The coach stands in front of the player and feeds the ball behind the baseline to the forehand side. The player moves back to the ball, slides and hits forehand.
Surface of the tennis court forces players to make different decisions. On hard courts, players can take deep high balls on the rise and be really offensive while standing close to the baseline. On clay-court this scenario is not the best option because irregular bounces make playing on the rise really dangerous. Good clay-court players move many times back during the match so players who wants to win more matches on "dirt" have to apply more movement back.
In this drill, the player works on sliding back while hitting forehand. Clay surface is slippery so players should use this opportunity especially in defensive situations to create most effective shots. Moving back and sliding is a typical pattern for Spanish players who can still play really challenging balls even while responding to deep opponents shots. The coach should remind players that sliding back take them further away from the net so they should apply more topspin to shots to make sure that balls don't land in the net.
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.
Register for FREE and get coaching tips, top drills, session and more every week!
