Albano Olivetti is the #22-ranked doubles player on the ATP tour. He recently won a grass court title in Halle and owns the record for the 2nd fastest serve of all time.

In this brief conversation, we unpack what really wins on fast courts and why he and his partner, Theo Arribage, feel confident right now. Albano shares practical serve and return lessons, plus his perspective on building a doubles partnership that keeps getting better.

• What they learned from 's-Hertogenbosch that helped them win the Halle ATP 500 Title
• What changes when you move from clay to grass, especially with the bounces and slice
• The story behind his 160 mph serve and why the ATP doesn't count it
• Serve advice for people who are not close to 7 feet tall 😆
• Committing to doubles after COVID and why it fit his game
• Learning from fellow French doubles star, Nicolas Mahut - improving return technique, and using simple return patterns
• How he's made steady ranking progress
• Handling different vs consistent partners on tour
• What makes his chemistry with Theo work, from tactics to technical adjustments - they have four titles in 2026
• Goals for the season, with the ATP Finals as the target
• Honest thoughts on making pro doubles more popular and what support is missing

Follow Albano on Instagram below and watch him play this year on Tennis Channel Plus and Tennis TV.

Learn more about Albano & follow:

• Instagram
• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia

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• 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

This is another AMA episode where I focus on the return of serve. Perhaps the most important shot in doubles, and certainly the least practiced.

I break down why the return of serve is misunderstood and how I think about practicing and implementing effective returns. I also dig into consistency, targets, patterns, deuce vs ad court, and tactics for the return.

• Why returns and groundstrokes are not the same thing.
• One common mistake that you should fix to reduce return errors.
• The two biggest return priorities.
• Crosscourt vs down-the-line vs lob returns.
• What to look for to determine your best return options.
• Members Only: How to handle variety - fast, slow, spin, flat, and weak 2nd serves.
• Members Only: How to cut your return errors from the deuce court.
• Members Only: A practice plan for improving your returns.

Become a Tennis Tribe Member to access the full episode.

Upcoming Camps & Trips:

• Dallas-Fort Worth Doubles Strategy Camp: August 15-16, 2026
• NYC Doubles Strategy Camp: September 3-4, 2026
• Rally Trip: US Open - September 4-7, 2026

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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

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: will@thetennistribe.com.

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.

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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