MULTIPLE-TIME DOUBLES CHAMPION COACH DAVE REGENCIA SHARES THE 5 DOUBLES TIPS TO THE ART OF POACHING IN DOUBLES AND THE 9 IN-POINT SITUATIONS WHERE YOU SHOULD GO FOR THE POACH IN DOUBLES AND WIN IT FOR YOUR TEAM
The poach in doubles is one of the most satisfying moves in tennis. The net player intercepts a ball aimed at his partner and wins the point outright. A successful poach energises the team and demoralises the opponents. In fact, just one well-timed poach can shift the momentum of an entire doubles match.
However, many players hesitate to poach. Leaving their half of the court exposed makes them nervous. Opponents might hit past them down the alley. Fortunately, poaching is both a science and an art. Certain conditions make a poach highly likely to succeed.
In this article, multiple-time Singapore Open Doubles Champion Coach Dave Regencia shares his five keys to poaching in doubles. He also reveals his nine in-point situations where you should go for the poach.
- Stay very alert;
- Leave for the poach at the right moment;
- Move forward and diagonally;
- Ensure your poach volley is of high quality; and
- Coach Dave’s 9 in-point situations where you should poach.
1. Stay very alert to hunt poaching opportunities
Alertness is key in doubles. Often, you must respond to a ball your partner played, not you. Therefore, you always need to be ready to attack, neutralise, or defend.
Always split-step as the ball bounces on the opponent’s side. Stay on your toes and maintain your alertness throughout every point. Be ready to hunt or defend depending on the quality of your opponent’s shot.
2. Leave for the poach at the Right Moment
Leaving too early is the biggest mistake a net player makes when poaching. If you leave too early, your opponent can change their target and pass you.
Ideally, leave when you have become a “Ghost.” This occurs when your opponent looks down at their contact point during their forward swing. At that moment, they can only see very little of you. Moreover, they are already committed to their target.
One exception exists: poaching off a return of serve. Here, you can leave a little earlier. Listen for the sound of the ball leaving your partner’s racquet. Due to the speed of the serve, you can move just after the serve bounces in the service box.
3. Move Forward and Diagonally for the Poach
As the net player, move forward and DIAGONALLY across to cut into your partner’s half when the opponent hits a weaker cross-court shot. To do this, push off your outside leg and move diagonally toward the net. End with a deep lunge.
By moving at a steep forward angle, you cut off the ball closer to the net. This also puts you nearer to a ball moving diagonally away from you.
4. Ensure your poach volley is of high quality to end the point
Before moving for the poach, quickly assess the difficulty of the ball your opponent faces. Ask yourself: can you hit a winning or damaging volley that finishes the point?
If not, avoid poaching. Moving into your partner’s half leaves your side of the court open. Your partner then has to rush into the space you left, making your team very vulnerable.
However, when the conditions are right, go for it. For a low ball, aim a sharply angled dropshot back to the baseliner. For a high ball, spike it hard into the back fence. For a medium-height ball, target the net person’s feet.
5. Coach Dave Regencia’s 9 situations where you should seek to poach
Situation 1: Poach early – Poach in the very first game, even on the first point. Consistent poaching disrupts the returners’ concentration and puts them under stress. As a result, they may try to change directions on the serve to avoid your poach. Returns may go into the net, long, or wide. Alternatively, they may leave you an easy volley because you did not move.
Situation 2: Poach when you sense the slice – Slices are slower and more floating. Therefore, they are unlikely to go up the line to the net person. Your partner can cover the slower ball up the line or the lob.
Poaching in doubles is a highly effective style of play. However, it requires hard work and practice every match. If you master this skill, you will become the favourite doubles partner in your club team and on social nights. Furthermore, you will win more matches and become the player everyone wants to partner — and fears to face.
Perfecting these patterns of play requires instruction, repetition, and practice. Master this style with TAG Coach Dave Regencia from TAG International Tennis Academy by taking private tennis lessons. Contact us at +65 8962 8400 or reach us HERE.
The TAG International Tennis Academy Definitive Guide Series
This article is part of the TAG Definitive Guide Series which encompasses the best tennis advice available on the internet. If you enjoyed this article, some other interesting tennis instruction articles you may like:
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If you are looking to learn or improve your tennis, you can look to some of Singapore’s best private tennis lessons conducted by the best Singapore tennis coaches from the best tennis academy in Singapore, TAG International Tennis Academy by taking private tennis lessons. We can be contacted at +65 8962 8400, or contact us HERE.
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