Doubles Net Play Question
I have been mainly a singles player and recently joined a mixed doubles club, and found doubles fun and challenging. I have found having a partner on the same side is very distracting, and I do not play as well as in singles, but learning something new is part of the fun. One thing I have to get over is feeling so bad for my partner when I miss a shot.
The question I have is what I think is illegal net play. In a recent match, one of the opposing players stood bellied right up to the net and of course any ball he hits can be returned quite easily, even when he badly mis-hits and the ball just drops into the court. I think his racquet is even slightly over the net when he is waiting for a return. I later told my singles partner (who has played mostly doubles in the past) about it and he says it is not legal for your racket to go over the net, and that you should stand a stretched out arm and racquet length away from the net.
I am surprised the other two experianced doubles players did not say anything.
Fortunately, I have a pretty good lob, and a decent passing shot, so he was not too much of a problem for me (although, at first it was a quite unnerving to have him standing right up to the net when I was receiving serve, as it seemed he was right on top of me!).
Thank You