Tennis Doubles Tip: The Movement Triangle

When standing at the net, if opposing net player is holding his position and ball goes crosscourt to my partner, I should attempt the movement triangle everytime, is that correct?

Thanks Gregg and Florian. Question: For an out wide shot, Gregg initially moves out wide, but it seems like he doesn't wait long enough to see if the returner makes a down the line shot before moving toward the middle. Doesn't this make you more vulnerable to being passed down the alley?

nobody hits down the line there?

If my partner is serving, I'm usually closer to the net. In this scenario, if I'm unable to poach after the 1st or 2nd serve, would I then move away from the net toward the defensive position to start the triangle movement?

I use to agree with you, but not this time. See the professionals. They don't do that.

Great video!

Thats a great video - informative yet straight to the key points. Perfect. I like the way you teach.

Great video

great

Movement at the net is important I agree. However you need to time your movements as too soon and you leave a gap to be taken down the line.

Our pro has been trying to teach us this weekly, but in fragments. He did not teach it as movement within a triangle. Now I see what he was trying to convey. Thank you.

While going to hit the volley if he hit another ball at two line then what to do

If he hit down the line then our point gone no

Go back to no-mans land?

Thanks so much. Very well done, I use this with my High School team. Very effective & no standing around!

Thanks for this

Hi Gregg, I took a dubs 2 day course from you last year in FL. Very good. Question - at that session you talked about moving within a rectangle in similar fashion rather than a triangle and I'm wondering why the change? I note that your triangle seems to be on the receiving team - maybe the rectangle is more for serving? Also, in terms of the serving team, it's the responsibility of the server to give the net player the best chance to be successful at the net and at the same time exploit any deficiencies that the specific returner has with an angled serve, body or down-the-T. As you noted in a previous video, the net guy getting passed 1-2 x times isn't a problem, but 3+ is (either a net coverage/volley skills problem or a movement problem) but also location on serve problem. Thanks for the tips. J. Scholtz

Thanks. Now i know how to dance in game. 😊😊 cheers!

no...

net player movement decision is dictated by pressure exerted on other team NOT simply by direction of sent ball!

Mmmmmm, I like that triangle. It makes a lot of sense. I’m usually just standing near the doubles alley where you have it marked ... very ineffective. Most of the time, I’m watching balls zoom by me to my right. If I were nearer the service line as marked, I’ll be able to catch those balls. I’ll try it out. Thank you.

If your poach is weak, should your partner stay back at the baseline or come to the net? Also, a bad poach usually results in an unwanted i-formation leaving one side of the court completely open and unmanned. Is there a way to prevent that? Thanks.

Who generally makes more points, the guy at the net or the one at the baseline? What should be the mindset of the guy at the net? Also the one at the baseline? Thanks.

Gregg, I watch a lot of pro doubles, and they don't seem to use the triangle. Instead, the net man just crowds the net by standing a foot or two away most of the time.

I was going to hit like button. But wait, I already did long time ago!

You are moving too far back...takes too much time to cover the net against bigger hitters. When you are at net, the main purpose is offense...pressure with strong net position or kill the ball and win the point first...do onto them before they do onto you. If you move back that far for defense fearing that your partner cannot do his job by being able to avoid the opponent net or attack the net guy, then you are going to lose anyway.



Good net players will fast strong accurate volleys that you might be able to fight off only a few times out of ten...not a good strategy to defend like that. The triangle should generally not go too far back, and it should also have movements to the outside. Make your movements unpredictable...be proactive and move to make the other players hit where you baited him to hit.

If you are at net and are just re-acting, then it is like a goalie in soccer in penalty kicks...trying to dive and hope to just even touch the ball, let alone catch the ball after it has already been kicked...a very very low success rate. Goalies use what movements they are allowed to bait the kicker into kicking in a certain direction or just simply guess, then the goalie dives in that direction ahead of time and hope he has a chance with the ball...still low odds, but better than the former option. So, the triangle is a very basic concept that requires many more aspects and skills to be truly effective...incomplete and somewhat incorrect here.

To play effective doubles your team try to double up on the opponent that is playing the ball. The player on your team that is closest to the net should intercept the return an place it in between your opponents or at the feet of the opponent closest to the net to force them to hit up so you can put the ball away. I coached High School Tennis for twenty years and always emphasized this tactic. My doubles players that played hockey and basketball naturally understood that you had to close in and cut off the return. There are many good drills that doubles players can use. It is necessary to develop volley skills. We started every practice in the service box with one player at the net and his practice partner in the opposite service box. 5 forehead then 5 backhand volleys right back to the player hitting ground strokes. Learning to volley is all about preparing and control.

It makes sense this approach.

For those doubles players who have played hockey or basketball think of double teaming/ two on one strategy to isolate the opponent at the baseline and hit the volley between your opponents or at the feet of the opposing net player.

For return of serve, not when your side is serving.

Gregg was a coach at my academy for a little bit when I was in High School, great to see him in this video! I remember these exact things he said!

Thank you so much. Very useful and very very helpful advice.

What about the alley.... Seem to be leaving it wide open

This is what I needed

清楚明瞭，覺得好看的麻煩要按讚👍

Very nice video. Thanks.

Hey Gregg. Do you ever do a hesition break on that ball out wide to protect against the shot down the line? Or do you make a different sort of split step, either higher or lower?

Great tip!!

👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️

Good video. I find myself moving sideways along the net but this makes more sense with better positioning. As someone said,, against big hitters you need to tighten the triangle but generallly the right approach.