Tennis: Taking the ball early: One up, One back

Coach stands behind the player, keeping their racket on the backhand side of the player. Player imitates backhand volley. The coach’s racket limits player’s opportunity to take racket too far back.

The player and coach stands close to the net. The coach changes positions on the court and throws balls to the backhand side. The player executes backhand volley back to coach with control.

The player serves wide to the deuce side and the coach feeds short ball to deuce side. The player hits deep forehand approach shot cross-court and comes to the net. The coach feeds another ball to deuce side and the player finishes with forehand volley cross-court.

Coach and player rally together in the cross-court direction. Player starts from the service line and hits only volleys. After every shotthe player moves forward closer to the net. After reaching the net the player moves back after every hit.

Players stands on the service line.  Deep zone is set on the deuce side.  Player and coach rally together. Coach hits balls in 3 directions: deuce, middle and ad.  Player hits all the balls deep to the deuce side using volleys.

Moving along the net the coach throws the ball over the net to the player. Standing in the centre of the net the player has to hit a half-volley back to coach so he/she can catch it

Player stays inside the baseline. Coach stands behind the baseline on the opposite side of the net. Players rally in cross-court direction. Coach hits higher balls after a bounce, with the player hitting forehand drive volleys out of the air.

Player stands at the net. Coach feeds balls to the backhand side. Coach hits controlled backhand volley and looks at point of contact. Coach should adjust the speed of feeding to allow player “fix” own eyes at the moment of hitting the ball.  

Player stands behind the service line. Coach hits all the balls high to the forehand side. Player using forehand drive hits 2 shots to the deuce and 2 shots to the ad side.

The player stands at the service line and the coach feeds the first ball into the legs to backhand side. The player executes backhand half-volley cross-court and moves diagonally forward. The coach feeds another ball to forehand side and the player finishes with forehand stop-volley down the line.

The coach feeds the ball to the forehand side of the player who stands on the service line. Player hits a forehand volley to the coach who stands in the middle of the opposite service line to the player. The coach then returns the ball to the player so he/she has to hit a backhand volley down the line. Place cones around 1 metre from the service line on the deuce side for the player to aim for.

Players can struggle with control if they have habits to make big backswings at the net. If your player is not able to hit compact volleys, try this correcting exercise. Player stands close to the fence (back almost touches the fence). Coach feeds balls so player can practice volleys. Fence prevents from taking too big backswing on the volleys.

The player begins by standing on the service line, with the coach tossing short balls to the backhand side. The player must move across and backhand volley the ball down the line.

Coach feeds the ball to the front player in the queue who volleys the ball back then the coach volleys the ball to the forehand side of the player 2nd inline who moves out and plays back the volley to then move back in behind the 1st player who volleys the next shot the 2nd player know moves out to the backhand side to volley the ball once again back to the coach. 2nd player then moves back to the queue and next player in line repeats the exercise. Very time a mistake is made by the front player a new player moves to the front.

The coach feeds the ball to the deuce side (close to the sideline). The player hits forehand angle cross-court and quickly comes to the net and the coach feeds another ball to the ad side. The player finishes with backhand volley cross-court.

Player stands in the deuce side service box. The coach feeds the ball to the player over the net, differing the height o the ball each time he feeds it. Player should practise alternating the return using a forehand volley and overhead stroke.

Player stands inside the service box. Their partner stays on the service line. Players rally together and using only a backhand volley, the player tries to hit the zone marked with the cones. Partner uses a controlled forehand groundstroke.

The coach feeds an easy high ball, and the player hits forehand in the air to the deuce side and moves up.The coach hits a lob back, with the player finishing with overhead to the ad side. Many players don't play too many shots in the air because they have poor ball-tracking skills. The coach should implement different varations of drills that consist of drives and overheads to make players more comfortable with hitting without a bounce.

Player stands on the service line. Coach alternates feeding a low and a high ball. Player hits low and high volleys with control.

Player stands close to the center.  Coach feeds hard ball close to the sideline.  Player tries to hit the ball with backhand volley.