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Why is it that you see successful doubles teams regularly beat players that they would have no chance against in singles?
In singles you might see a player stay on the baseline hitting moonballs and lobs, but in doubles he goes to the net on every ball and he wins matches.
Singles and doubles are different games due to their fundamental geometric differences.
Why is it that good singles and good doubles players often seem to be two different animals?
The answer is that singles and doubles are different games, different in fundamental, geometric ways. If we stop to think about these differences we can learn to play smart doubles and take strategic advantage of the differences.
A tennis court is 27 feet wide on the baseline from single sideline to single sideline. The doubles alley adds another four and half feet on either side. So that’s an extra nine feet total, making the width of the doubles court 36 feet.
The geometric dimensions of doubles mean each partner covers only 18 feet.
Since each partner covers only half the court, this means each is responsible for covering only 18 feet, versus 27 feet in singles. That’s…