Poaching is one of the most valuable skills you can develop as a doubles player. When done well, it allows you to take control of the net, apply constant pressure, and force opponents into uncomfortable shots. This section breaks down why poaching works, when to use it, how to execute it, and how to use variations like the fake poach to your advantage.
1. Why Poaching Matters
Intercepting the Ball Early
Poaching lets you step in and take control of points before your opponents even know what happened. The closer you make contact to the net, the easier it is to finish with confidence. By moving forward and cutting off the ball, you take away time, create better angles, and instantly become more dangerous.
Disrupting Your Opponents’ Rhythm
Most club doubles is very predictable. Two players trade cross court shots, two net players watch the action, and everyone settles into a comfortable pattern. When you start moving at the net, you break that comfort.
Opponents start second guessing their targets and rushing their swings. Even the possibility that you might move keeps them on edge, which is exactly what you want.
2. Starting Position: Where Effective Poaching Begins
Your Distance From the Net
You want to stand around two and a half to three racket lengths back from the net. This gives you enough space to react to faster shots but still keeps you close enough to put balls away with confidence. Too close and you lose reaction time. Too far and your poaching threat disappears.
Your Position Relative to the Alley
Many recreational players stand glued to the alley because they’re terrified of being passed. Instead, start a small step inside the alley and adjust based on the quality of your partner’s shot. If your partner hits something strong, you can cheat a little toward the middle.
If they’re under pressure, stay neutral. You want to look ready to poach, not like you’re guarding a treasure chest on the sideline.
3. The Footwork and Body Mechanics of Poaching
The Split Step
Your split step is your launch pad. Time it with the opponent’s forward swing so your legs are loaded and ready. A good split step is light, quick, and brings your center of gravity down so you can move explosively.
The First Step: Crossover Step
Poaching works best when your first step is a crossover step toward the ball. Shuffling sideways is too slow and leaves your body stuck facing the sideline. A crossover step helps you accelerate forward while staying balanced and ready to volley.
The Diagonal Attack Angle
Your path to the ball matters just as much as your timing. For example, if a ball is traveling corner to corner and the net player starts from the middle of the service box, moving diagonally toward the ball actually reduces the distance you need to cover by a foot compared to moving straight sideways.
The exact optimal intercept angle will change based on where the ball is struck and where you’re standing, but the principle is always the same. When you move forward on a diagonal, you cut off the ball earlier, meet it higher, and give your opponents far less time to react.
Moving straight sideways forces you to chase a ball that’s drifting away from you, which usually leads to reaching, stretching, or simply arriving too late.
Diagonal movement is your shortcut to the ball. It’s more efficient, more aggressive, and puts you in a stronger position to finish the point.
Recovery Footwork
If you half poach and come back to your side, recover immediately after your volley. Push back using a strong first step, rotate your hips, and land in another ready position. Good poachers never finish a volley stumbling into the net. They finish balanced and ready for the next ball.
4. How Court Angles Affect Your Poaching Chances
Your poaching success often comes down to simple court geometry. When your partner hits down the middle, the returner has a much smaller angle to work with.
In this situation (see below), the ball crosses roughly 18.45 feet of net and creates an angle of return of around 25.36 degrees. That’s a tight, predictable window, and most of the possible replies stay right in front of you. These are the moments when poaching feels easy and you can move with confidence.
When your partner hits wide, the math shifts dramatically. A wide ball forces the returner off the court, which sounds great in theory, but it actually gives them more available angle. Now the ball may cross up to 27.02 feet of net with an angle of return closer to 32.71 degrees.
With that extra space, the returner can roll the ball sharply cross court or thread it down your line, and both balls are tough to reach. Even a modest return can leave you wrong-footed simply because the area you’re responsible for becomes much larger.
This is why chances to center the ball are so valuable in doubles. Most of the time you’re dealing with an opposing net player, which makes it hard to force the ball back through the middle. But whenever your team can get a ball down the center, you shrink the returner’s options and create the perfect setup for a poach.
The one time you can reliably control this is on the serve. Serving down the T naturally funnels returns up the middle and forces the returner to hit through that smaller 25-degree window. This is why the service return is the most frequently poached shot in all of doubles. A centered serve creates a centered return, and a centered return gives you exactly the predictable ball you want to intercept.
When you understand how these angles work, poaching becomes less about guessing and more about creating the right situation. Hit middle, shrink the angles, and your poaching opportunities multiply.
5. Timing the Poach
The Perfect Moment to Move
The best time to begin your poach is the instant the opponent starts their forward swing. At that moment, their target is locked in, and your window opens.
Move too early, and they will spot it and burn you down the line. Move too late and you will lunge at the ball instead of controlling it. Your goal is that sweet spot where your movement is invisible until it is too late for them to react.
6. Directional Strategy: Where to Aim Your Poach
Primary Target: The Opposing Net Player’s Feet
Driving your volley at the feet of the opposing net player is your safest and most effective target. Your momentum naturally carries you toward this player, and a low ball at their feet forces a defensive reaction or creates an immediate winner.
Secondary Targets
You can also aim for an angle back cross court, a sharp angle past the net player you’re moving toward, or the space between both opponents. These require a bit more finesse but become easier with practice.
7. The Fake Poach
Why the Fake Poach Works
Once you have poached a few balls successfully, opponents start watching you. This is when the fake poach becomes a fun trick. A small early move toward the middle often pressures opponents into changing their target and going down the line.
A down the line shot is usually lower percentage, which means you win points without even touching the ball.
How to Execute It
Take one or two intentional steps toward the center, just enough to be noticed, then recover quickly to your original spot. You want them to think you’re going but still be able to cover your line if they take the bait.
8. Poaching in Different Doubles Formations
I Formation
In the I formation, the net player is in the center and hidden. This increases the pressure on the returner because they cannot tell where you are planning to move. Make clear, confident movements and use strong hand signals so both partners know the plan.
Australian Formation
In this setup, the server stands on the same side as the net player. This encourages cross court returns that travel directly into your poaching zone. Planned poaches are especially effective here because you shrink the returner’s options.
Both Players at the Net
When both teammates are at the net, poaching becomes about reading angles. You are not just intercepting balls but also stepping in front of your partner at the right moment. Quick reactions and good communication matter most in this formation.
9. Communication: The Backbone of Effective Poaching
Hand Signals
Use simple hand signals behind your back to communicate quietly. Signals eliminate guessing and help both players commit fully.
Verbal Communication
Clear, simple verbal cues keep both partners on the same page. Before the point, talk through the plan so there’s no hesitation once the ball is in play. This can be as quick as “First serve poach,” “Serve wide and I’ll stay,” or “If it floats, I’m going.” These short phrases tell your partner exactly what to expect.
During the point, use fast, sharp calls like “Stay” or “Switch” to adjust in real time. These cues help avoid confusion, prevent both players from chasing the same ball, and make transitions much smoother.
10. Helping Your Partner Become a Better Poacher
Feed Shots That Create Poaching Chances
If you want your partner to poach more confidently, hit shots that funnel the ball into their reach. Deep balls through the middle, low shots at the feet, and firm serves down the T all create predictable returns that set your partner up to attack.
Aim at the Weaker Player
If one opponent struggles more than the other, direct most shots toward that player. This gives your team more chances to intercept weak replies.
Encourage Every Poach Attempt
Even failed poaches help your team by creating pressure. Support your partner’s movement and celebrate the initiative. Doubles is a team effort, and confidence grows faster with encouragement.
11. The Poacher’s Mindset
Accept Getting Passed
Every great poacher gets passed sometimes. It is simply part of the job. When you do get passed, smile, reset, and move again next point. You are trying to disrupt your opponents, not be perfect.
Stay Engaged
Never become a spectator. Your job is to read the returner’s footwork, balance, and racket preparation. The more details you notice, the more confident your poaching becomes.
Be the Disruptor
Your goal as a poacher is to keep your opponents uncomfortable. Break patterns, take away their safe shots, and force them into difficult choices. A lively net player changes the entire match.
12. Drills to Build Poaching Skill
Shadow Poaching
Practice your movement without a ball. Focus on your split step, crossover step, angle of movement, and recovery. This builds muscle memory without pressure.
Controlled Feed Poaching
Have a coach or partner feed predictable balls across your zone. Concentrate on early contact, good balance, and confident targets.
Return and Poach Sequence
Serve down the T, have the returner hit cross court, and intercept the ball. This simulates real match patterns and builds timing.
Two on One Poach Pressure
Two baseliners rally cross court while you, the single net player, try to intercept. This sharpens your anticipation and reading skills.
Fake Poach Game
Alternate real poaches and fake poaches to keep the returner guessing. This helps you learn how to disguise your movement.
13. Adjusting Poaching for Opponent Types
Against Big Hitters
Big hitters send the ball through the court fast, so you usually need to move a little earlier than normal. Look for moments when they’re off balance or late on contact, because their replies become much easier to cut off.
Keep your volley compact, aim for high-percentage targets, and let their pace work for you instead of trying to create your own.
Against Pushers
Pushers give you slower, loopier balls, which means you can afford to wait a bit longer before moving. Be patient, stay balanced, and watch for anything that hangs above net height.
These players rarely hit sharp angles, so your poaching path stays fairly predictable. Your main advantage is that you’ll have time to get set and finish cleanly.
Against Left Handers
Lefties naturally create different cross court shapes, especially with their forehand in the ad court. Their shots often drift wider or curve differently than a right-hander’s.
Adjust your starting position slightly toward the line of their preferred angle and be ready for that extra bit of curve. Once you learn their patterns, you’ll find plenty of chances to intercept.
Against Two Handers
A two handed backhand has a shorter reach, which means they struggle when stretched. If you direct balls to that side, you’ll get more weak, predictable replies to poach.
When you see them reaching or getting jammed, that’s your cue to move. These are some of the easiest balls to cut off because two handers have a harder time changing direction late.
Against Teams with One Strong and One Weak Player
If there’s a clear weaker opponent, direct most balls their way to create the predictable, softer replies you want to poach. These players are more likely to float the ball or play safe, which makes interceptions much easier.
Keep feeding that pattern until the stronger player feels forced to get involved, then be ready to take advantage of their adjustments.
14. The Server’s Role in Successful Poaching
Serve to Support Your Poacher
The best serves for poaching are serves down the T in the deuce court and body serves in the ad court. These reduce angles and push returns into the middle of the court where your partner can attack.
Recover With Purpose
If your partner crosses completely, you rotate behind them to guard the alley. If they half poach, hold your ground and protect the cross court space. Never just watch the poach. Support it.
Stay Alert
After your serve, be ready for lobs, defensive blocks, and unexpected shots. A connected server and poacher make a strong team.
15. Avoiding Collisions and Miscommunication
Call Stay or Switch Clearly
Never assume your partner knows what you are doing. Call the plan early and loud enough for them to hear.
Avoid Drifting Too Far Forward
Sometimes players drift toward the net after a volley and block their partner’s path. Finish balanced and ready instead of crashing forward.
