Tennis Tactics: Sending all the Right Signals

It is always fun to experiment with ways to get a leg up on your opponents, not to mention finding away to make holding serve easier and interesting. Using signals like Tour Teams is a great start.

Here is a brief outline of the signals you can use when playing doubles, once we get back on the court. Hope it is helpful, if you have any questions just email us!

Serve Direction Signals
The player giving the signals will always be the player at the net, while the serving partner will say yes or no to the signals. The server doesn’t always have to agree, but teamwork makes dreamwork!

The signals should start at the server's direction first, followed by the server’s partner’s (net player) movement direction and intention.

There are 5 different serving targets.



We can use three targets to start with Wide, Body and T (down the middle). If the server is accurate you can add Body Backhand and Body Forehand. The photos show the serve signals for the server on the deuce side of the court.

Server's Partner Movement Signals



These photos are the second signals given. They indicate where the server’s partner will be moving to after the serve lands in the box, but before the opponent (receiver) makes contact with the return.

There are three signals:

Stay - fake as if you are going to poach.

Full Poach / Intercept - to go across to get the return, cross the centre line of the court and stay on the other side.

Squeeze / Pinch - leave the alley open and move toward the middle of the court. You don’t fully poach or intercept. This is a common tactic when the server serve’s Body or T as the majority of returns pass through the the middle area.

Remember for all the above moves, the net player should be moving towards the direction of where the serve is to land before moving to the signaled position.

Have fun experimenting with these hints ( you can practice the signals at home) and be ready to hold serve like a Tour Team!

Thanks to Coach Kyle for the photos. Hope to see everyone again soon!