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height DRILLS
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Attacking Midcourt Balls

This drill should be used to help players deal with easy balls and get them to attack the ball. The coach starts the drill with a mid-court feed, at various heights. The player has to hit the ball to the targets either deep or angled. The coach feeds 6 balls and then the next player starts.

Attacking

Ball drop speed drill

Player 1 is feeding and can start halfway between the service line and the net with arms outstretched at shoulder height. Player 2 is working, starting in the ready position on the baseline, but remaining active on the spot. Player 1 must drop either of the 2 balls they have outstretched in their hands. As soon as player 2 sees this they must sprint forwards and try to get to the ball after 1 bounce. They then throw the ball back to player 1 and shuffle their feet moving backwards in a relaxed way to get into the start position for the next feed.

Movement

Depth by numbers

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.

Rally Drills

Height for Depth

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.

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

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

Spanish style

Working on net clearance and top spinPlace 4 rackets on top of the net.Players should aim to hit the ball to the last quarter of the court. Pairs take it in turns and rally for the highest score.

Forehand Drills

The Volley Train

- Volley to each others Forehand only.-The first pair to successfully complete the task is the winner.- If it breaks down, go to the back of the queue.This then can be done with backhand volley only.

Coordination / Fun Games

Height Rally Drills - Tennis D...

Purpose:To learn that shots go higher over the net than imagined Variation "A"Cover the net with towels and ask 2 singles players to play up to 11 points.Feed underhand for 2 points alternately Variation "B"Erect badminton nets to create higher target over netCompete as in "A".

General

Mix the height Backhand Drills...

Get the player to stand on the baseline in preparation to receiving the ball. Coach begins by feeding the player two low ball and then two higher balls on the player's backhand side. Player responds with consistent backhand.

General

Height's decision Forehand Dri...

2 players rally in cross court direction. Players make proper tactical decisions according to the height of the ball they receive. If the ball is really low player hits neutral shot. If the ball is at knee-to-hip level player hits neutral/offensive shot. If the ball is over the hips player tries to be aggressive.Drill specifications:Switch after 1 min or specific number of shots4 players are hitting with each other while others cooperate with partners. Waiting players should focus on perception of the incoming ball so easy exercise where player 1 throws the ball at random height and player B has to say “high”, “medium” or “low” and hit it softly back to the player should be incorporated to accelerate the learning process. Fitness drills are also preferred with the main focus on legs and shoulders (necessary for successful attempts with high and low balls)

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

3 Heights Movement - Tennis Dr...

Player stands at the middle of the service boxes. Coach feeds balls to the player at different heights (low, medium, high) Player has to return the ball by executing the shot from different contacts and on the volley

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

Backhand Volley - 3 Heights Ba...

The player starts on the service line and is fed 3 balls in a row at different heights to the backhand side. The player must execute a backhand volley from each of these feeds.

General

Length Rally Drills - Tennis D...

Can use this rally as a progression of "Height" drillPurpose:Understanding the importance of lengthStart with a coach feeding the balls from the other side of the net. Only shots landing deep of service line count as "in". Progress to a rally with 2 Players full courtPlay up to 11 points.Feed underhand for 2 points alternately.

General

Drop And Run Movement - Tennis...

The player stands in one corner of the court, with the coach on the opposite side of the baseline. The coach drops the ball from shoulder height and the player must sprint across the baseline and hit the ball, before returning to their starting position.

General

Deuce rally with mixed shots F...

Player stands in the deuce side service box. The coach feeds the ball to the player over the net, differing the height o the ball each time he feeds it. Player should practise alternating the return using a forehand volley and overhead stroke.

General

Backhand on the rise Backhand ...

Coach stands in front of the player between the service boxes. The player stands close to the baseline. The coach feeds the ball from their own side to the backhand side of the player. The player needs to move and respond with a backhand around shoulder height

General

Consider point of contact Fore...

Player stands on the baseline. Coach feeds shorter balls with different heights. Player picks the right offensive method according to the ball’s height. Higher balls are hit with powerful strokes; lower balls are hit with more topspin and control.Drill specifications:4 repetitions per setWith more players on the court students make 2 lines and work on forehand and backhand separately. It allows the coach to put more players in play and work on proper tactical decisions. Waiting players should perform reaction drills to accelerate learning process and improve offensive skills in the hitting drill.

General

1 Offense 1 Defense Forehand D...

2 players rally together in cross court direction. Player A hits all the balls aggressively. Player B hits all the balls defensively. After the point both players switch roles and play another rally.Drill specifications:5-10 min per sideWith more players on the court coach can use this drill strictly for the learning process or to make it really competitive. For learning purposes, players switch after few points to have a time to work on their shots as also to spend some time on different skills. For competitiveness, coach should put players into teams and play cross court points with clear defensive/offensive goals.

General

2 Ball Warm Up Coordination / ...

Coach throws 2 balls at the same time (Different heights). Player tries to catch both balls in the air.

General

Attacking Midcourt Balls Attac...

This drill should be used to help players deal with easy balls and get them to attack the ball. The coach starts the drill with a mid-court feed, at various heights. The player has to hit the ball to the targets either deep or angled. The coach feeds 6 balls and then the next player starts.

General

Have unpredictable forehand Fo...

Coach feeds balls to the forehand side. Player alternates hitting forehand topspin cross-court and forehand slice cross-court.

General

Ripping it! Smash Drills - Ten...

The coach feeds each player 5 easy balls anywhere inside the service boxes.The player must 'rip' every single ball, with 100% intensity, swinging freely and keeping the racquet head speed fast through each and every ball.These are 'put away' balls, the last shot of a rally and must be buried into the court to give the opponent no chance of getting to it.

General

Hitting on the Run Forehand & ...

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.

General

Ball drop speed drill Movement...

Player 1 is feeding and can start halfway between the service line and the net with arms outstretched at shoulder height.Player 2 is working, starting in the ready position on the baseline, but remaining active on the spot.Player 1 must drop either of the 2 balls they have outstretched in their hands. As soon as player 2 sees this they must sprint forwards and try to get to the ball after 1 bounce.They then throw the ball back to player 1 and shuffle their feet moving backwards in a relaxed way to get into the start position for the next feed.

General

Hit and move: Running drives R...

Players are working in threes with player 1 in a full-court and players 2 and 3 in the forehand and backhand corners respectively.Player 1 is hitting running drives, 1 forehand cross followed by 1 backhand cross.Player 2 is hitting a forehand line, and player 3 a backhand line.The pattern is played in this way for up to 3 minutes depending on the level of fitness of player 1.

General

Make it Deep Volley Drills - T...

Deep zone is set. Player stands at the net. Coach feeds balls to the ad side. Player hits deep backhand volleys in different directions.

General

Fast Hands Volley Drills - Ten...

Player stands on the service line, with the coach on the opposite side of the net. The coach quickly tosses balls to the forehand side for the player to hit a forehand volley cross court. The drill should be done at a fast pace and players should hit as many balls as they can.

General

1 High 1 Low - Forehand Foreha...

In this exercise, the coach feeds all the balls to one side. The player's goal is to alternate shots with higher and lower trajectory over the net, firstly hitting a high shot, followed by a low shot, and this is repeated.

General

In or out? Smash Drills - Tenn...

Player stands at the net and the coach feeds high balls. The player has to decide if the ball is going in or out. If the ball is going to be in, the player hits an overhead. If the ball is going to be out, the player leaves the ball.

General

Lob on the move Lob - Tennis D...

The coach feeds the ball to the backhand side and rises the racquet up. The player moves to the ball and hits backhand slice lob cross court. Coach's racquet is used as a point of reference for the player.

General

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height SESSIONS
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Serve and Return - Accuracy and consistency session

Get your players mastering their first and seconds serves while also working on their ability to return a speedy serve!

Unpredictable Competitor

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

Complex Volleying

Teach how to volley from different heights and get your players winning at the net!

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.

Good Performance Close to the Net

To work on different aspects of volleying and positioning at the net to develop an effective net game.

Keep Constant Pressure On Your Opponent

To understand how to put pressure on the rival and work on specific patterns behind and inside the baseline.

Serving wide to create the one two punch: Advantage court

Get your players using the flat and kick serve to develop an aggressive serve and first shot combination

Responding to Drop-shots and Short Angles under pressure

Have your players mastered the dark art of the Drop-Shot and do they know how to spot a disguised Drop-Shot themselves? Find out in this tennis coach plan

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!

Attacking and Defensive Cross Court Shots

By keeping it simple and hitting cross court shots your player will avoid unforced errors and manipulate their opponent into returning the ball so they can hit their favourite point winning shot

Point Play: Restricted and Unrestricted

Perfect session for pre comp' players: A fast rotating, rallying point play session to improve your players shot selection and court positioning

Training tips for taller tenni...

Teach players to use their natural advantage with this tactics and technique plan - covering everything from how to get more power in your serve to dominating from the baseline
height ANSWERS
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Judging Approach?

Which drills would recommend to work on judging the pace and speed of a ball coming across the net? Which drills would you suggest that would teach a player how to judge the height, speed and pace of a ball coming across the net and move into position to time the return in the proper position.Thanks

Sportplan Team Coach, United Kingdom

Can you suggest drills for the swing volley

Ask a question and have it answered by Coaches from around the world and Sportplan's team of Experts.Can you suggest drills for the swing volley

kevin baker Coach, England

What practice drill could i use to improve attacking play in tennis?

What practice drill could i use to improve attacking play in tennis for youth players?

Archived User Coach

HOW DO YOU DO A SPIN SERVE

HOW DO YOU DO A SPIN SERVE

Archived User Coach

How can I ask a question?

Archived User Coach

Position of the coach when feeding

hi. My name is Letty . Im a young coach trying to get level1 (ITF). Kindly help me with the position of the coach when trying to get a player u12 to practice passing.is it wrong for the coach to be in the service box or not?

Letlhogonolo M Matenge Coach, Botswana

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

Judging Approach? | Sportplan

Which drills would recommend to work on judging the pace and speed of a ball coming across the net? Which drills would you suggest that would teach a player how to judge the height, speed and pace of a ball coming across the net and move into position to time the return in the proper position.Thanks

Sportplan Team Coach, United Kingdom

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