Drills (stroke production and tactical)

Provided by ITF, Dan James and Jason Harnett (USTA)

Attack Drill

Attack and Defence Drill

Reaction Drill 1

Reaction Drill 2

Reaction Drill 3

Recognition Drill

Service Drill 1

Service Drill 2

Slice Serve Drill

Stroke Production Drill 1

Stroke Production Drill 2

Volley Drill 1

Volley Drill 2

Volley Drill 3

Groundstroke Drill 1

Groundstroke Drill 2

Groundstroke Drill 3

Groundstroke Drill 4

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 Attack Drill

Server

Serve Returner

This drill teaches the server to take control of the point from service. The serve is
directed at the forehand, backhand or body, so that the server can anticipate the return
and dominate the point.

Expect that:

1) The percentage return of a strong service to the forehand is a cross court

return.

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 2) The percentage return of a strong service to the backhand is a down the line
return.
3) The percentage return of a strong service to the body is a mid court ball.

Purpose of the Drill

 To encourage the player to dominate the point from the outset of the rally

Coaches Notes

 Get the players to experiment serving at the backhand, forehand, and the body
and encourage the play to anticipate the return. All tennis in this drill should
be played on one bounce. Encourage the returner to play percentage shots, i.e.
forehand cross court, backhand return down the line.

Players Notes

 Server – It is important to control the direction of the serve in order to predict

the returns. Hit off one bounce where possible, and dominate the point by
attacking the ball.
 Returner – It is important to keep the wheelchair rocking and return the ball
wide and deep when possible. The player should attack the serve.

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 Attack and Defence Drill

Bowler (server)

Batsman (Serve Return)

The principle of this drill is to teach players attack and defence (consistency). The
attack player is the “bowler”. The defence player is the “batsman”. Each player has 5
“wickets” (lives). The bowler feeds the ball down the middle (service court). The
batsman scores one run every time he “bats” returns the ball across the net. If the
bowler wins the point, the batsman loses a wicket. If the batsman wins the point then
he keeps his life. Once all 5 lives are lost, players change positions. Do this 2 times,
and add total.

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 Reaction Drill 1

Coach

The Coach feeds a drop shot over the net. The player sprints into the court and
catches the ball on their racquet.

Purpose of the Drill

 The player then returns the ball back to the coach. The player must work on
acceleration in order to catch the ball before it starts to roll.

hh
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 Reaction Drill 2

Server Server

Volley Volley

Purpose of the Drill

 This is a great drill to overcome fear of hardballs coming directly at a player.

It also develops anticipation and improves reaction time. Serves and volleys
will also improve.

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Coaches Notes

 Pick the pairings carefully based on ability levels.

Players Notes

 Anticipate the direction and the speed of the serve in order to allow time for
volley.

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 Reaction Drill 3

The coach feeds a ball over the net, at the same time calling out 1,2 and 0. The player
must then catch the ball after a specified number of bounces.

Purpose of the drill

 This drill works on both the player’s acceleration and their reaction time.
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 Recognition Drill

Players start on the deuce side of the court and begin a rally to forehand. Using the
singles court only, the players will rally, trying to pull each other wider and wider
until the down the line shot is open enough to hit there safely. If a player wins the
point on the diagonal through a winner or error, he gets one point. If he hits the ball
down the line and his opponent touches it, he gets one point. And finally, if a player
hits a clean winner down the line, that player gets two points. Play can continue to any
number of points.

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Purpose of the Drill

 This drill is designed to teach players patience and the ability to recognise an
opening in a rally.

Coaches Points

 Once the players finish the competition on the forehand, go to the backhand
side.

Players Points

 Players will find it easier to hit down the line from closer to the centre.
Mobility should be practiced upon recovery to the middle of the court.

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 Service Drill 1

Serve Return

Close out
Shot

Body Serve

Close

Purpose of the Drill

 The primary purpose of this drill is for the server to develop:

1) A body serve directly at the opponent
2) Closure near the service line and taking return on one bounce
3) To execute a “close out” shot to end the point. A secondary purpose is for the
player returning serve to affect various mobility skills to deal with serves directed
towards him.

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Coaches Notes

 The body serve is an extremely useful tactic in wheelchair tennis.

Players Notes

 Give the opponent no space on service returns in order to close out the point.

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 Service Drill 2

Slice
Top Top
Top Kick
Slice
Slice Top
Top

Slice Kick

1 2 3 4

Player A serves to deuce court practicing slice, top and kick serves to designated areas
1 and 2. Player B practices slice, top and kick services to area 3 and 4. Players rotate
clockwise after a few minutes at each serving station.

Purpose of the Drill

 Improve variety of the players’ service.

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Coaches Notes

 Use cones to mark out different zones. Makes sure the players’ gripping is
appropriate for each different type of serve.

Players Notes

 Ensure that the delivery of the serve is altered to get the desired outcome.

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 Slice Serve Drill

Upon learning the proper serve technique for the slice service, this drill encourages
the player to refine that technique and work on spin, placement, and the amount of
distance the ball breaks after hitting in the service court. Measurements can be kept
with a partner at each practice session. Left–handed servers can switch to the alternate
service court.
Purpose of the Drill

 To practice the slice serve

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 Stroke Production Drill 1

Coach

THE WALL

Two players are at the baseline and two players are at the net, with a feeding coach
between. The coach feeds the two baseline players who can’t lob but have to hit
ground strokes with authority past the people at the “wall” (two players and a coach).
Coach and players at the net volley back any balls within reach.

Purpose of the Drill

 Work on groundstroke’s pace and placement.

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 Stroke Production Drill 2

The players (or player and coach) rally with each other. The players at the far end
must hit all shots into or as close as the coned zone as possible. The other player or
coach hits the ball wherever they like in the singles area. To increase the difficulty
the coach or player near end must hit to alternate sides of the player at far end.

Purpose of the drill

1. To encourage accuracy
2. To encourage a deep ball into a specific area so as to be able to feed off the
next ball (predicating its direction)

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 3. To practice control of a shot under pressure of pushing

Scoring

1. The player the far end must hit 1 ball into the orange area then play out the
rally. The rally continues all the time but the point goes LIVE (full court)
when the orange zone is hit. If the player wins the rally then they move to
level two. Level two is 2 balls in the zone in a row before the point is LIVE
and so on for 3,4,5 etc. Score is how many times in 1 minute the player the far
end can hit the ball into the coned zone.

This can then be repeated from the opposite side so that a player is hitting into the
backhand side of the court.

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 Volley Drill 1

Coach

The coach delivers 3 consecutive balls to player who continuously moves forward
executing volleys.

Purpose of the Drill

 This drill will train the player to become aggressive while moving forward to
execute volleys

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Coaches Notes

 Vary the delivery of the balls to ensure the player adapts to attacking a variety
of returns.

Player’s Notes

 Attack every ball in play and anticipate shorter balls during the rally.

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 Volley Drill 2

Coach Coach

Coach rallies balls to player who must volley five consecutive times to the area where
the coach is located. After three sets of five consecutive volleys by the player, coach
moves to opposite side of court and drill is repeated. Player may use both forehand
and backhand volleys during the drill.

Purpose of the Drill

 To improve the consistency of the player’s volleys.

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Coaches Notes

 Ensure that deliveries are to both the player’s forehand and backhand.

Player’s Notes

 Ensure every volley is returned in the direction of the coach.

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 Volley Drill 3

Rally Zone

Volley

Volley

Volley

Rally Zone

Two players rally back and forth crosscourt to deuce courts. A third player at the net
executes circular mobility, and when timing is right she/he moves forward to “pick
off” the forehand volley. This player must make the decision if they feel the timing is
right to move forward and volley, otherwise they execute circular mobility and
attempts to time the turn to intercept the next crosscourt ball, and so on. This drill can
be done with the players rallying on the ad side and the player at net “picking off”
back hand volleys.

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 Groundstroke Drill 1

3 4

Coach

This drill asks the player to hit a volley one way and then the next volley the opposite
way, taking advantage of the angle created. The first two balls are ground strokes (hit
either straight ahead or crosscourt), the third a volley hit crosscourt near the service
sideline, and the fourth a volley hit crosscourt after moving hard left into the other
service court.

Purpose of the Drill

 To encourage attacking tennis
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 To improve variety of shots production
 To anticipate weak returns by an opponent

Coaches Notes
 Push the players’ ability on volleys by returning the ball wide to make the player
work hard on the volley.

Players Notes
 Strong ground shots must be ensured to enforce weak returns by an opponent
 Volleys must be hit with enough width so not to put you in a vulnerable position
close to the net.

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 Groundstroke Drill 2

2
1

3 4

This is an excellent drill for working on directional ground strokes in a competitive

manner. It is a 40 – point drill with points carried over when direction is changed.
Direction is changed when one player reaches 10, 20 or 30. A player is awarded one
point for every rally he wins, or when the opponent does not hit the appropriate return
shot.

The four directions are:

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1) Cross court forehand;
2) Cross court background;
3) Forehand to backhand on one side; and
4) Backhand to forehand on one side.

Purpose of the Drill

 This drill enables the player to practice hitting consistent shots whilst under the
pressure of competitive tennis.

Scoring
 A player will win a point every rally he/she wins or when their opponent hits
inappropriate shots. The direction of the shots should be changed when a players
reaches 10, 20 or 30 points.

Coaches Notes
 The primary focus should be on consistency.
 Progress to ensure aggressive ground strokes are being hit.
 The drill can be modified to have one player hitting volleys only.

Players Notes

 It is important to hit consistent yet aggressive shots, throughout the match, to

remain in control of rally.

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 Groundstroke Drill 3

1) Coach divides court into thirds with cones or slap down lines.
2) Player A stays in the middle 1/3 of the court and moves player B from the
outside 1/3 to outside 1/3.
3) Player B is working on mobility, consistency, and directional stroke
production as he moves from outside 1/3 to outside 1/3.
4) Player A is hitting all forehands, and is working on controlling the centre of
the court.
5) Stroke production can be executed after one or two bounces.
6) Players switch at 5 minute intervals or as they tire.

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Purpose of the Drill

 Player A
1) Controlling centre of the court
2) Directional shots

 Player B
1) Mobility
2) Shot consistency
3) Directional shots

Scoring

 To make the drill competitive award points to opponent for every error made
by a player

Coaches Notes

 Where cones and slap down lines are not available, be inventive.
 One progression would be to force Player A to alternate hitting forehands and
backhands crosscourt

Player Notes

 Consistency is central to the success of the drill

 Both players win benefit if both hit consistent ground strokes

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 Groundstroke Drill 4

The players (or player and coach) rally with each other...The player at the near end
must hit all shots into the singles court but not in the red diamond area. Purpose of the

Drill

1. To encourage moving the ball around the court.

2. To encourage players not to hit easily attackable balls to their opponent.
3. To practice control of a shot under pressure of pushing

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Scoring

1. The player the near end losses the point if they hit the ball at any time into the red
zone
1. The player wins 2 points if they win the point when they have retrieved the
attacking shot of the player from a ball hit in the red zone.

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