Mixed doubles success often boils down to two factors:

1. How steady the female player is.

2. The male player finding the right balance in how "big" he plays.

If they hesitate to take attackable balls and put them away, that will hurt the team's chances of success. But a male player who plays too big can also negatively impact the team. Here's how:

You open up too much court: When the male player consistently steps in front of his female partner – particularly simply to dink balls back into play – he leaves large areas of the court exposed and creates imbalance on his side. Oftentimes this leads to a more stressful backhand shot for the male player.

You break your partner’s rhythm: This downside is a big one. It will be difficult for your female partner to play her best if she cannot get into a rhythm. And if she is always wondering whether that next routine dink is hers – or if you are going to step in front of her – it will be much harder to achieve rhythm.