When forming a new doubles partnership, how do you decide who plays which side to maximize your team's strength?
Gigi Fernandez, a 17-time Grand Slam doubles champion and one of the most respected doubles coaches in the recreational game, has a specific, logical framework for exactly this situation, which she teaches through her Gigi Method program.
Fernandez suggests asking three questions:
Is there a clearly better player? If yes, that player typically takes the ad side. The ad side handles all the high-pressure points in a game. You either want your technically best player—or the person most able to stay cool under stress—there.
How do your groundstrokes compare? Typically, it’s best to position players so that their weaker groundstroke is in the middle of the court. If one player has a weak stroke you want to protect, think about positioning them to hit it from the middle; for example, if your backhand is a liability and you’re right-handed, you might benefit from playing the deuce side.
Who has the better net game overall? Specifically, who has the strongest backhand volley? In doubles, the majority of shots come through the middle of the court, which means the backhand volley is in the middle on the deuce side. Whoever has the stronger backhand volley should ideally play the deuce side, so that this strength is positioned in the highest traffic zone.
Of course, every partnership is unique, and certain players simply prefer one side over the other. But when forming a new partnership, it’s useful to consider this framework and ask each other these questions before setting foot on the court.
