The player drops the ball and applies backspin by hitting under the ball. The goal is to hit with enough spin to make the ball bounce and come back to the player.
Topspin prevails in a modern game so many coaches don't spend enough time on sharpening skills that are based on different spins. Slice is one of the weapons that was successfully used in the past and it should be considered in every player's development.
In this drill, the player learns how to apply backspin by hitting under the ball. Continental grip is a must to perform this exercise correctly so coaches have to pay attention to this detail. More advanced players can be challenged by using progression (hitting with backspin in the air).
Most club players practise the serve on its own and then have no idea what to do with the ball that comes back. Serve plus one is the pattern that turns a good serve into a won point.
Wimbledon has just crowned another champion, and if you watched closely you saw the same thing every year: the best returners quietly won the tournament. Here is how to coach a return that pressures the server rather than just surviving it.
Wimbledon arrives at the end of June and the grass court swing transforms how the game is played. Low bounces, slippery footing, and rewards for forward play demand a different tactical mindset. Here is how to coach it.
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