Lesson Library

The Ten Most Common Doubles Errors

by Jim McLennan, TennisONE Senior Editor

Error #2: Failure to Cross When Lobbed

One of the best plays in doubles is the down-the-line, return-of-serve-lob. If the lob is successful, it either forces your opponents back or makes them switch sides of the court, and both situations put them on the defensive.


Below is the photographic sequence that we've just diagrammed. Here my partner lazily watches the lob as it goes over his head. I have to scramble over to his side of the court to cover the lob and to compound his laziness and his error, he has not crossed over to cover my side of the court. Unless I can: 1) drive the ball past my two opponents now planted snugly at the net--which is unlikely; or, 2) hit an extremely high, deep lob and strongly encourage (yell) my partner to reposition himself, one side of court is completely exposed. This does not look good for the home team.