The player stands on the baseline and the coach stands in front of the player on the same side. The coach feeds the ball off own side to the deuce corner. The player sprints and hits defensive slice down the line.
It is important to work on defensive skills to make players as complete athlete as possible. An ability to hit most of the balls over the net forces the opponent to put more power or to take a greater risk with next attempts so there is a bigger chance for rival's errors.
In this drill the player works on defensive skills with forehand slice. Short distance to the coach forces the player to quickly perform a first running step. With more players on the court coach can put other players on the other side (deuce corner) and make them respond to the forehand slice with offensive backhand cross court (deep or angle).
On-court coaching is now fully legal, technology continues to advance, and the ATP calendar evolves. Here's what tennis coaches need to know for 2026.
Tennis demands a unique combination of endurance, power, agility, and flexibility. Physical preparation determines how long careers last and how players perform when it matters most.
Ecological dynamics is transforming tennis coaching. This constraints-led approach develops adaptable, creative players who can solve problems in competition, not just execute drilled patterns.
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