The middle causes problems because both players can think the other person will take the ball. Good pairs remove that hesitation early. They communicate, understand who has responsibility, and move together after the shot.
The right side player will often begin with more responsibility for the centre, but the exact ball still depends on positioning and who can play it cleanly. The important part is that the middle is actively owned rather than abandoned.
What to do
When one player takes a middle ball, the other player should react to that movement. The pair should stay connected instead of both chasing the same shot or leaving a second gap behind it.
If your partner has been dragged wide, slide across and protect the space they have left. That keeps the court compact and makes the next ball easier to defend.
Why it works
Middle coverage is therefore less about a fixed line on the court and more about pair movement. Call early, commit to the ball, then recover together.
For club players, this single habit removes a lot of cheap errors because it replaces hesitation with a clear shared rule.