#17 Assign The Middle

Left and right matters – but the middle matters more.

As you know, the middle of the court is where all the action happens. But who is assigned to cover it? Well, in most cases, nobody at all.

Whether you are a net player or a back player, there are three main roles that help dominate where you hit the ball and where you should cover on the court. Let’s say you are one of the two net players at the beginning of the point. Here’s your three roles.

1. Front Player 

By it’s very definition, you get to cover the front of the court. And that means the entire front of the court. If the ball is on the other half of the court it is still an area you need to go and hunt.

2. Left Player 

If you are the server’s partner and you the score is love all, you will be standing on the left side of the court and you basically have more influence over the left side of the court than your partner. You will alternate each point between the left and right player as the points get started in the deuce and ad court.

3. Middle Player

This is where the secret sauce lives. Assigning the middle of the court is paramount and by far the most important of the three roles. Once you know who has ownership of the middle of the court, well, the rest seems to flow so much better.

This is most important when both players are attacking at the front of the court. The basic rule of thumb is this:

If the ball is on the left side of the court (on the other side of the net), the left player on our side owns the middle.

If the ball is on the right side of the court (on the other side of the net), the right player on our side owns the middle.

There are so many balls that are going to go right down the middle of the court and the front player is not always sure if they should go and get it.

Yes you are a front player, yes you are a left player, but most importantly, you are a MIDDLE PLAYER FIRST!

Obvious Roles – Left Side / Right Side

More Important – Ownership of the front of court

Most Important – Who Owns The Middle

 Most Important – Server Backs Up

Areas Of Influence – Server’s Partner Assigned the Middle

The Front Player Has 1st Option on the Middle

Strategy Drills

1. Playing

Name: Middle Ball

Objective – To clearly define the assignment of the middle of the court between the partners.

Variations – You can reward two points every time the front player successfully wins a point after going to control the middle of the court.

2. Feeding

Name: Middle Ball Feedng

Objective – To let the front player know they own that part of the court first. It’s obvious they are a front player, or a left player, but less obvious they are a middle player.

Variations – The net player wins wins two points when they successfully win a point in the middle, but loses two points for their team when they lose there. Everything else counts as one point. This gives a heightened awareness to the doubles team that the middle is where all the action and all the points are – and the front player  is assigned to that area.

Go Do This

Partners should always communicate at the start of the match & assign the middle to the front player.

Keep talking in the match. Keep reminding each other the front player must own the middle of the court.

You never, ever want to get beaten down the middle of the court. Shut that area down.

The back player can say “yours” when the ball heads to the middle of the court, assigning control to the partner.

 Know you are a front player, a left player, but firstly you are a middle player at the net.