Paired with someone who cannot handle tough competition in tennis? Following these guidelines will help you stack the odds in your favor.
There are great chances that a player gets to form a pair with a person who finds it challenging to deal with the timely response or other aspects. You can also face this situation at any level, national or international. Is it suitable to get anxious or feel negative here? No. You can still maintain outstanding performance and give your opponents tough competition without panicking.
I have mentioned the key pointers in this article that will prove beneficial in your future matches if you face this situation. Let us turn the tables. Give a quick touch to tennis doubles rules.
Table of Contents
How to Win Doubles Tennis With a Weak Partner?
Strategies to Win with a Weak Partner
Keep Focus on How You Play
The heading might seem weird at first. When you are competing with a strong opponent team but have an average-level player, you will keep noticing the mistakes of that person. However, it does not help much since you cannot correct the techniques your partner is applying. Why not control something which you can?
It is necessary to not lose the main focus on your strikes because there are chances of losing some points when your partner has already caught your attention. When you perform better, there will be more chances of winning and earning a trophy.
It will be challenging to follow this instruction in the beginning, but you will be able to control your thoughts to avoid frustration after some matches.
Stay Positive
If a player has a negative mindset when the partner keeps missing the ball, there is a high possibility that these emotions do not remain hidden. You might reveal them through your body gestures and the way you play later.
It will definitely have an adverse impact on that player. As a result, that person will feel more pressure to perform well, which will lead to stress. Therefore, it is necessary not to let these feelings overcome you.
If you communicate positively with a normal tone but are angry inside, it is not adequate. You might have an idea that it is hard to hide true feelings, right?
Show Encouraging Reactions
When your team earns a point, shake hands with your partner or do a high-five. It will create an atmosphere that will reduce the tension and drive both of you to make more effort while playing.
Furthermore, keep track of how you react to any unpleasant situation. Train your mind to control yourself from showing any response that shows you are not happy with this competition.
Your partner can easily observe the frustration in your eyes, the way you play more aggressively, and how you ignore that player. It is better to refrain from this body language.
Highlighting and Adjusting to Partner’s Strength
You know that no one can play perfectly every time. Even professional players have some weak points which they struggle with. When you team up with a person that has some of the weak spots, it is preferable to focus on the strengths of your partner.
If he is there, it means he got something. So, create an environment that allows your teammate to confidently use the effective techniques he knows.
For instance, if he is great at serving but has difficulty at baseline, you can do to play a better game by encroaching upon the net as much as possible. Next time, it will restrict him from hitting a volley or missing the shot.
Similarly, if he is better at giving the response to slow-coming balls but cannot handle fast speeds, make it your job to hit the ball with a great force at your next serve. This method will limit the opponents from making aggressive moves.
Conclusion
You will not disagree that every player can have certain weaknesses which they desire to overcome. If an excellent player makes the team with a person who cannot perform well in certain situations, bringing him down will only demotivate him.
You can still increase the chances of winning by keeping your attitude better and adapting to the game.
