Tennis is often portrayed as a solitary battle—a test of one against one. But if you want to develop a young player who thinks fast, adapts even faster, and genuinely enjoys the process, make sure they spend plenty of time on the doubles court.
For players under 14, doubles isn’t just a warm-up act or a bonus event at tournaments. It’s an underrated accelerator for development. Doubles naturally creates situations that teach the things we often struggle to explain with words or isolate in drills. There’s no time to hesitate. Players have to communicate, anticipate, and problem-solve on the fly. The ball moves faster, the angles change, and the court—suddenly shared—feels smaller and more alive. The result? A game that demands more from the brain, not just the body.
Doubles builds awareness. It forces players to actually talk to each other: “Mine.” “Yours.” “Switch.” And before long, those simple calls evolve into shared tactics. Young players start reading opponents, spotting gaps, covering for one another, and building plays like they’re piecing together a puzzle. It’s tactical development in motion—fast, reactive, and deeply collaborative.
But doubles sharpens more than just strategy. Serving becomes more targeted with a net player lurking nearby. Returns demand more variety: do you lob, dip it low, or punch it early? Volleys fly quicker. Decisions shrink to milliseconds. And players learn to trade power for precision—because in doubles, overhitting usually means giving away free points.
That’s one of doubles’ greatest lessons: restraint. Young players often want to swing big—every shot a winner. But doubles teaches them that placement beats pace, and smart trumps strong. Learning to manage their power, to control their impulses, makes them better in singles too.
And then there’s the joy. Doubles takes what can sometimes feel like a lonely sport and makes it social. There’s someone next to you. Someone to celebrate with, to reset with, to laugh with after the match. For kids especially, that shared experience makes all the difference. When they miss, they don’t feel alone. When they win, it means more.
So if you’re a coach or a parent, don’t treat doubles as optional. Integrate it. Let kids rotate partners, try new formations, and take risks they’d never dare in singles. Let them experiment, fail, and adjust. Because the truth is, doubles doesn’t just help young players grow—it helps them grow together.
And that might be the best lesson of all.
