Doubles: serving short, flicking, and returning the serve
Where to serve, where your partner stands, and how to answer a low serve or a flick, for men's, women's and level doubles.
Why the first shots matter
In doubles, the serve and the return decide who gets the first chance to attack. Rallies are short and fast, so a good serve that is hard to attack, or a return that keeps the initiative, is worth more than any later trick.
The low serve
- Where from: serve from near the centre line, close to the front service line, with your partner standing in the middle of the court a little behind you.
- Where to: mostly towards the centre, because it reduces the angles the receiver can use. Sometimes at the receiver's body, to disturb the way they like to return.
- Wide, into the side channel: possible now and then, but riskier: a straight return is then open to the receiver, into space.
- Vary: watch where the receiver stands and how they hold the racket (wide on the forehand side, in front of the body, wide on the backhand side) and change your serve in answer.
After your low serve
- The server covers net replies.
- The partner behind covers pushes to the middle and back of the court. Usually the partner picks one side to protect rather than trying to cover everything.
- Be ready: the third shot is the moment the serving side hopes to take control.
The flick serve as a change of rhythm
A flick serve is a fast, flat, high serve over the receiver's racket side. It pushes the receiver back and may force a hit off balance, especially a wide one towards the forehand side. Use it as a variation, not as your main serve.
- A wide flick often gets a predictable straight reply. The server's partner can read it.
- If the flick clearly caught the receiver out, the server can stay nearer the net, because a long cross-court clear is unlikely.
Returning a low serve
- If you play the shuttle to the net, try to take control of the net and finish the next net shot.
- If you push straight to the middle or back, move to intercept the straight reply.
- You may drive into the body of the server's partner. Then be ready to cover both sides.
- If your return is poor, step back and make a side-by-side shape.
Returning a flick serve
- If you are balanced and the flick is wide or central: smash at the player in front of you or between the two opponents, or drop the shuttle between them.
- If the flick pulled you off balance: choose something that gives time back, such as a half-smash, a drop or a straight clear.
A simple practice
Play points where only low serves are allowed. Each receiver stays in their normal place but shifts their starting position and racket position a little; the server must adapt. Then play a second game with extra points for a rally that started with a flick, for either side. Score a bonus when the serving side wins on the third shot, or the receiving side on the fourth.
Limits
This is a guide for habits, not a rule. Different players, courts and levels change what works; your coach or your partner may prefer another pattern.
General practice advice: play within your limits and stop if something hurts.