Players play regular points. There is one rule: return can't be hit into the net. Any return missed into the net costs 2 points.
There is nothing better for the serve than a point won after a missed return. Especially after a mistake in the net! Coaches should emphasize importance of hitting with good clearance to make opponents work for at least one more shot. Players should try to do everything to make the ball go over the net because it is the first step to continue the point. Knowing from experience, players can slow down the racquet at the beginning to just make it in but after few successful returns, they go back to regular speed supported by much better clearance. Looking at the professional players like Nadal or Federer, it is easy to observe that their regular return goes much higher over the net than most of low-ranked players.
On-court coaching is now fully legal, technology continues to advance, and the ATP calendar evolves. Here's what tennis coaches need to know for 2026.
Tennis demands a unique combination of endurance, power, agility, and flexibility. Physical preparation determines how long careers last and how players perform when it matters most.
Ecological dynamics is transforming tennis coaching. This constraints-led approach develops adaptable, creative players who can solve problems in competition, not just execute drilled patterns.