How to be a Sought After Partner

 One of the reasons the better players like to play with each other is that a good partner requires a lot less thinking and thus makes for an easier game.

What are the things that are good as a partner?  Well, there are not too many actually.

Number one, get your serves in.  No need for speed or accuracy, just in.  It's a small thing, but critical.  

Number two, never step into the court after you have hit the serve.  You can get away with this against soft players or a strong tail wind, but you are going to be running backwards a lot of time in a stronger game.  If you have to run backwards, it's hard to watch as a partner and it's very difficult to then hit the third short off the back foot.

Number three, always follow your service return with a run up to the kitchen line.  Number three point five, when you come to the kitchen line, run towards the ball you just hit.  Note that your running direction is rarely straight forward, but either towards your side line or to the middle of the court.

Number four, someone on your side has to cover middle shots always.  Depending from where the opponents hit the ball, you and/or your partner must be shifting to the middle.  For example, if I return a serve and hit is directly across the net to my opponent, I will run straight towards that opponent and I'll cover my sideline.  My partner will shift to cover a cross court / middle shot.

Second case, I return cross court to the server, then I run to the middle of the court and my partner shifts to cover his sideline.  

Case three, I return to the middle -- which I will do 80% of the time -- then both my partner and I will be at the kitchen line and close enough to each other to be able to get both paddles on a middle ball.  I've played a number of games with Angel, our local pro, and I found it interesting how closely he and I stayed to each other while playing.  We could probably touch paddles at all times.  Double middle coverage is a wonderful thing...

The astute reader will notice that in all of these cases, about 20% of the court is not covered.  (We will ignore lobs, as they are borderline illegal and not found in a serious game (kidding).)  That lack of coverage is acceptable as the uncovered area is at an angle to the hitter, and thus hard shots will go out and softer shots allow time for you to move to return it.  It is the middle coverage that is most frequently needed.

Those are the things that make you an easy player to partner.  And what makes this easy?  Well, if I'm your partner, I know where you are all the time and I know what shots you can return.  It makes it easy to know what balls I have to hit and which ones are yours.  I don't have to stretch in front of you to hit a shot.  

Number 5, this is optional in a friendly game, but required otherwise...  If I am returning the serve, you are at the net.  It is your responsibility to intercept all center shots, i.e., poach aggressively.  Poaching is fun and this is not onerous duty, but it's vital in a tough game.  

Number Six, you will notice that there has been no requirement to hit hard shots, or great slams, or inside out twisty slice shots or anything fancy.  Hitting the ball hard is not required nor needed.  Accuracy and control and just keeping the point going is what is highly prized.  Also, personally, I will view your game more respectfully the more you dink and are strategic, rather than trying to win the point with a huge shot.  Huge shots hit the net and the backstop and occasionally the opponents, none of which is a good thing.

Good luck in the tournament all!