The coach feeds each player 5 easy balls anywhere inside the service boxes.
The player must 'rip' every single ball, with 100% intensity, swinging freely and keeping the racquet head speed fast through each and every ball.
These are 'put away' balls, the last shot of a rally and must be buried into the court to give the opponent no chance of getting to it.
Players can be encouraged to take the ball at the top of the bounce, however it is useful for more advanced players to learn the skill of 'holding'.
This involves the player setting their feet once in the right position for the ball, and holding until their opponent has made a move to one side of the court before they hit it to the other.
The ball must be at a comfortable contact height to do this.
Players can aim at the targets as they wish, they are simply on the court as a guide.
The drill can be made competitive by the player with the highest number of targets hit being the winner.
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.