Link to the Instagram Post

Possibly the most important skill to have in doubles, aside from the serve and return, is poaching. In this episode, I break down the poaching mistakes I see over and over again from doubles players at all levels.

We'll discuss timing, direction, and simple positioning that can flip returns into easy finishes. Members get the full five-mistake breakdown plus drills. The free preview covers the two biggest errors and how to fix them fast.

• Exactly when to move on your poach, and the biggest mistake club players make when poaching
• How skill level, pace, and opponent depth change your poach timing
• A common movement mistake that could be causing you to miss volleys
• Where to start and where you should NOT start in the service box and the “window” concept
• Using a quiet racket face for clean finishes
• Members only: How close you should be at the net
• Members only: How to finish your volleys and stop hitting it back to the baseline player
• Members only: When it's OK to cover the alley and not poach
• Members only: Drills to help your poaching skills

To get the rest of the episode, sign up for a membership here: https://thetennistribe.com/memberships/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players**

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

David Macpherson coached the Bryan Brothers for over 15 years. He's a former #11-ranked ATP doubles player and also coached John Isner from 2018 to 2023. He's one of the smartest doubles coaches on the planet, so you'll learn a ton in this conversation.

We unpack how smart scouting, sharp words, and steady culture turned the Bryan Brothers into the GOATs and made John Isner a doubles force for a short stretch in 2022. We also discussed tactics for club players.

• Early mentors shaping his precise coaching voice
• Advice for coaches on saying less, backing the plan, and owning the misses
• A story from the Wimbledon final where David's scouting turned out wrong
• Managing Bob and Mike's practice rivalry without taking sides
• Why groundstroke reliability helped their doubles success
• Club tactics on lobs, net depth, and flexible positioning
• Serve strategy and weighing your strengths vs the opponent's weaknesses
• Why Bob Bryan had to abandon the lob return vs a certain opponent and why
• Team chemistry as a competitive advantage
• Coaching John Isner around strengths, returns, and net instincts
• Ideas to make men’s doubles more watchable for fans

Learn more about David & follow:

• Wikipedia
• Instagram

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players**

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

I recently helped two 3.0 ladies' teams prepare for USTA Nationals. The 1st team actually won Nationals in the 40+ division this past weekend.

We spent 30 minutes discussing strategy before playing doubles for a few hours. This episode previews the first 10 minutes of the strategy discussion with the 2nd team, who heads to Nationals next week.

• How doubles matches are won lost.
• The importance of understanding rally length.
• What to practice leading up to nationals.
• Members only: My favorite ways to force errors
• Members only: Team roles.
• Members only: The 3 things that give 3.0 to 4.0 players the most problems and how to fix them.
• Members only: How to win lob fests.
• Members only: Using the 2-back formation.

To hear this full episode and watch the video, become a Tennis Tribe Member.

• Members can watch the video here.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players**

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course