This AMA episode covers a variety of topics, including net position, formations, and strategy frameworks. A few of the lessons are from a tight mixed doubles match that I recently played, while the others are from Tennis Tribe Members.

1. When is I-formation a bad idea?
2. Why I recently told my partner to stand in two different positions on my return points.
3. When should the baseline player change something? (including how to handle inactive partners at net)
4. Members only: My backhand volley pops up and floats every time. How do I fix it?
5. Members only: How and when to add new strokes to your game. In this case, a semi-western forehand.
6. Members only: What to do against two tall players who rush the net.
7. Members only: The deuce court returner has a great crosscourt forehand. What should we do?

We only have 2 rooms left for the Rally Trip at the US Open!

If you're interested and want to sign up for the Doubles Camp from September 3-4, you can email me: [email protected].

If you're not a Tennis Tribe member and want this full episode, learn more and sign up here.

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Greg Kusnierz is a mental performance coach who works with junior and adult tennis players seeking to play better under pressure. Most tennis coaches' and mental gurus' advice about nerves turns me off, but Greg's approach is practical and has actually helped my players on the court.

We discuss why every tennis player gets nervous and how to turn that energy into better decisions instead of tighter swings. We also share practical tools you can use between points so your match level looks more like your practice level. 

• Why nerves show up for every human and how they look different across players
• What mental toughness means as a trainable skill, not a personality trait
• How to measure pressure
• The biggest misconceptions about nerves, pressure, and mental coaching
• Why “just play more matches” and “be positive” fail as advice
• How the Three R method helps you re-frame fast
• How changing your wording shifts your focus from outcomes to controllable actions
• The BFS between points reset: breathing, feel, statement
• Doubles specific advice: acknowledge your partner, ask questions, communicate under stress, be a cheerleader

Greg will be joining our US Open Rally Trip, where he'll present as a guest speaker. Early bird pricing is available through June 14!

Learn more about Greg & follow:

• Instagram
• YouTube

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

We catch up with Nicole Melichar-Martinez from Rome and unpack the day-to-day life behind WTA doubles, from gym sessions and practice blocks to physio, massage, and travel logistics. We also zoom out on the clay season, her Stuttgart win, team chemistry, and the mindset shift Nicole is making to stay present when momentum flips fast.

• Favorite clay-season meal in Stuttgart and the no-menu restaurant experience
• How a Rome tournament day is structured from gym to practice
• How tour physios and tournament massage work, including booking and priority
• What clicked in Stuttgart with Samsonova, and why indoor clay suits her game
• How doubles prep changes when partners are singles-focused
• Billie Jean King Cup, the Olympics, and playing for Team USA
• What makes Siniakova and Townsend so tough, and how to scout a streaking team
• What she's doing on the court to help her play better under pressure and enjoy the moments (you should do this too!)

Nicole has advanced to the Rome quarterfinals alongside Cristina Bucsa. Be sure to follow along throughout the rest of the year. You can watch all her doubles matches on Tennis Channel Plus.

Learn more about Nicole & follow:

• Instagram
• WTA Profile
• Wikipedia

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Marcus Daniell is an Olympic Bronze Medalist and former top 35 ATP doubles player who reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He also founded High Impact Athletes, a company that connects professional athletes with high-impact charities.

Gaby Dabrowski recently launched a fundraising campaign with HIA called Gaby's Games for Good to help protect women and girls from violence.

👉 DONATE TO GABY'S CAMPAIGN HERE

This episode digs into charities, giving, and, of course, doubles!

• How Gaby’s Games for Good works and how the 1 in 3 Fund makes a huge difference in protecting women and girls
• Why Marcus shifted from singles to doubles and what he would change about that timeline
• The “Chapel of Bull$&*t” lesson from coach David Sammel
• How to train full mental presence in short bursts
• What Marcus’s doubles style looks like and how to beat him
• The Tokyo Olympic bronze story with Michael Venus and what he did when he felt burnt out 
• A practical three-step approach to handling nerves in tiebreakers and closing moments
• Net positioning tips for the server’s partner and the returner’s partner 
• What could make pro doubles more popular, including stable teams and better storytelling 
• Why High Impact Athletes exists and how effective giving can multiply the impact of each dollar

I learned a ton in this one, especially as Marcus described his Olympic story. I also hope you'll join me in donating below.

HIA Links:

• Gaby's Games for Good
• High Impact Athletes Website
• Instagram

Learn more about Marcus & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Mehrban Iranshad is the founder of Tennis Summit, an online tennis conference for club players who want to improve. I've presented at the conference for four years in a row and have a presentation this year on doubles formations (live now).

Sign up for here to watch my presentation. You'll also get access to lessons from other coaches like Paul Annacone, the former coach of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, 19x grand slam champion Gigi Fernandez, Jonathan Stokke, and more.

In this podcast, Mehrban covers his 3 favorite lessons from Tennis Summit so far.

• The best volley targets from Peter Freeman.
• Anticipation tips from Louis Cayer.
• Australian formation benefits from... me 🙂

I also discussed a few other doubles strategies in this one. If you're serious about improving your game, do not miss this opportunity to learn for free.

Sign up for Tennis Summit here.

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

In this AMA episode, I answer questions from players I've coached recently, as well as Tennis Tribe Members.

You'll learn how to respond when an opponent has a clear pattern that keeps beating you, an in-depth breakdown of I-Formation, practice ideas, and how to play with non-strategically minded partners.

The first 3 are free to all, while you'll need to become a member for the last 3.

1. How to handle someone who hits sharp angles.
2. What to do if someone keeps lobbing the return vs the I-formation.
3. How to play doubles with a partner who isn't interested in strategy and just "smacks the ball."
4. Member only: The best way to attack the I-formation, and what to consider.
5. Member only: All the different ways to cover the lob after you get a short, approach shot.
6. Member only: 12+ themed practice ideas for a 90-minute clinic, and how I think about planning drills.

If you're in the Miami area and want to sign up for my doubles camp on April 18-19, we do have a couple of spots left. Shoot me an email (will[at]thetennistribe.com) or sign up here.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Andy Fitzell is the coach of rising US doubles stars JJ Tracy and Robert Cash. I spoke with Andy at Indian Wells to unpack how a pro team actually prepares, competes, and keeps improving when the margins are almost invisible.

We dig into scouting, training plans, partner psychology, and what tennis needs to change for doubles to get the attention it deserves. 

• Match-day practice and routines at Indian Wells 
• The use of film for both scouting and technical improvement
• Learning doubles through Vic Braden, Steve Smith, and other coaching mentors
• Developing JJ and Robert as individuals and as a team
• Using brain typing to tailor coaching, improve communication, and reduce friction 
• Changing serve technique and improving net play with video, rationale, and practice
• Why change feels hard, and how daily reps overwrite old habits
• Managing expectations after breakout results and staying with the process
• Learning from losses by reviewing video and spotting repeatable patterns
• The doubles scoring system and what could make doubles more popular

Andy is a walking encyclopedia of tennis knowledge, so I'm sure I'll have him on again in the future. Be sure to watch JJ Tracy and Robert Cash on Tennis TV and TC Plus this year!

Links:

• Vic Braden - watch his "Go for a Winner" video
• Steve Smith from Great Base Tennis

Learn more about Andy & follow:

• GPTCA Profile
• Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Jan Zielinski and Luke Johnson are both top 30 ATP doubles players who recently reached the Australian Open semifinals. I sat down with them at Indian Wells to talk about what clicked early in their new partnership, the season so far, and more. We spoke about emotional intensity, brutally close losses, mixed doubles, and why doubles still isn’t marketed like the product it can be.

• What “great practice” looks like and why small gains matter 
• How the partnership forms and how offseason training actually works 
• Early-season lessons from Australia plus grit in tight moments 
• Building points for your partner instead of chasing hero shots 
• Sets versus drills and how to use match data fast 
• Where Jan's on-court emotion comes from, plus the benefits and downsides 
• Their crazy loss in Acapulco and how they process it
• Mixed doubles strategy with Hsieh Su-wei (they won two Grand Slams in 2024)
• What to change about US Open mixed doubles access 
• Why ATP doubles marketing lags, plus simple fixes like better highlights

Jan and Luke are one of the most entertaining teams to watch on the pro tour, with amazing return skills, impressive volleys, and highlight points. Watch them throughout the 2026 season on Tennis TV and Tennis Channel Plus.

Learn more about Jan & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

Learn more about Luke & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram
• Previous interviews with Luke: 
  • Luke Johnson Interview: Tiebreaker Strategy, Climbing the Rankings, & Winning the Barcelona ATP 500
  • Preparing for the French Open Quarterfinal with Coach Calvin Betton, Sander Arends, & Luke Johnson

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

David Collins is the coach of Grand Slam-winning ATP doubles players John Peers and Michael Venus. I spoke with him at Indian Wells to get practical advice about doubles training, from tour-level first-volley reps to simple technique fixes that instantly change your net game. We also dig into why club players fear the net, how to build a better doubles player over a year, and what pro doubles needs to grow. 

• How John Peers preps the day before a match with scouting, serve-plus-one priorities, and specific volley patterns
• Michael Venus’s injury update, return plan, and what a long rehab block demands
• The catch-to-volley drill that keeps the hand in front and stops the shoulder turn that causes late contact
• A high-speed server's partner drill that trains angle volleys, poaches, split-step timing, and lob awareness
• A simple development plan for club doubles players that sharpens strengths while raising weak areas
• The three net fears and concrete fixes for passing lanes, lobs, overheads, and getting jammed
• Why pro doubles struggles for visibility, and what better streaming and promotion could change
• How to pair partners at the club level by matching comfort zones and contrasting skills

Upcoming Doubles Camps:

• Dallas-Fort Worth: https://thetennistribe.com/camps/fort-worth/
• Miami: https://racksandraquets.com/pages/miami-doubles-strategy-weekend-with-will-boucek

Learn more about David & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Coach Jeff Coetzee is one of the top doubles minds in our sport. He reached a career high of #12 in the world during his playing career, and has since coached some of the best doubles teams on tour, including Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal.

Today, he coaches the top WTA doubles team in 2026, Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic. I spoke with Jeff at Indian Wells to unpack their season so far and how he's helped develop Danilina into the player she is today. One of the topics we focus heavily on is belief.

• Early-season surge built on defined roles and aggression
• Training the net player to disrupt and own first volleys
• Belief built through daily target serving and measured wins
• Timing poaches and varying return patterns against singles hitters
• Practicing volleys from behind the service line for real points
• Post‑match debriefs tailored to player personalities
• Seven-in-a-row serve drills to simulate pressure
• Playing to win with a lead, not protecting it
• Learning from finals losses to break through in Doha
• Ideas to promote and grow doubles

Jeff's team is still in the tournament at Indian Wells, so be sure to watch them on Tennis Channel Plus throughout the weekend and the 2026 season.

Learn more about Jeff & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course