Player serves wide from the deuce side. Coach hits an easy ball to the center. Player moves forward and hits deep forehand approach shot cross-court. Coach feeds the ball to the ad side. Player finishes with deep backhand volley down the line.
Serve shouldn't just start the point. The role of the serve is to build the point so on higher levels of performance players use delivery to create an advantage on the court. Player has to build few tactical patterns to make sure that he/she feels comfortable using them when the pressure is on.
In this drill player works on tactical pattern. By serving wide player opens the court and puts the opponent into a really difficult position. Player has to be aware of the next ball so if it is short there is a chance to shorten opponent's reaction time by moving forward and hitting offensive approach shot. The last shot is a typical deep backhand volley to finish the point.
Indoor courts give players less time and less room. Help them sharpen their split step, shorten their swing and stay calm, and winter becomes a season of real progress.
A tiebreak is a short sprint where every point is worth the same as a break of serve. The players who win them are rarely the ones who hit hardest. Here is how to coach the patterns, habits and scoreboard thinking that win the big points.
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.
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