Texas

Blind Draw: Signing up for doubles without a partner

Kat Kaliski | November 24, 2024

Q&A Interview with Ethan Scribner

Here’s the scenario: You want to play doubles, but unfortunately, none of your regular partners can play. Do you muster the courage, take the plunge, and register as unpaired, “Looking for a Partner?” If not, then you miss the tournament altogether. If yes, then you wait, cross your fingers, and hope for the best.

In this Q&A interview, Ethan Scribner, a former Texas junior player from Plano and current player on the Abilene Christian University men’s tennis team, shares his own experiences with random doubles pairings.

Scribner describes how he embraced this opportunity and faced the challenge head-on and shares his attitude about and experiences with teaming with a newly met partner.

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USTA Texas: How many times have you played a tournament with someone you didn’t know?

Scribner: Maybe three or four times. The tournament director combined me with someone who I had never heard of, and who was also from a completely different state. But I thought it was cool because we connected easily since we were in the same age group. It was kind of funny. After I got paired with someone, and this happened at all of these tournaments, I started to notice them at more National tournaments. It started a whole friendship kind of thing. Now we would check in with each other like “Hey, how did your match go?”

If I hadn’t registered for the tournament at all, I would have never met these players. It created a bond. I thought this was cool because I was able to get a different perspective and connect with someone new.

USTA Texas: Are all of your experiences as an unpaired player at the National level?

Scribner: For the most part they were all National tournaments, where I traveled outside of the state and didn’t know anyone else playing so I got paired randomly.

But for the couple of times I was in Texas, where I got randomly paired, I had known of the person. We had heard about each other, maybe played against each other or something, but never had a bond and never really talked to each other. But right after we finished playing doubles and finished that tournament, we kept in contact and were able to hang out with each other at tournaments and just really become friends. It was the same thing as the National tournaments: being able to create that bond and have connections in other states even. In your own state, it is cool that you can connect with everybody and it is just a different experience for sure.

USTA Texas: Were you nervous to sign up for doubles in these National tournaments without a partner?

Scribner: Yes, 100%. The first time I really did not know what to expect and I got very lucky being paired with the person I was paired up with. But yes, 100% I was nervous because typically at tournaments you stay within your friend group. It’s hard to branch out and go to different people and introduce yourself and create a different group. I think this helped me branch out and meet new people. And getting all of the connections was just a super cool experience for me and I wouldn’t change it at all.

Scribner sharing a laugh while working player check-in at the 2024 Texas Slam.

USTA Texas: If you are playing with someone you’ve never played with before, what are some of the initial discussions or strategies that you ask them before going into that first game?

Scribner: So normally if I see who I am paired up with I will get their contact info. But getting ready for the match, I would say asking what their preference of [return] side is, what strategies they like to do in doubles matches and just planning accordingly to what you like to do.

For me, I always play the ad side. If you ask anybody who knows me, I am always the ad side player. But there were a few times where … the other guy only played ad side and I was like “Okay, I’ll play deuce for this match and if we do well we’ll keep it. If we don’t do well, it’s ok.” But I would say it’s all about adjusting. It’s not one way is correct, or one way is right, it’s just all about combining both of your ideas and seeing what works best.

USTA Texas: In addition to your strengths, do you also share your weaknesses with your new partner?

Scribner: I for sure say “I’m strongest on the ad side,” or “ I am not as strong on the deuce side, but I am willing to try different things or see what works, and what doesn’t work.” I definitely would tell them my weaknesses and we go through everything that we are comfortable with, that we’re good with whether it be we’re both closing at the net, or if he’s a super big grinder from the baseline.

For me, I am a big, big net player, and in doubles, that’s pretty perfect, so we were able to adjust whether it be playing with someone who loves the baseline and can rip all day, or if someone is just like me and loves to close the net. In both ways we found success and I just think it is all about communicating clearly and focusing on the strengths, rather than focusing on weaknesses and how you can correct them but just really trying to reiterate focusing on the strengths that you both provide.

USTA Texas: Were you able to contact these players beforehand to potentially arrange a practice session?

Scribner: Yes, I played one tournament in Georgia and I got the email that I was paired up with this guy. I looked on the tournament site and got his contact information and texted him ‘Hey, I’m Ethan, I’m your partner. Would you want to hit the next day?” He responded, “Yeah let’s do it!” We both met up and were able to practice. It wasn’t until we started hitting that I realized this guy had two forehands! He had a forehand on his right and left sides. We had a lot of options for sure!

It was just a great experience to be able to contact him and how easy it is to connect with everybody.

USTA Texas: Were you nervous signing up for a big tournament without a partner, or did you feel confident in yourself to where it didn’t impact you?

Scribner: I was super nervous when I first signed up for one of the national tournaments. But to me, I felt like whatever happens, happens. I was confident in knowing my strengths and we’ll figure out how we can do our best to win a match maybe or to win a set. It’s all about starting with the little things and doing the little things as best as you can. It always starts with your own self and then it reflects within that partnership. Starting out I was nervous, but as the tournament went along, and we got more comfortable with them it became super easy.

USTA Texas: Have you played with any of these partners again after that initial experience?

Scribner: So there were a few times where I played an L2 or L3 and I randomly partnered, and we still kept each other’s contact information, and one of the guys texted me and was like “Hey do you have a partner for this tournament?” and I didn’t so we were able to sign up together.

USTA Texas: Final question. What advice do you have for players who want to register for a tournament, but all of their friends are out of town or busy, and they still want to play, but they don’t have a partner?

Scribner: I would say the biggest thing is to just put yourself out there. I think it is so easy for us, especially nowadays, to stay within our bubble of friends, but we are missing out on so many opportunities with other people to get different perspectives on strategy and doubles play or even singles. I think it’s really all about putting yourself out there and meeting different people, getting new connections. That is my biggest advice.

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