Tennis: Teach the half-volley stroke

Develop your players technique for hitting the half-volley while instilling a tactical understanding of when and how to play the stroke for maximum effect.

Players warm up by running and performing dynamic stretches.

The coach should ask players to perform exercises which will help to develop the skills related to the half-volley.

In this warm up set up two cones about 1.5 metres apart. Ask your player to stand facing the cones, then reach down to the cone on his/her left with their right hand.

Then return to the standing position before reaching for the left cone with the right hand.

Starting on the baseline, the player stands facing the coach. The coach then feeds the player balls.

The player returns the balls by hitting a half-volley.

After each return shot the player moves forward, and the coach steps back so the gap between them both stay the same.

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

-One player is positioned on the service line, the other closer to the net.
-Player 1 lobs every second shot and player 2 hits alternately volleys and smashes.
-This is a warm up drill and players focus on keeping the ball in play.
-The drill can be done with or without rackets.
-Players swop round after approximately 3 minutes.