Should you make a weak stroke from the back of the court, as, for instance, a short lob, both you and your partner should fall back to or behind the base-line and try to save the ball.
The great difficulty of the double game is to divide the play properly between the two partners. The question is not of letting each one play the same number of balls, but simply of allowing each to take those which he can play to the greatest advantage.
With both men in position for volleying, each player of course takes the balls on his own side; the trouble is simply about those between them. The simplest rule and the best is to let the partner who played the last ball play the next. He knows best where the return will probably come, and his eye is in for it. I fully believe in the teaching of the Champion, that a player should be allowed to finish a rest if he can. That does not mean that he is to rush all over the court, but that he is to take all the doubtful balls. A player feels the wisdom of this rule when he has been watching his partner play several strokes in succession, and is suddenly called on to take a fast volley himself. He does not know where nor when it is coming nearly as well as if he had played the ball before it.
This shows us another principle of double play. Keep hammering at one man, if he is at a disadvantage, as thus you can probably gain something with each stroke. If, however, he is on equal terms with you, after he has played several strokes hit hard at his partner, who is often unprepared.
It is well to have some understanding between the two partners as to which shall take doubtful balls, where the principle before explained does not apply. If one player is better than his partner it is right to allow him to play all such balls.
If the sun is across the court, one player can see such balls much more clearly than the other, and this should be recognised and arranged for beforehand.
The two players are seldom at the same distance from the net, and if there is a chance to smash a ball the more forward player should take it, if the ball comes near him. With high balls, the player to whom they come forehanded is usually the one who should take them, and that, of course, is the one on the left side.
On the other hand, with low diagonal strokes, it is best to let the player towards whom the ball is crossing the court, play it. It is usually within the other player’s reach, but he will probably find it a difficult stroke, and will gain nothing by taking it himself. For instance, if the service is returned from the right court into the right court on the other side, the left-hand player can usually reach and return it, but he will do better to leave it for his partner who is coming forward to meet it. Cases of this kind occur constantly and lead to a great deal of trouble.
This brings me to the practice called “Poaching,” i.e., taking balls that should be played by one’s partner.
You may often see a ball which you feel sure that you can play better than your partner, although it is not on your own side of the court. My advice would always be—“Don’t touch such a ball!” To reach it you must go across the court, and your own side is left unprotected, so that if you fail to kill the ball you probably lose the rest. Moreover, if your partner is as good a player as yourself, he ought to be left to play the ball; if he is not good, it is a mistake to let him see that you do not trust him. It will cost you more strokes than you will gain by taking his balls.