Coach serves from the service line and the player returns the ball cross court.
Every point in tennis starts with a serve and return so players should spend significant amount of time on sharpening these skills. The most basic tactic while returning the serve is to keep the ball cross court. There are many advantages of this solution and this is why most of the tennis pros come back with cross court shots while responding to serves. Coaches should explain to players that cross court shot gives you better chance to make it in (Cross court is longer than Down the line), you have better net clearance (Hitting over the lowest part of the net) and it gives you great recovery position (You have to stay on the opposite side of the ball). This exercise puts more emphasis on reaction because coach serves from the service line.
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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