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Tennis: be ready

be ready DRILLS
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Approach from the Alley

The coach stands in front of the player and throws the ball to the deuce alley. The player sprints, hits forehand approach from the alley and follows to the net.

Forehand Drills

Be ready for anything!

Players are working in pairs with player 1 feeding from just behind the service box and player 2 starting from the baseline area. Player 1 can roll, drop, or throw balls in any order or direction to player 2 and player 2 must react accordingly and return the ball to player 1 in the same way it has been fed. They must reach each and every ball before it goes outside the single tramlines, baseline or in front of the service box. Player 1 can throw the ball straight at player 2 too so they must be ready for anything!

Movement

Corner to corner

Player stands at the net, and the coach feeds a high ball. The player hits overhead back to the coach to the deuce side. The player hits the lob back who then finishes with overhead to the ad side.

Smash Drills

Drawing the opponent in: Point play

Players feed the ball in from hand and rally up and down the middle of the court. At any time, player 1 can choose to hit a shot that will bring player 2 forward to the net. This shot must be hit inside the service box and can be a short slice or dropshot. The point is then live from the next ball. Players play first to 7 before switching roles.

Rally Drills

No backhand pattern

Player serves wide from the deuce side. Coach throws a ball to the deuce side. Player hits forehand down the line and recovers. Coach throws another ball to the ad side. Player runs around and hits forehand inside in.

Serve and Return

Non-stop points out the hand

Players play the point out from the hand with each end of the court taking it in turns to feed the first ball in. If the player wins the point they stay on to play the next one with a maximum of 3 points in a row being played before switching with their partner. As soon as the point is complete the next ball can be fed in without having to wait for the opposing players to be ready. The drill should be non-stop, and the players are playing as a team with their points counting together. Players can play first to 11 points in this way.

Coordination / Fun Games

Smarter than the opponent

Coach feeds the angle shot. Player runs diagonally forward and hits drop shot down the line. Drill specifications: 1 repetition per set One player is working with the coach so other players should perform speed exercises to improve their movement to the ball. On clay court coach should demand sliding to the ball; on harder surface full sprint without stopping is required to answer the angle shot.

Forehand Drills

The loop and sneak: Cat and mouse!

Players are rallying up and down the centre of the court in the usual way. When either player decides to, they can change the flight path of the ball and hit an aggressive topspin loop to push the opposing player to the back off the court. The point is then live and the players play first to 11 points. The player who has hit the aggressive loop can wait to see what damage their shot has done to their opponent before deciding where to position themselves on the court. If the loop has been played well and deep, the player may look to sneak into the net after it as it is likely the opponent will hit a weak reply. However if the loop has not been hit deep enough it may provide the opponent with a slower midcourt ball so the player must be ready to defend if this is the case.

Lob

Two things at once?

Players rally co-operatively down the middle of the court, standing between the service and baselines. However, they both must feed a ball in at the same time, so effectively there are 2 balls in play at once. Players try to get the longest rally they can within a certain set time period.

Coordination / Fun Games

Using the middle to defend under pressure (it's the biggest part of the court after all!)

The coach feeds single ball feeds from the basket putting the player under extreme pressure. Starting from the singles tramline the players must try to hit the ball on the run directly back down the middle of the court to the rectangular target. Players can choose whether they slice or hit over the ball depending on how quickly they can get to the ball. Each player hits just one ball at a time so players waiting must be ready immediately for the next feed and after the shot has been played must jog back to the start position at the back of the court in order to keep the drill continuous. Repeat this drill with the coach feeding from the opposite corner.

Passing Shots Drills

Be ready for anything! Movemen...

Players are working in pairs with player 1 feeding from just behind the service box and player 2 starting from the baseline area.Player 1 can roll, drop, or throw balls in any order or direction to player 2 and player 2 must react accordingly and return the ball to player 1 in the same way it has been fed.They must reach each and every ball before it goes outside the single tramlines, baseline or in front of the service box. Player 1 can throw the ball straight at player 2 too so they must be ready for anything!

General

Ball roll Movement - Tennis Dr...

Player 1 is feeding from the service box and player 2 starts on the baseline T in the ready position.Player 1 rolls tennis balls along the ground, in a random pattern, one after the other and player 2 must move to each ball, stop it with their hand before it goes outside the singles tramlines or baseline.After stopping the ball player 2 should roll it back to player 1 who can then roll the next ball.

General

Ready backhand Backhand Drills...

The coach stands in front of the player and throws balls to the backhand side. The player executes backhands using only open stance.

General

Approach from the Alley Foreha...

The coach stands in front of the player and throws the ball to the deuce alley. The player sprints, hits forehand approach from the alley and follows to the net.

General

Low ball backhand Backhand Dri...

The coach stands in front of the player and feeds low balls to the backhand. The player hits backhand over the net.

General

Serve and Recover Serve and Re...

Coach is in front of the player. Coach rolls the ball on the ground quickly after player serves the ball. Player's goal is to recover behind the baseline before ball goes between the legs.

General

9 spots to AD Forehand Drills ...

Cones are set in the ad corner.Coach feeds 3 kinds of balls: deep, medium and short in 3 directions: deuce, middle, ad.Player hits offensive shot to the ad and recovers back to the middle after every shot.

General

Developing Coordination- Progr...

Intention: Develop sending and receiving skills through the use of progressive coordination exercises. Following progression 2 Players stand facing each other on the inside and outside tramlines respectively (in a ready, athletic, gorilla position) Players have three balls, one player starts with 2 and the other with one, and throw the balls underarm between each other. The balls must bounce once before the partner catches the ball. Each player must throw the ball with their right hand and catch the other ball with their left. Once the ball has been caught it must be passed between the hands in preparation for the throw and free up the left hand for the catch. As players master a rhythm, they attempt to increase the tempo.

General

1 air 1 bounce Volley Drills -...

The player stands at the service line. The coach feeds balls to the backhand side. The coach alternates feeds hitting 1 ball into the legs of the player and 1 regular ball. The player alternates hitting 1 backhand half-volley and 1 regular backhand volley in a down the line direction.

General

Side slide Forehand Drills - T...

The coach stands in front of the player and feeds the ball to the forehand side. The player moves to the ball, slides and hits forehand.

General

Band and maintain Backhand Dri...

The player wears resistance cords (bands are attached to the waist and ankles), whilst hitting backhand strokes. Resistance cords forces the player to bend knees and maintain low position.

General

Offensive Forehand Return Fore...

Player stands on the ad side.Coach provides easy serve.Player hits offensive return inside the court using only the forehand stroke.

General

Feed Variation Forehand & Back...

Player starts on the baseline with the coach just in front of them, ready to feed the ball to them. The feed should be done in a 4 ball pattern: 1 short forehand, 1 short backhand, 1 deep forehand and 1 deep backhand. The player comes forward to the feed and plays the shot before returning to the baseline ready for the next feed.

General

Respond To Slice With Slice Ra...

Player serves to the T from the deuce side.Coach hits a backhand slice return down the line.Player hits their own backhand slice and hits the ball in the cross-court direction.

General

Feed by hand to forehand side ...

Coach feeds the ball from the T to the forehand side of the player. The player runs to the ball to play the shot and retrieves back towards the middle of the base line before the coach feeds the next ball wide. After 3 or 4 shots the next player.

General

Backhand winner down the line ...

The coach stands in front of the player and feeds in an easy ball to the player who starts off in the forehand doubles alley. When the ball is ready to be hit the player should play the first shot back to the coach and the second shot should be played as a winner down the line.

General

Short Opportunity Attacking - ...

Coach feeds first ball deep to the forehand side.Player hits deep forehand down the line.Coach feeds second ball short to the backhand side.Player quickly runs around and hits offensive forehand inside in.

General

Five Alive Coordination / Fun ...

Separate the whole group into teams of around 5-6. Each team nominates a player to feed first. When ready the feeder throws the ball to each player consecutively until the team has caught 5 balls. The team getting to 5 first shouts Five Alive and win the first point. A new feeder is selected by each team, and the next round begins.

General

Build The Point With Confidenc...

The coach feeds 2 balls to the ad side and 1 ball to the deuce sidePlayer hits backhand cross-court, backhand down the line and forehand cross-courtCoach feeds the last ball shorter to the ad sidePlayer finishes with attacking backhand down the line

General

Toss From Behind Backhand Dril...

The coach stands behind the player. The player takes ready position. The Coach tosses the ball to the backhand side. The player reacts, moves forward and hits backhand.

General

Corner to corner Smash Drills ...

Player stands at the net, and the coach feeds a high ball. The player hits overhead back to the coach to the deuce side. The player hits the lob back who then finishes with overhead to the ad side.

General

Non-stop alternate shots Coord...

Players are playing the point out from the hand but are taking it in turns to hit alternate shots with their partner.Pairs take it in turns to feed the first ball in but as soon as the point has finished the next ball can be fed in immediately. Players can play first to 11 points before switching partners and after 3 rotations the individual players' totals are added up.

General

Using the middle to defend und...

The coach feeds single ball feeds from the basket putting the player under extreme pressure.Starting from the singles tramline the players must try to hit the ball on the run directly back down the middle of the court to the rectangular target.Players can choose whether they slice or hit over the ball depending on how quickly they can get to the ball.Each player hits just one ball at a time so players waiting must be ready immediately for the next feed and after the shot has been played must jog back to the start position at the back of the court in order to keep the drill continuous.Repeat this drill with the coach feeding from the opposite corner.

General

Mini close-stance slide Foreha...

The coach rallies with a player from the service line and the player stands behind the cone. The player moves to the ball, slides using close stance and hits forehand. After each shot, the player has to recover behind the cone.

General

Serve And Body Ball Movement -...

Player serves the ball, and immediately after serving, the coach tosses a deep ball into player's body. The player's goal is to move back and hit with control.

General

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be ready SESSIONS
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Forehand Ready For The Match |...

Understand how movement, body and racket technique have to work together to achieve good quality shot
be ready ANSWERS
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Child with finals nerves?

Last weekend my 10 years old daughter participated in a tennis tournament.Although she reached the final and the game was set at 14%3A30 pm, when we got to the court she started complaining about her belly. She said that had a bellyache and she could not play. The doctor didn’t find anything wrong, but he told me that he could not let her play.When we went back she was fine.How do you cope with this situation. I did not say anything to her. I told her that I would like to discuss it with her when she will be ready.Thank you for listening. submitted by email

Sportplan Team Coach, United Kingdom

Strategy to win senior 70´s tournament singles?

How to win senior 70´s tournament singles? Strategy?

Archived User Coach

How to run try-outs, getting 50 students down to 32?

There are 50 students, and I need to select 32 of them. How will you plan your try-out? Test for accuracy? Fitness?

Farhad Roshanaie Coach, United States of America

how do i create animated drills

i want to create a new animated drill but dont know how

Morven Park Primary School Coach, England

How can I ask a question?

Archived User Coach

How do I crop my Chalkboard sketch?

Steven Portplan Coach, England

split step

what is this

Deborah Hooks Coach, United States

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