The coach stands on the service line and serves to the deuce side, then the player returns using forehand down the line stroke.
Return is a really important skill but only few players spend enough time on drills that improve it. It doesn't matter which level you play because your return can give you easy points (if you attack weak serves) or can help you to stay in the rally (if the serve is powerful and well-placed).
In this drill player works on returning skills. The coach's position makes return harder to perform because player has less time for reaction. Down the line direction is required to learn how to force the opponent to hit backhand from the first shot or can make players more confident to attack easier serves. For players who love to compete, the coach can set few targets to hit into to make their interest at high level. Additionally this exercise is great for coaches who can't consistently serve well-placed serves from the baseline.
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.
With Roland Garros centre stage in May, clay court tennis demands a different toolkit: controlled sliding, longer rallies, and patient point construction. Here is how to coach the surface that humbles power players and rewards craft.