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Tennis: depth

depth DRILLS
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Attack and Intercept

-Player serves to deuce court towards feeder and comes to the net.-The first player on the advantage side shadows the server and comes to net.-Feeder hits a ball to server who returns it cross court.-Feeder hits towards server again but the shadow server intercepts and hits cross-court winner.

Doubles Drills

Building points through deep cross court shots

The coach feeds the ball to team A, they then have to hit it into the target area cross court. -Player from team B hits down the line if possible, however if under pressure from the depth or pace of the shot,then player B should play cross court or down the middle.Team A are hitting mostly cross court.

Rally Drills

Consistency and accuracy

-Players hit forehands aiming for the line.-Players maintain high net clearance to achieve consistency.-Three points are deducted from the final score (i.e. the rally count) for each shot that was hit into the net.-After 2 minutes see which pair held the longest rally.-After one or two rounds swap to backhand.

Rally Drills

Groundstrokes, Inside-out forehands

-Players work on ground strokes and depth, aiming to hit beyond the service line.Possibly put targets down.-After rotations, swap to backhand. - Players no.1 and no.6 can hit inside-out forehands depending on ability.

Rally Drills

Hitting on the Run

There are 2 lines of players starting at the middle of the baseline. The coach feeds wide balls alternately to each side. Players hit one shot down the line and then return to the opposite line.

Forehand & Backhand Drill

Long and short down the line

-The Coach feeds (i) long then (ii) short.-Each player has two shots,both must go down the line.-Player is aiming for the targets.

Attacking

Progression of Returning drills

DescriptionPlay out the point after the serve and if the returner hits the depth area and eventually wins the point will receive bonus points. Encourages returner to put pressure on opponent.

Serve and Return

Queen/King of Depth

-Both players have cones approx 2 meters in front of base line (depending on players skill level.-Players gain a point each time they hit between the cone and the base line. -First player to 11 points wins the game.To make the drill easier it can be played on one half of the court and later progressed to full court. The game can also be started with with a second serve.

Rally Drills

Rewarding depth

-Lines of cones are placed as seen in the picture above.-To make the drill easier it can be played on one half of the court and later progressed to full court.-If the ball lands in the service box a point is deducted.Ball landing between the 2 lines of cones = 1 point.Players gain 3 points for shots hit into the last quarter.-First player to 11 points wins the game.-The game can also be started with a second serve.

Rally Drills

Depth of serve Serve and Retur...

TDL = Throw down lines<BR>Place some TDL 2 feet inside the service line<BR> - Player A only has one serve per point. <BR> - If they serve between TDL and the service line and eventually win the point they score two points but if the serve is short they will only score 1 point.

General

Height for Depth Rally Drills ...

Players rally up and down the middle of the court, attempting to get the longest rally they can hitting beyond the service box.Racquets are placed in the net to force the players to hit with height, which will help them to get the depth they are looking for.Pairs of players can compete against each other's courts to see which pair gets the longest rally within a certain amount of time.

General

Rewarding depth Rally Drills -...

<BR>-Lines of cones are placed as seen in the picture above.<BR>-To make the drill easier it can be played on one half of the court and later progressed to full court.<BR>-If the ball lands in the service box a point is deducted.Ball landing between the 2 lines of cones = 1 point.Players gain 3 points for shots hit into the last quarter.<BR>-First player to 11 points wins the game.<BR>-The game can also be started with a second serve.

General

Control the Depth - Forehand F...

Coach feeds balls to one side. Player hits 6 volleys in a particular pattern: 2 deep, 2 average, 2 short.

General

Returning with Depth Serve and...

Place Throw down lines (TDL) 1m inside the baseline on the servers sideThe server 2nd serves and the returner is trying to return the ball between the TDL and the baseline. Play out the point after the serve and if the returner hits the depth area and eventually wins the point they get a bonus point.Advanced progression - returner receiving both 1st and 2nd serves inside the baseline or close to the service box.

General

Depth by numbers Rally Drills ...

Players are working in threes with player 1 working in the whole court against players 2 and 3.Players are rallying co-operatively but with players 2 and 3 moving player 1 around the court a little. Player 1 can hit to either side in any order.If player 1 hits a ball that lands long they get 2 points, beyond the service line but before the longline they get 1 point, in the service box they get no points.Should they miss a ball long or wide they get minus 1 point, and in the net minus 2 points.Players 2 and 3 must count out loud, and player 1 is trying to get to 25 points as quickly as possible. The length of time it takes is timed and players can compete within themselves in the 3 or combined against other courts if the group is larger.

General

Mix Height, Spin & Depth Foreh...

Coach feeds the ball to the ad side.Player runs around and hits a deep high topspin forehand inside out.Coach feeds another ball to the deuce side.Player finishes with a forehand drop shot cross-court.

General

Tennis: Forehand Lateral, with...

<b>Drill Set-Up:</b><BR>Players start off in backhand doubles corner and executes two balls.<BR><b>Topic of Emphasis:</b><BR>Player steps out in on first shot and plays open stance on second volley.Player aim for greater depth.<BR><b>Variation:</b><BR>Coach can vary fielding position and players alternate direction and depth.

General

Depth on the run Forehand & Ba...

The coach feeds 4 balls from the basket , alternating with a forehand and a backhand feed.Player 1 must sprint across the court to play each of the shots on the run, defending them as deep as they can, looking to hit beyond the line.The coach shouts out at the end of the four shots how many made it into the target zone, before the next player comes in.The first player to 20 points wins!

General

Hit deep Forehand Drills - Ten...

Split the players into 2 equal groups, Both hitting forehands. Coach feeds left then right. Players have to move out to the ball and try to hit the ball into the coned are down the line. Play first team to score 10 points.

General

Building points through deep c...

<BR>The coach feeds the ball to team A, they then have to hit it into the target area cross court. <BR>-Player from team B hits down the line if possible, however if under pressure from the depth or pace of the shot,then player B should play cross court or down the middle.<BR>Team A are hitting mostly cross court.

General

Deep Cross Court Forehand Fore...

4 players A, B, C, and D. 4 discs or cones are placed half way between the service line and the service box on each side of the court. Player A rallys with player B, and C with D (hitting cross court). Each player hits a deep forehand beyond the disc. The aim of the drill is to keep the rally going, stepping outside the line of the ball to return to your partner.

General

Tennis: Backhand volley cross ...

The player stands at the net, and the coach feeds balls to the backhand's side. The player then hits 6 backhand volleys in cross court direction. First 2 balls are played deep; next 2 balls have medium depth; last 2 balls are hit short.

General

Random and deep Forehand & Bac...

Cones set the deep zone. Coach feeds random balls to forehand or backhand. Player tries to hit the ball into the deep zone.

General

Avoid deuce deep corner - back...

Cones are set in the deuce deep area. The coach feeds balls to the forehand or backhand and the player hits the ball while avoiding the deep deuce corner.

General

Queen/King of Depth Rally Dril...

<BR>-Both players have cones approx 2 meters in front of base line (depending on players skill level.<BR>-Players gain a point each time they hit between the cone and the base line. <BR>-First player to 11 points wins the game.<BR>To make the drill easier it can be played on one half of the court and later progressed to full court. <BR>The game can also be started with with a second serve.

General

Tennis: Forehands Deep / Short...

<b>Drill Set-Up:</b><BR>Players start off in backhand corner (Doubles alley).<BR>Players move out to play first F.H. along baseline and then moves forwards to play short ball inside service box.<BR><b>Topic of Emphasis:</b><BR>Players should split step after first forhand and then move off for second shortball.<BR><b>Variation</b><BR>Players can alternate direction for both shots.<BR>If the ball is too low on the second ball it should be hit cross court, if high it should be hit down the line.

General

Volley into the deep zone Voll...

The player stands at the net,whilst the coach feeds random balls. The player hits forehand/backhand volley into the deep zone (behind the cones).

General

Deep and Short Movement - Tenn...

Coach feeds an easy ball to the advantage side. Player runs around and hits forehand inside out. Player runs forward to take proper position at the net. Coach feeds another ball to the deuce side. Player finishes with forehand drop volley cross court.

General

Deep cross court rally Forehan...

<br />-The players rally aiming to hit the target area. <br />-The players take turns to hit a shot each.<br />-First team to 10 points wins the game.<br />-This can be played fom the backhnad conner too.

General

Hit deep to score Forehand Dri...

Split the group into 2 teams. One of each team goeas and stands in the box on the opposite side of the net and has to try and return the ball down the line each time. They are not allowed out of the box to start with. The Game. Coach feeds alternate sides.

General

Crosscourt theory Rally Drills...

Purpose:Teaches players when to keep ball in the same direction and when to change and that players need to recover position towards centre of court. Players rally 4 balls crosscourt from either corner. Then the point is &quot;live&quot;. Play to 11 points

General

Deep directions + drop shot ch...

Deep zone and angle zone are set by cones. Coach feeds balls to one side. Player performs tactical pattern based on deep down the line shot, deep cross court shot, and drop shot down the line.Drill specifications:1-2 repetitions per set1-2 patterns in a row is a number that each players should hit. With more players coach can set up 2 lines to work on forehand and backhand at the same time but it requires good feeding skills to keep the patterns in a right pace. Waiting players can perform physical drills or they can imitate well-disguised drop shot to get comfortable with the last-second change of grip and drop shot motion.

General

Tennis: Deep Forehand And Back...

Players will be fed 2-6 balls each. The balls are hit down the line into the target area as marked by the cones. The feeding can be varied i.e. higher, faster or with more spin.

General

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depth SESSIONS
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Controlling the depth of the b...

Mix your player?s game up and work on their depth when hitting different shots - from the backhand volley to the inside-out forehand. Stun their opponents with variety!

Coaching Groups Successfully |...

Coaching groups doesn’t have to be hard! Ensure your players keep busy with fun drills that will improve skills!

Tactical basics for effective ...

Understand tactical plays to create an advantage on the court by playing shots with a good depth to allow the player to approach the net and finish the point.

Different Use of the Slice | T...

Give your players a helping hand on court, by handing them a whole arsenal of shots to work with, from the slice to the drop shot!

Body and racquet under control

Develop balance and early footwork to maintain control of the body and racket head when hitting to all parts of the court.

Feeling Comfortable At The Front Of The Court

To improve skills that are necessary to take advantage of short balls and win points at the net.

Conscious Play at the Net

Have a clear idea of where to hit your volleys. Don't snatch at the volley, control the depth and the speed to be able to gain better court position or win the point.

Unpredictable Competitor

To coach a player with variety and a broader repertoire of shots so they are unpredictable to play against.

Learning The Backhand Half Volley

To learn the basics of a backhand half-volley shot at the net and make it an automatic response for players dealing with shots at their legs.

No more Boring Basket Drills

Make training interesting by mixing up the practices to get your players thinking how to adapt from one situation to the next.

Work with the Depth

Produce a player that recognises the value of varying the depth to dictate where the opponent plays from on the court. This session is great to learn the game as well as refine the skills to develop your player tactically and technically.

Varying The Depth At The Net

To improve depth perception when coming into the net to hit the ball with precision at various depths on the approach or at the net.

Winning Without A Bounce

To work on technical and tactical nuances related to an effective net game and highlight the importance of control.

Forehand-based Session for Kids: Ball Perception

It?s the stroke everybody enjoys playing the most, and can be the most dangerous stroke to play, so let?s enjoy learning it! See the kids hit forehands with smiles on their faces!

Forgotten Variety - Playing Backspin

To implement backspin as a variety that puts more pressure on the rival and understand tactical opportunities of playing slice in different situations.

Avoid the Danger Zone: Using the Whole Court

Don't play an easy mid-court return - Teach players to go on the offensive by aiming for the far corners and hitting the lines

Depth: hit the ball deep when rallying, attacking and defending

Depth is King! Keep your opponent on the back foot by getting your players to consistently hit their shots with depth!

Recognising where the ball is going to land

Don't react at the last minute. Teach players to read the ball and anticipate where it'll land with this anticipation, depth and shot preparation session
depth ANSWERS
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How to teach single and double-handed backhands to U10s?

teaching single and doublehanded backhands to under 10s

Archived User Coach

I want to improve my tennis toughness & play more aggressively - any tips?

I used to play on clay court for 20 years, now it's been two years that I've been exposed to hard court. About my game%3A I have a very good technique on all my strokes including volley, good kick serve, I am 192 cm. My issue%3A I was not taught to play aggressively, now in my matches I don't take the net; consequently, in spite of executing a high level tennis, I loose to some players that I never should. I've read some tennis mental toughness books, I teach them, but I don't know how can I change my own mental set. When I hit top spin (groundies), I enjoy and feel secure, even though it results in my loss and sorrow. I'm ready for change but how?

Farhad Roshanaie Coach, United States of America

How can I ask a question?

Archived User Coach

Best player - bad attitude/determination?

I have a learner that is super talented, he gets the game, he handles pace, power and depth well. He is aggressive and tennis just comes naturally when it comes to this kid but he lacks determination. I am really struggling to keep him motivated not to loose focus or to let one mistake make his shoulders hang for the rest of the lesson. Footwork is unfortunately a big problem and when he loses a point it's even worse, this kid is just draining me mentally every session, its a mental thing but i'm having trouble defeating it. If i'm too hard on him, he closes down and might as well stop and if i play too much and don't push him, he plays with no effort and just hit very sloppy shots. I do know that his situation at home is not good and i think it has a lot to do with his bad attitude on the court but i really need some advise, this is my hardest lesson to plan, what is most important about my lesson with a student with a bad attitude, no temper but just unmotivated and i don't want to give up because this kid really has the talent...he really can be the next junior champion in Africa if he really wants to. Would really appreciate some tips from the professionals that dealt with this before.

Archived User Coach

TopSpin Forehand

How should I put more topspin and depth and height on my forehand shots, I want to get it more consistent and practice putting more power on them.

stefo Coach, United States of America
depth COMMUNITY DRILLS
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Down the line depth/points challenge

Both back TRAIDING SINGLES

Open drills - depth

Open drill depth- 2

Wide serve, attack, volley, smash combination drill

Forehand cross court - with depth

2 on 1

Cross Court Angle/Depth Control

Tennis serve return strategy tips - 2nd serve return mistake

Zones of Court

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