet
- dipping topspin
- controlled lobs
- body balls
- middle balls that force a decision
- passing shots only when you have the right ball
The key is not to be scared of the net player.
The key is to stop feeding their favourite contact point.
The doubles question I now ask
Before, I used to think:
Where should I hit?
Now I try to think:
What do I want back?
If I want a weaker volley, I hit low.
If I want time, I hit deep.
If I want confusion, I hit middle.
If I want them stretched, I hit angle.
If I want them pushed back, I lob.
If I want to jam them, I serve body.
If I want to stop rhythm, I change speed or spin.
That is the shift.
The shot is not just where the ball lands.
The shot is what it makes happen next.
Simple solo practice
If you are practising alone, don’t just hit random balls.
Practise doubles balls that create discomfort.
Try these:
1. Short slice
Purpose: make the baseline player move forward and hit low.
2. Soft angle
Purpose: pull one player wide and break the court shape.
3. Low dippy ball
Purpose: make the net player volley up.
4. Controlled lob
Purpose: stop the net player from camping too close.
5. Body serve
Purpose: jam the receiver and reduce their swing space.
6. Deep middle ball
Purpose: reduce angles and make the pair decide.
These are not fancy shots.
They are useful shots.
Match cue
Next time you play doubles, don’t just ask:
Where should I hit?
Ask:
What do I want this ball to create?
That one question can change how you play.
Because doubles is not about hitting harder.
It is about making the next ball easier for you — and more uncomfortable for them.
The best shot is not always the winner.
Sometimes the best shot is the one that makes the next ball weak.