A Guide To Hand Signals In Doubles Tennis

 Have you ever wondered what the doubles athletes on television are indicating behind their backs? What do the signs tell? Or even why would they do that rather than simply notifying their partner in person?

Hand signals are the most efficient approach to get both team members on the same page in order to maximise a team's potential on the court. Doubles signalling is straightforward, but it can appear difficult if you don't know what the signs signify. The player at the net uses the hand signals used by the double’s players on the tennis court to indicate where the server should hit the serve and where the net is.

 

WHAT DO THE SIGNALS MEAN:

The player at the net is the one sending the signal, and it is his partner's job to respond positively or negatively to those signals. The most crucial factor is that both players must be prepared to carry out the agreement made before the start of the point; otherwise, the team will not function properly as a complete.

The signals are given in the same order whether the team is serving or receiving; the first signal indicates where the shot should be taken, and the second indicates where the net-man should be when the shot has been taken.

 

●       Service, Body

The middle finger alone can be used to indicate Body Serve. Basically, tell your partner to serve body by flipping him off.

Server's partner: Motion

The second signal, which is displayed, shows the direction the net-man will move in after the serve touches down in the box. Three different signals could be used for this section: Stay, poach, and pinch.

 

●       Stay

The net-man will be standing his ground and covering the line when he gives the first signal of the fist, signalling stay.

 

●       Go/poach

A full poach will be committed to by the net-man, as indicated by the second signal of the open hand.

 

●       Pinch

The pinch is indicated by the third finger-pinching signal. This is the play that most teams uses the most. Because it is not a fully committal poach, the players do not switch sides of the court. This means that the net-man will be looking to poach based on the quality of the return coming back.

For the return direction, there are three primary signals: crosscourt, down the line, and to the middle. The middle return is rarely called since most skilled doubles players try to intercept the middle ball. The direction in which the fingers point corresponds to the direction of the anticipated return spot, much like the serve signalling.

Returner's partner : Motion

The partner signals for movement for the returner are the same as those for the server's partner. The first image depicts staying, the second, poaching, and the third, pinching.

 

Benefits of Hand Signals

It is advantageous to use the signs because plays are most successful when a team understands how the other team is set up. Tennis balls in UK is just one sport where we observe this, though. The football quarterback often exits the huddle with a play written up. However, if he notices how the defence is set up, he might audible by changing the play with signs.

The majority of people also benefit from visual cues since they help them visualise what they want to do on the court. When a player sees it as they prepare to serve or return, it is much simpler for them to visualise what they want to happen.

Signals reduce misunderstandings, and as was already said, a doubles team's inability to move as a unit on the court will make them vulnerable.

 

Accepting and Rejecting the Signals

You don't have to concur with your partner in all of this, which is one of the most crucial points to keep in mind. The sender of the signals is merely making a suggestion.  The worst blunder you can make with this is to agree to take a shot they don't feel comfortable taking in a certain circumstance. So don't be frightened to decline the call that your companion proposed.

 

Basic "Yes" and "No"

It is the responsibility of the server or returner to verbally concur with or object to the call that is made. The net-man changes the signal until he receives a satisfactory serve from his partner, at which point he responds "yes." The net-man begins indicating the movement after the server accepts a serve location. The server chooses where he wants his partner to move, and the same procedure is followed in this case.

 

Conclusion

You and your partner can use hand signals on the doubles court without any practical disadvantage to your game. Everyone can gain from including these in their game, regardless of what level it is at, for a variety of reasons. They most crucially give a precise notion of what you and your partner want to accomplish together as a team. Additionally, it is a wonderful method to begin considering court strategy, particularly at more novice and intermediate levels of doubles. Keep in mind that doubles should only be played by teams, never by two players on the same side of the court. These signals will help you be in better communication with one another, which is essential for team improvement.