In Doubles Tennis, Who Takes The Volley Coming Up The Middle?

In doubles tennis, it can be confusing who should take the volley when it’s up the middle. You don’t want to be a ball hog, and you don’t want to clash your rackets together. And you definitely DON’T want the ball to slip between the two of you for an easy winner!

So, in those awkward moments, how do you know when you should go for the ball or leave it for your partner? When should your partner expect you to go for or take the ball themselves?

The dilemma of deciding who should go for the ball happens often in doubles tennis, usually when both players are at the net. There is very little reaction time and even less recovery time at the net, and there are no second chances.

So the question still stands – whose volley is it?

The tennis rule of thumb says that it belongs to the player closest to the ball or the one with the forehand shot. But is the answer really that simple? Sometimes.

Unless it’s a bullet, whoever is closer to the net at that point should go for the shot. Remember, the closer you are to the net, the better, more offensive volley you can hit. The ball will be higher, so you’ll be able to hit down on it and hit better angles. However, if it is a bullet, the person closest to the net might not have enough time to prepare to hit it. In that instance, their partner should be ready to take it.

That said, there are a few other scenarios that contradict that theory.

What if the partner on the deuce side has a killer sharply-angled backhand volley that is much better than their partner’s forehand volley? The opponents won’t expect that, so that partner definitely should take it.

And if one partner is stronger and more confident at the net than the other, she should take it. Stronger players have a better reaction time and can do more with the ball. They also need to realize that their weaker partners will probably let most balls go by them at the net. The stronger player should always be prepared to make her move when that happens.

I will never say this enough – COMMUNICATION BEFORE AND DURING A DOUBLES MATCH IS CRUCIAL – whether you are equal-strength partners or if one of you is stronger. The better you know your partner’s game (and vice versa), the better a doubles team you will make. Knowing when you or your partner should hit the ball will make your team more successful!