How to Scout an Opponent for a Doubles Match

In this episode, I answer a reader’s question on “How to scout an opponent?”

You’ll learn what I am looking for if I get to watch my opponent before our match.

A few of the questions answered include:

• Where should I watch my opponent from during their match?
• What are the most important shots to look for when scouting?
• How do I use the warmup to scout effectively?
• When should I make adjustments to my plan?

This episode is great for competitive players who have a chance to watch their opponent’s match before they play. I do this all the time at USTA tournaments.

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Notes from this Podcast

Here are some of the things I mention in this podcast episode:

• Doubles Webinar: Thursday, July 28
  • Topic: Patterns & percentages of winning doubles strategy
  • Register for the doubles webinar here
  • Register for Craig’s singles webinar here
  • Podcast: Craig O’Shannessy Interview – Craig will be co-hosting the webinar with me.
• Where should you scout from?
  • The ideal place to watch a match is from behind the court because you are able to read angles. If it isn’t possible, try to be near the baseline, but avoid the net post.
• Charting the match
  • Take notes during their match of groundstroke error rates, where they like to serve, and other tendencies.
  • We use Tennis Analytics to chart for our professional scouting. Listen to our Warren Pretorius interview, a previous episode with the founder, to learn more.
• Returns
  • The serve is the only shot we can control, so we should look at their return first.
  • Look for which side induces more errors, their contact point, and the direction of their return.
• Serves
  • Next, decide what serves they like. Consider shading that side to force them to try something new and see if they are running different formations.
  • Remember, a plan is just a starting point and should evolve when new information surfaces.
• Rallies
  • Look to see if they serve & volley, if they like to be at the net, which player is stronger in different situations, and how you can expose that.
  • Matchups are key here. Compare yourself to the opponents and think of ways to match up your strengths against their weaknesses.
• Technique
  • Consider their technique to determine which shots/positions they might struggle with.
  • For example, players with extreme western forehand grips might struggle with low slices.
• Strategy
  • How do their strengths/weaknesses compare to yours and your partner’s? Adjust accordingly.
  • Who should you attack if they’re both at the net/baseline? Generally, go for the weaker player’s backhand volley or weaker groundstroke.
  • What will you do if they serve and volley?
  • When you’re warming up, look for tendencies.
  • In the Peter Lebedevs interview, the Dallas Open tournament director suggests hitting body serves at them during warm up and see which way they turn to determine their stronger side.