# Your Net Position Is Wrong β€” The Real Reason Your Doubles Poaches Fail I Jonathan Stokke Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/insider-s-playbook-smart-strategies-for-competitive-senior-tennis-players-over-50-7487951/your-net-position-is-wrong-the-real-reason-your-doubles-poaches-fail-i-jonathan-stokke Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/insider-s-playbook-smart-strategies-for-competitive-senior-tennis-players-over-50-7487951/your-net-position-is-wrong-the-real-reason-your-doubles-poaches-fail-i-jonathan-stokke.md Podcast: [Insider's Playbook: Smart Strategies for Competitive Senior Tennis Players Over 50](https://stenobird.com/podcast/insider-s-playbook-smart-strategies-for-competitive-senior-tennis-players-over-50-7487951) Published: 2026-05-05T13:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/c18edb99a5b525f7e816b0d31ec504966f6ebad5ec26143650850abeea0131ca/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI0OTQxN2M5Ni01MzM5LTRjNmMtOTNiZC1hYjIyMzAxOTk2NzMiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI0YmY3MzJlNC0yZWI4LTRhOWItOGJlNS0xMGQ5MjljMTNjYmEiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2ODY3Y2VhODhmNjcyZTZiZWJjZTJjYmIiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjlmNjg4YzIxZmRlNjRiYWU3NGU0ZWQzL2luc2lkZXJzLXBsYXlib29rLWNvbXBvc2VyLTIwMjYtNS0zX18xLTI5LTYubXAzIn0=.mp3 Audio file: https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/c18edb99a5b525f7e816b0d31ec504966f6ebad5ec26143650850abeea0131ca/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI0OTQxN2M5Ni01MzM5LTRjNmMtOTNiZC1hYjIyMzAxOTk2NzMiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI0YmY3MzJlNC0yZWI4LTRhOWItOGJlNS0xMGQ5MjljMTNjYmEiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2ODY3Y2VhODhmNjcyZTZiZWJjZTJjYmIiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjlmNjg4YzIxZmRlNjRiYWU3NGU0ZWQzL2luc2lkZXJzLXBsYXlib29rLWNvbXBvc2VyLTIwMjYtNS0zX18xLTI5LTYubXAzIn0=.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/insider-s-playbook-smart-strategies-for-competitive-senior-tennis-players-over-50-7487951/episodes/your-net-position-is-wrong-the-real-reason-your-doubles-poaches-fail-i-jonathan-stokke Duration seconds: 1320 ## Resource πŸ“„ Episode Description Most doubles players think poaching is a gamble β€” a wing-and-a-prayer lunge you attempt when you "feel it." Jonathan Stokke says that's exactly backwards. In this episode of Insider's Playbook, Stokke breaks down why 99% of his poaches are pre-planned before the ball is struck, why standing near the singles sideline is quietly killing your net game, and why the real default at the net isn't "hold your position" β€” it's move . If you've ever gotten burned down the line and retreated to your corner, this conversation will rewire how you think about your entire role as a net player. βœ… Key Takeaways Β· Poaching is a decision, not a reaction β€” Stokke commits to the cross-court before his opponent swings. If you're waiting to "read" the ball, you're already late. Β· The math is on your side β€” 75–90% of returns go cross-court at every level. You don't need to be a mind reader. You need to trust the percentage. Β· Your starting position is probably wrong β€” Standing close to the singles sideline forces you to run to the poach. Move your inside foot 5–6 feet from the center service line and suddenly it's a step and a half, not a sprint. Β· Flip the default β€” Poaching should be your go-to; staying is the mix-up. Most rec players have this exactly reversed, and it's why they never build real poaching confidence. Β· Getting burned is part of the deal β€” Every bad rep is a rep off your learning curve. Stokke's mindset: five missed poaches means five fewer standing between you and doing it well. Β· with the wrong pattern just grooves the wrong pattern 250 times. Jonathan Stokke: www.stokketenniscoaching.com Stokke Doubles Academy: https://www.skool.com/stokke-doubles-academy/about #TennisTips #DoublesStrategy #SeniorTennis #TennisCoaching #USTATennis #TennisLife #NetPla… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/insider-s-playbook-smart-strategies-for-competitive-senior-tennis-players-over-50-7487951/episodes/your-net-position-is-wrong-the-real-reason-your-doubles-poaches-fail-i-jonathan-stokke/transcription-requests` β€” Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/insider-s-playbook-smart-strategies-for-competitive-senior-tennis-players-over-50-7487951/your-net-position-is-wrong-the-real-reason-your-doubles-poaches-fail-i-jonathan-stokke.md` β€” Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.