Every doubles player knows the theory: poaching wins points, applies pressure, and is the advanced skill that takes teams from good to great. But knowing this and doing it under match pressure are two entirely different skills.
Here's how to get better at poaching when it matters.
Fix your starting position. Many recreational players stand glued to the alley, terrified of being passed down the line. Will Boucek of Tennis Tribe recommends this fix: start a small step inside the alley — closer to the middle — and stand roughly two and a half to three racquet lengths back from the net. Too close and you lose reaction time. Too far and your poaching threat disappears entirely. The dead center of the service box is also a good option: it gives you room to read the play and move forward with control rather than lunging sideways when the moment arrives.
Split step before every single move. Before you go anywhere, split step. This small, two-footed hop as your opponent makes contact keeps you balanced and ready to explode in either direction. Without it, you're flat-footed and a half-second behind before you've even started moving.
Racquet head up! Keep your racquet head up throughout, at roughly shoulder height, the entire time you're at net. A low racquet head means a longer, slower swing path to get to the ball. A racquet head held up above the net is also a visual reminder to your opponents that you are a threat!
Move diagonally. Moving diagonally, forward and across, lets you meet the ball earlier and higher, which means more control and more angle options. Moving straight sideways forces you to chase a ball that's drifting away from you, which is how poaches turn into weak, reaching volleys instead of clean put-aways. Your first step should be a crossover step toward the ball, not a shuffle.
Know when to go. Good mechanics mean nothing if you're poaching at the wrong moments. The instant your opponent starts her forward swing is the trigger to go, not before, and not after. Move too early, and she'll see it and go down the line. Move too late, and you're lunging for a weak volley instead of controlling the point.
Situations that are consistently high-percentage:Early in the match, on the very first return. Most returners haven't tried going down the line yet because it doesn't feel safe on the opening points, which makes a crosscourt return almost guaranteed. Poaching early also sends a message: this net player is paying attention, and the opponents will feel it for the rest of the match.
Your partner's serve is doing its job. If she's serving to the returner's backhand, typically up the T on the deuce side, the return is more likely to come back weak and predictable, right into your zone.
The ball is low, or the opponent is stretched. A player forced to hit up on a low ball, or reaching wide off balance, has far less control over pace and placement. Both are strong poaching cues.
Your partner is stuck in a baseline rally she's unlikely to win. If she's out of options, staying put accomplishes nothing. Move.
Where to target. The standard place to aim your poach is at the feet of the opposing net player. Your own forward momentum naturally carries you toward her, and a low ball at her feet forces either a defensive reaction or an outright winner. Other highly effective options: deep crosscourt behind the net player (if she is up close to the net), down the middle, or short angle. Even a deep volley back to the baseline player can interrupt the flow of a point and force an error.
Talk to your partner before you poach. Poaching speeds up a point, which means partner communication is imperative to ensure the court is covered. Your partner needs to know when you’re likely to poach, either by talking through established plays before the game or match, or through hand signals before each point.
Practice without the pressure of a real point. Here are some drills coaches recommend:
Shadow poaching. Practice the movement with no ball at all — just the split step, the crossover step, the angle, and the recovery. This builds muscle memory before you have to execute under pressure.
Fed-ball poaching. Have a partner or coach feed predictable balls into your zone. Focus entirely on early contact, balance, and hitting a confident target — not on decision-making yet.
Two-baseliner poaching. Two players rally crosscourt from the baseline while you, alone at net, try to intercept. This sharpens anticipation and reading skills specifically, separate from footwork.
Real-and-fake mixing. Alternate genuine poaches with fake ones — moving as if to poach, then retreating — to build the disguise that makes your movement unreadable later in a real match.
Finally, the uncomfortable feeling is the whole point. If poaching doesn't feel slightly uncomfortable, you're probably not improving. The players who get genuinely good at this build the instinct through repetition until the discomfort disappears.
