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Tennis: Serve / Return Point Play

I have used many of the tennis drills and as a result my two High...

Linsent, Tennis coach

DESCRIPTION

Player 1 is serving and will play a sequence of 4 points against player 2 as follows:

Serving from the deuce court player 1 must serve wide. Player 2 must return the shot to player 1's forehand side.
Serving from the deuce court player 1 must serve inside. Player 2 must return the shot to player 1's backhand side.
Serving from the advantage court player 1 must serve inside to player 2 who must return the ball to player 1's forehand corner.
Serving from the advantage court player 1 must serve wide to player 2 who must return the ball to player 1's backhand side.

COACHING POINTS

Player 2 knows where the serve is going, therefore should be able to practice these specific returns.

However player 1 also knows where the return is going so the 1st shot after the serve is key, and should be played aggressively. With this in mind the handicap of both players should be relatively even and the usual point win/ loss ratio should remain unaffected.

Game rules:

Once these 2 shot combinations have been made, the point is played out in the normal way. Players can play first to 21 points and then switch around.

Should the first serve be missed or not made to the specific area, the 2nd serve is played to the same area.

Should the return not be made to the allocated corner, the returner loses the point.

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OFTEN USED WITH...

Serve / Volley - Cross court

Player 1 serves and follows it in to hit a volley. Player 2 must attempt to hit a return cross court. Player 1 then hits a volley angled cross court to target area.

Serve and Return

Returning drills

Players return the serve down the line and take it in turns to serve.

Serve and Return

Returning A / B

Player 2 has to tell player 1 where they are returning before the serve. Server only has one serve (depending o n the level of the player). Player 2 is rewarded bonus points for htiing into designated area and eventually winning the point.

Serve and Return

Returning with Depth

Place Throw down lines (TDL) 1m inside the baseline on the servers side

The server 2nd serves and the returner is trying to return the ball between the TDL and the baseline. Play out the point after the serve and if the returner hits the depth area and eventually wins the point they get a bonus point.

Advanced progression - returner receiving both 1st and 2nd serves inside the baseline or close to the service box.

Serve and Return

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MORE Serve and Return DRILLS

Advanced progression of Returning drills

Player 1 hits a serve, with player 2Â trying to return between the baseline and the Throw Down Line (lines are placed according to player's level).

Serve and Return

Chip and Charge

Player 1 only has one serve. Player 2 returns and follows it into the net to volley or smash. The server should not be allowed to lob the first shot. Player 2 should aim for either a deep return or cross court. Play out the points and first to seven points is the winner.

Serve and Return

Cone Serving

Players serve at the targets shown, taking two balls at a time and serving 1 first serve, 1 second serve at each target. After a certain amount of time players switch and repeat the same from the other side. The player with the most targets at the end of the practice wins the drill. If groups are large, players can take it in turns to serve one after the other, and/or also from the doubles serving positions.

Serve and Return

3 progressive returns

The coach stands on the service line (ad side), and the player starts from the baseline. The coach serves to the T, so that the players hits a forehand return cross-court. After successful hit into the zone, the player moves forward between service line and baseline, and hits another return. After successful hit into the zone, the player moves forward to the service line to execute another return.

Serve and Return

Accuracy Toss

The player tosses the ball up and leaves the non-dominant hand in the air. Ball should drop into the player's hand.

Serve and Return

Add Your Hips

Coach stands in front of the player with racquet. The player shadows the serve while trying to touch the coach's racquet with their leading hip.

Serve and Return

Answer the serve

Coach serves from the deuce side. The player then hits a cross-court forehand return.

Serve and Return

As high as you can

The player faces the back fence and imitates serving action. The player's goal is to reach with the racquet as high as possible and touch the fence with the top edge of the racquet.

Serve and Return

Backhand return of serve cross court

Coach serves to the player from the deuce side. Player moves into position to hit a backhand return cross court. Cones should be placed in the corner of the deuce side to give the player a target to aim for.

Serve and Return

Backhand Slice Return - Get Back To The Old Times

Player waits for the serve on the ad side. Coach serves wide from the ad side. Player executes deep backhand slice return in cross-court direction.

Serve and Return

Basic pattern for everyone

Player serves wide from the deuce side. Coach throws a ball to the deuce side. Player hits deep forehand cross court and recovers. Coach throws another ball to the deuce side. Player hits deep forehand down the line.

Serve and Return

Be Ready For Deep Return

Player serves from the deuce side. Coach hits a deep return to the middle of the court. Player stays close to the baseline and hits a half volley forehand to the open court.

Serve and Return

Big Power, Big Target

Player serves wide from the deuce side. Coach throws a short and high ball to the deuce side. Player moves forward and hits an offensive forehand drive volley to the center of the court.

Serve and Return

Big serve with drop shot winner

Player serves to the T from ad side. The coach hits the ball back to the player's backhand side. The player finishes with a backhand drop shot down the line. Place cones in the deuce service box for the player to aim for when hitting the drop shot

Serve and Return

Body Serve From The Deuce Side Progression

Player serves to the body from the deuce side, aiming through the cones. The coach then feeds a regular ball to the advantage side, and the player finishes with a deep backhand cross-court volley in between the cones on the other side of the court.

Serve and Return

Body Serve From The Deuce Side

Player serves to the body from the deuce side, aiming through the cones. The coach then feeds a regular ball to the advantage side, and the player finishes with a deep backhand cross-court in between the cones on the other side of the court.

Serve and Return

Bounce Over The Bar

Bar is set on the deuce side. Player serves from the deuce side. Player tries to make the ball bounce over the the set bar.

Serve and Return

Challenging Shot After the Serve

Player serves. Coach throws deep and low ball immediately after player lands on the court. Player quickly moves back and responds with controlled forehand stroke.

Serve and Return

Comfortable Against Deep Return

Player serves from the deuce side. Coach hits a deep return to the middle of the court. Player moves back and hits a topspin shot to the open court.

Serve and Return

Connect the Dots

Coach serves from Deuce/Ad side. Player returns with forehand cross court. Coach hits the ball back to forehand. Player finishes to the open space. In this exercise, returner works on basic forehand patterns. From deuce side, player returns cross court and finishes down the line. From Ad side, player goes with cross court and finishes with inside in.

Serve and Return

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