If you’re new to tennis and want to learn about all the rules before you step onto the court, you’re in the right place! We’re here to teach you all you need to know about how to play doubles tennis like a pro!
Learning how to play doubles may sound more complicated than it truly is. The truth is that with a bit of practice, you can be ready to play doubles tennis in no time. What’s great about doubles tennis is that it’s an excellent way for beginners to practice.
The reason behind this is that it is less strenuous on the players’ bodies and, since there are two players on the court, they need to cover less ground than they typically would when playing singles. With that being said, if you were looking for a good way to practice your tennis skills, playing doubles tennis might just be the perfect option!
Finding useful info about how to play doubles tennis for beginners can prove especially difficult considering there is a ton of info floating around. Some info could even be incorrect or incomplete, so it can take quite a bit of time and effort to find the correct one. Not to worry, though! We got your back. With our summarized guide on how to play doubles tennis for beginners, you’ll learn all there is to know and be ready to start playing in the blink of an eye!
A Complete Guide on How To Play Doubles Tennis for Beginners
Doubles tennis is played by two teams consisting of two players, and the players are typically all-male or all-female. It is also played on a different court than singles—the court is wider and includes the so-called alleys, which doesn’t apply to singles.
To better understand all the rules when it comes to playing doubles tennis, we summarized all the info into an easy-to-read list. This is the easiest and most convenient way to learn about all the aspects of doubles tennis. Take a look below to find out all you need to know:
1. Serving Rules
The first thing that should be done is choosing which side will serve first. Once you do that, you and your partner should also decide which one of you will serve first for your team. The opposing time will also do that.
If you choose to be on the right side (deuce), you will be receiving serve first in every game. As opposed to that, if you decide to be on the left side (ad), you’ll be the one to receive second in every game. The way the game works for doubles is simple—the team who was receiving serve during the first game is the one who will be serving during the second. This alteration will continue to happen for every game and during the entire match.
Players will also be switching sides after every point. For every point, a player will have two chances to serve. If a player faults on the first serve, there’s a chance to score a point during the second one. In case a player faults on both of his or her serves, the point will be considered lost. When a player is returning, he or she should position themselves near the baseline. When a player is not returning, they should be positioned near the service line.
2. Strategy for Beginners
Since doubles tennis is played a bit differently than singles tennis, your strategy for playing should also be different to get the best results. Here, it all comes down to communication and teamwork. Managing to provide the best performance will only get you so far if you don’t also work with your partner and call the shots together.
One of the most important things when it comes to strategy is how you position yourself. It’s essential that you stand a few feet away from the doubles alley when serving. This way, you’ll be able to handle any wide return, and also cover half of the court quite comfortably. Standing near the center of the service box when your partner is serving would also be a good idea. This is an excellent position for hitting volleys which also allows you to cover the lob in case it happens.
If you’re wondering where to stand when you’re partner is returning, we got you. You should position yourself a little behind the service line, which allows you to cover the court in case your opponent gets a volley. If you want to volley, you should move forward. If you want to include even more useful tactics in your doubles strategy, avoiding the net player and hitting the ball to the net player’s feet can help you immensely.
3. Scoring
The last thing that we’ll cover regarding doubles tennis is scoring. Scoring in tennis, generally, tends to be a bit more confusing for beginners and people who aren’t familiar with this sport. Don’t fret, though! It’s not as difficult as it sounds, and we’re here to break down the scoring system in layman’s terms.
Tennis scoring includes points, games, sets, and matches. You win a point every time you serve properly. As for games, sets, and matches, take a peek at the table below to find out what they mean and how they work:
| Game | Set | Match |
| A game represents points that were played while the same player was serving. The first player who manages to win a total of at least 4 points, as well as 2 points more than the opponent, wins a ‘’game’’. It’s interesting and specific to tennis that there are different terms for points, including:
0—Love 1—15 2—30 3—40 Tied—All 40-40—Deuce |
A set represents games that were played with services changing between them. The way you win a set is by winning at least 6 games and 2 more than your opponent. If you win 6 games and your opponent wins 5, you will play an additional game. | A match represents a sequence of sets. You win a match by winning 2 or 3 sets. If a player manages to win 2 sets in a best-of-three or 3 sets in a best-of-five, he or she will have won a match |
Useful Doubles Tennis Tips To Help You Win
Knowing about certain tips and tricks can be your golden ticket to beating the opponent when push comes to shove. That is why, to help you beat your opponent the next time you step on the court, we provide you with a list of useful tips that will come in quite handy. Take a look below:
- Change your serve—If you keep on having the same service every time, your opponent can get used to it and it can become predictable. In such instances, your opponent would know what to expect and be able to win more easily. That is why changing your serve and surprising your opponent is very beneficial during the game.
- Stay light on your feet—The best way to stay alert and be able to react quickly is to stay on your toes and light on your feet. Make sure you move around and be quick to react at all times.
- Try aiming for the opponent—This can often help you make your opponent elicit errors, but the point is not to hurt anyone. On the contrary, you should try aiming in the close vicinity of your opponent only to confuse them and get them to make a mistake.
- Have a lighter racket grip—If you hold onto your racket too tightly, you will likely have a difficult time performing your best. Your hands will probably be sore and have blisters, and your control of the ball and racket won’t be as good. That is why having a lighter grip and holding your racket a bit more loosely is widely recommended.
- Consider your footwork—The last thing you need to pay attention to is your footwork and stance. Footwork is very important in tennis, and you should definitely practice it as often as you can. You can get an agility ladder and use it to practice footwork drills regularly, and you will see how your balance, coordination, and skills improve, which results in the best performance and, of course, victory.
Conclusion
Playing doubles tennis often sounds much harder than it truly is. The truth is, playing doubles tennis is not much more difficult than playing singles tennis. Of course, you would need to learn all the basic rules first and pay attention to certain factors.
It’s also important that these rules are explained properly, and for the person who explains them not to confuse you. That is why our guide is the easiest way to learn all there is to know in record time and with ease! Once you know what to consider and what to practice, you will be able to step onto the court and play doubles tennis like a pro in a flash!
